Ahead of Tisha B’Av, researchers uncovered massive wooden beams burned in the destruction of the First Temple, providing rare archaeological evidence of Jerusalem’s fall in 586 BCE.

A remarkable discovery has been made at the Givati Parking Lot excavations in the City of David, within the Jerusalem Walls National Park. Excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University uncovered massive wooden beams that collapsed and burned during the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE.

According to Excavation Director Efrat Bocher, the beams appear to have formed the roof of an inner courtyard in a First Temple-period building. When the building was destroyed, the roof collapsed onto the floor. Melted plaster from the walls then covered the charred wood, creating the conditions that allowed the beams to survive for approximately 2,600 years.

A Discovery with Exceptional Scientific Value

Beyond their historical significance, the beams also represent an unusually valuable scientific resource.

“It is very rare in Israel to find wood with such a large number of growth rings,” says Dr. Johanna Regev of the Israel Antiquities Authority, who is studying the find.

She explains that the unusually thick beams contain many growth rings, giving researchers a rare opportunity to date archaeological remains with much greater precision than previously possible.

“Until now we could date finds within a range of hundreds of years. Now we can attain much greater precision, narrowing the dating range down to as little as ten years.”

The charred wooden beams uncovered in the City of David. Photo: Reut Vilf

Preserving the Memory of the Destruction

The excavation directors believe the remains were intentionally left untouched when Jerusalem was rebuilt after the Babylonian destruction, preserving the memory of the catastrophe for future generations.

“The concept of a landscape of memory is familiar from many cultures around the world,” explains Dr. Yiftah Shalev, who directs the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority alongside Prof. Yuval Gadot of Tel Aviv University. “Preserving memory is a human need, seeking to preserve what once existed. Here we see it in its clearest form: a deliberate choice to leave ruins in place as a testament to the destruction and build the new layer over them.”

Growth rings in the wooden beams uncovered in the City of David. Photo: Efrat Bocher

A Discovery Ahead of Tisha B’Av

The timing of the discovery gives it particular resonance. Tisha B’Av commemorates the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, and the newly uncovered beams provide direct archaeological evidence of the events remembered on that day.

“We are just before Tisha B’Av,” says Bocher. “This discovery makes you feel that you are witnessing the very moment of destruction, the moment when it all happened. It’s deeply moving.”

Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu added:

“The soil of Jerusalem continues to bear witness to what some seek to deny. The wooden beams burned in the destruction of the First Temple are a silent yet powerful testimony to the presence of the Jewish people in Jerusalem some 2,600 years ago. On the eve of Tisha B’Av, this discovery reminds us that our connection to Jerusalem is not only one of faith, but also of history, archaeology, and national memory. Our responsibility is to continue uncovering this truth, preserving it, and passing it on with pride to future generations.”