Scientists back Biblical tunnel

by Gerard 2 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Gerard

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3098018.stm

  Scientists back Biblical tunnel

  By Richard Black BBC science correspondent Israeli scientists have used radiometric dating to show when a tunnel in Jerusalem, described in the Bible, was excavated. It is believed to be the first time a structure described in the Bible has been accurately dated, and scholars say it will be useful in refining the history of Jerusalem. Modern-day tourists know the Siloam Tunnel as a half-kilometre-long passage running under Jerusalem's ancient city walls. According to the Bible it was excavated by King Hezekiah to carry water from the Gihon spring into the city, securing the supply in times of warfare. Most scholars believe this happened around 700 BC, though some have contended it is much younger. Now research led by Amos Frumpkin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, reported in the scientific journal Nature, has confirmed the date, which he says is a rare success. "It's very rare to find things which are mentioned in the Bible that have been confirmed independently by dating," he said. "First of all it's very difficult to find such structures; it's very difficult to identify them; and usually they are not very well preserved." Ancient wonder Dr Frumpkin's team found plant remains and stalactites in the Siloam Tunnel which they examined using carbon dating and another similar method involving uranium. They confirmed the age at around 700 BC. Scholars say it is a useful find because it sets an absolute date for a Biblical event, rather than having to rely on interpretations and calculations. But they say it does not constitute proof that any particular race or community settled in Jerusalem before any other, and shouldn't be used to claim any kind of primacy. The Siloam Tunnel itself remains a wonder of ancient engineering, excavated by two teams of diggers starting at opposite ends and meeting somehow - no-one knows how - in the middle. Two thousand seven hundred years after its construction, it is still carrying water into Jerusalem, though this is no longer used for drinking.
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  Dogpatch

  The tunnel is way cool, went through it all the way back in the mid-80's, and spent a week in old Jerusalem. Love the digs!

  Randy Watters

  Net Soup!

  http://www.freeminds.org
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  JCanon

  Scholars say it is a useful find because it sets an absolute date for a Biblical event, rather than having to rely on interpretations and calculations.

  Interesting post, but it is not as specific as astronomical dating which gives you dating accurate to the very year. Two astronomical texts, the VAT4956 and the Assyrian eponym list eclipse, thus require more specific dating, even if more than one date is assigned. Thus if you use the 511BCE dating in the VAT4956 for year 37 of Nebuchadnezzar and redate the eponym eclipse back from 763BCE to 709BCE, then the beginning of Hezekiah's reign would be around 665BCE specifically. So it's not as if we can't figure out the exact date of this event via what information we have. I wouldn't consider "around 700 BCE" as being a true contradiction in this case.

  But thanks for the post. Basically the dating prior to the Neo-Babylonian period is consistent Biblical with secular history except for 54 years, the difference between the 763BCE eclipse and the 709BCE eclipse. Thus the first of Hezekiah by the secular dating woudl be around 719BCE, which is close to the alleged radiodating, though they suggest the radiodating was "much earlier"? It would thus be interesting if the radiodating was about 50 years earlier which would mean it was fairly accurate considering that would be closer to the precise date.

  If you know precisely what year the tunnel was built, then you can caluate the precise year the tunnel was dug if you begin the rule of Hezekiah around 665BCE. Some of this dating is aligned with a jubilee year occurring in his 14th-15th year.

  Thanks for the post!! Interesting.

  JCanon