Archaeologists have uncovered the lost residence of King David, where biblical kings once lived.

In modern-day Jordan, researchers have uncovered an ancient site believed to be linked to the biblical kings of Israel. This location, mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, may have served as a royal residence during the Iron Age, writes Live Science.

This site, known in ancient texts as Mahanaim, is thought to have been part of the Kingdom of Israel, also referred to as the Northern Kingdom. Archaeologists Israel Finkelstein from Tel Aviv University and Talal Ornan from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem believe this site is now known as Tall al-Dhahab al-Gharbi. Their conclusions are based on archaeological evidence and an analysis of biblical references to Mahanaim.

The term "Mahanaim" translates from ancient Hebrew as "two camps," suggesting proximity to another location, Penuel. Researchers propose that Tall al-Dhahab al-Gharbi corresponds to Mahanaim, while the smaller adjacent site, Tall al-Dhahab al-Sharqi, may be Penuel. Biblical accounts indicate that Penuel housed a temple, and a rectangular platform discovered at Tall al-Dhahab al-Sharqi could have been part of it.

Excavations conducted by a German team between 2005 and 2011 revealed stone blocks at Tall al-Dhahab al-Gharbi, intricately carved with images, including people playing the lyre, a hunting lion, a date palm, and a banquet scene. These artifacts suggest that the site housed a building utilized by the elite, possibly even the Israelite royal family.

The artistic style of these engravings resembles 8th-century BCE frescoes found at Kuntillet Ajrud in northeastern Sinai, Egypt, another location associated with the Kingdom of Israel. This similarity supports the hypothesis that the engravings date to the same period and were created by Israelite artists.

Finkelstein and Ornan attribute the construction of Mahanaim and Penuel to Jeroboam II, an Israelite king who reigned in the 8th century BCE. The Bible also recounts significant events related to Mahanaim, such as the coronation of King Ishbaal and King David's retreat during the rebellion of his son, Absalom.

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