Ancient Fabrics from King David's Era Found at Timna

An exciting discovery in Timna, located in the Arava desert: researchers from Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Archaeology have found garment remnants from the tenth century BCE (around 3,000 years ago) - dating back to the reign of King David. The expedition, led by Dr. Erez Ben-Yosef, explained that the dry climate of the Timna site preserved the organic findings in a way that wouldn't be possible otherwise. "This is our fourth year in Timna, and to our surprise, we managed to find textile pieces from the tenth century BCE, which likely range from sackcloth pieces to exquisite, beautiful, and delicate garments," Dr. Ben-Yosef said.

A piece of dyed wool fabric (Photo: Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority)

Three types of textiles were found: goat hair, sheep wool, and linen, in two quality types: undyed fabric and dyed, decorated fabric with stripe patterns. Among the fabric fragments, pieces of leather, braided cords, grain seeds, and fruits from the Seven Species and others were also found. The researchers expressed their joy, stating that it is a significant contribution from which new research directions in the field will develop.

A rope made from goat hair (Photo: Clara Amit, Israel Antiquities Authority)