The Iron Age Complex in the Ophel, Jerusalem: A Critical Analysis

Excavations at the Ophel in Jerusalem have revealed some of the most elaborate Iron Age remains in the city. They are of great importance for reconstructing the settlement history of Jerusalem and are related to two major issues: the nature of Judah’s capital in the 10th century BCE and the location of its original Bronze and Iron Age mound. Here I deal with the characteristics of the remains and their chronological setting. Analysing the stratigraphic, architectural and ceramic evidence, I conclude that the construction of the western part of the complex cannot predate the Iron IIB in the 8th century BCE, and that the early buildings in the eastern sector should probably be dated to the Late Iron IIA in the 9th century BCE.