JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Archaeologists claim to have uncovered large charred wooden beams in Jerusalem’s City of David that they believe were burned during the Babylonian destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE, a discovery they say could provide rare physical evidence from one of the most significant events in Jewish history.

The beams were discovered during excavations at the Givati Parking Lot site, conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University in the City of David, within the Jerusalem Walls National Park.

According to excavation director Efrat Bocher, the beams appear to have served as roofing over an inner courtyard of a First Temple-period building.

“These beams, which apparently served as roofing for an inner courtyard of a First Temple-period building, collapsed onto the floor of the structure during its destruction,” Bocher said. “We believe that the plaster covering the building’s walls melted in the fire and also covered the charred wooden beams, helping preserve them in an exceptional state.”

Researchers said the preservation of the wood is highly unusual in Israel, where organic materials rarely survive for more than two millennia.

Dr. Johanna Regev of the Israel Antiquities Authority, who is leading the scientific study of the discovery, said the find could significantly improve archaeologists’ ability to date events from the First Temple period.

“It is extremely rare to find wooden remains in Israel with such a large number of growth rings,” Regev said. “Here in the City of David we found thick beams with many rings, giving us tremendous research potential.”

She said the discovery may help narrow the dating of archaeological remains far more precisely than has previously been possible.

“The greater the number of tree rings, the more precisely researchers can date archaeological remains,” Regev said. “Until now, many finds could only be dated within a range of several hundred years. These beams may allow us to narrow the dating down to a window of about ten years.”

Excavation directors Dr. Yiftah Shalev of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Prof. Yuval Gadot of Tel Aviv University said the remains also shed light on what happened in Jerusalem after the Babylonian conquest.

“It is clear that this large building was deliberately burned and collapsed all at once,” they said. “Interestingly, during the Persian period after the destruction, residents sealed off the entrance to this area but continued living in other parts of the structure.”

The researchers believe that decision reflected a desire to preserve the memory of the destruction rather than erase it.

“Creating a place of remembrance is a basic human need, especially after a traumatic event,” they said. “The inhabitants deliberately left the destruction visible as testimony to the devastation and rebuilt alongside it rather than clearing it away.”

With Tisha B’Av approaching, Bocher said the discovery carries special emotional significance.

“It gives you the feeling that you’ve witnessed the very moment of the destruction, the moment when everything happened,” she said. “It’s deeply moving.”

Israel Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said the find serves as both historical and archaeological evidence of the Jewish connection to Jerusalem.

“The soil of Jerusalem continues to testify to what some seek to deny,” Eliyahu said. “These wooden beams, burned in the destruction of the First Temple, are a silent yet powerful witness to the presence of the Jewish people in Jerusalem some 2,600 years ago.”

He added that the discovery carries particular meaning ahead of Tisha B’Av.

“This discovery reminds us that our connection to Jerusalem is rooted not only in faith, but also in history, archaeology, and our national memory,” Eliyahu said. “Our responsibility is to continue uncovering, preserving, and proudly passing this truth on to future generations.”

Researchers say additional scientific analysis of the beams is expected to determine their age more precisely and could provide new insights into the chronology of Jerusalem’s destruction during the Babylonian conquest.