August 05, 2015
A team of archaeologists in Israel have discovered a massive gate that may have been an entrance to the biblical city of Gath, where the legendary giant warrior Goliath lived and was felled by Israelite King David with a slingshot.
Possibly the largest metropolis in the region, Gath was occupied by the Israelites' enemies, the Philistines, until the 9th century B.C. The gate was found in Tell es-Safi, which was continuously occupied for almost 5,000 years before the Arab village at the site was left in 1948.
The findings of the current excavation, led by archaeologist Aren Maeir of Bar-llan University, reveal the sophistication of the ancient Philistine city, LiveScience reports.
"We knew that Philistine Gath in the 10th to ninth century [B.C.] was a large city, perhaps the largest in the land at that time," Maeir told Live Science in an email. "These monumental fortifications stress how large and mighty this city was."
As the team dug trenches to find the ancient city's fortifications, they located the top surface of a gigantic gate that could require several seasons to fully uncover. Maeir said the size and shape of the stones along the top of the gate indicate the enormous boundaries the Philistines created to prevent expansion by the Jewish kingdoms of Judah and Israel.
Archaeologists also found ironworks, pottery and a Philistine temple near the giant gate, including signs of cultural exchange with the Israelites that open up a more complex picture of the relationship between the two ancient societies.
