The Quest for the Historical King David - New Light from Khirbet Qeiyafa and Khirbet El Rai - Professor Yosef Garfinkel

Since the early 1980s doubts have been cast on the descriptions of King David in the biblical tradition. Some scholars claim that he is purely a literary and mythological figure, others that he was just a local tribal leader. Even Jerusalem had not yielded any clear archaeological data on the King David era. This situation had been changed completely with the excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa (2007-2013) and the ongoing excavations at Khirbet el Rai. The lecture will concentrate on the major finds from Khirbet Qeiyafa and how they have transformed our knowledge.

Yosef Garfinkel is Yigael Yadin Professor of Archaeology of the Land of Israel at the Institute of Archaeology, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. From 2007 to 2013 he excavated the then unknown site of Khirbet Qeiyafa. This turned out to be the first known fortified city in Judah, from the time of King David, showing that in ca. 1000 BC the area had been transferred from tribal communities into a state. Since 2013 Yossi has been excavating at Tel Lachish, the second most important city in Biblical Judah, after Jerusalem.

For enquiries contact (AIAS) 020 8349 5754 or Manchester Jewish Museum (Max Dunbar) 0161 834 9879