JERUSALEM: The epic sieges and conquests described in the Hebrew Bible are only partially depicted by ancient ruins, but scientists are piecing together historical events to determine how closely they reflect those in the Bible.Researchers from the Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University have more precisely dated these remains using measurements of ancient geomagnetic fields that have been retained over time in mud bricks from fire-ravaged locations and in two collections of ceramic artefacts.
Although the technique has been employed before, never to this degree.Yoav Vaknin, of the Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University, told Reuters: “Since we have a very extensive database, we can compare many different sites according to the magnetic signal and this way establish a very reliable dating approach.
The study’s conclusions, for instance, suggest that Tel Rehov, Tel Zayit, and Horvat Tevet were all destroyed by the army of Hazael, the first King of Aram-Damascus listed in the Book of Kings.Vaknin claims that the magnetic field and its activity are one of the greatest scientific mysteries, and that using this technique will allow scientists to forecast how the magnetic field will behave and change in the future.
