'Seven species' described in Deuteronomy remarkably discovered in Israel

The species are wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.

In an incredible revelation, archaeologists digging in the Timna copper mines of Israel's Negev Desert discovered 3,000-year-old items described in Deuteronomy 8:8.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - In the Bible, Deuteronomy 8:7-9 reads: "But the Lord your God is bringing you into a fine country, a land of streams and springs, of waters that well up from the deep in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines, of figs, of pomegranates, a land of olives, of oil, of honey, a land where you will eat bread without stint, where you will want nothing, a land where the stones are iron and where the hills may be quarried for copper."

The Tel Aviv archaeologists explained their discovery of thousands of seeds spanning the seven species.

"This is the first time seeds from this period have been found uncharred and in such large quantities," Dr. Ben-Yosef described. "With the advancement of modern science, we now enjoy research options that wee unthinkable a few decades ago. We can reconstruct wine typical of King David's era, for example, and understand the cultivation and domestication processes that have been preserved in the DNA of the seed."

The University announced the seeds were recovered alongside leathers, fabrics and "rare artifacts that provide a unique window into the culture and practices of this period." 

The items recovered from the excavation site were in a state of "remarkable preservation," date back to King David and King Solomon's time and offer evidence of historical fashions.

The early Edomites - semi-nomadic peoples believed to operate Timna's mines - have been mentioned in the Bible and their artifacts have been unearthed, but very few details are available. Archaeologists believe the excavations can help shed light on their culture.

The scraps of colorful and beautifully designed fabrics displayed evidence of weaving techniques and various colors.

"Some of these fabrics resemble textiles only known from the Roman era," Dr. Orit Shamir, a senior researcher at the Israel Antiquities Authority and who also led the study of the fabrics, remarked.

Dr. Ben-Yosef added that physical evidence had never before been uncovered. 

"We found fragments of textiles that originated from bags, clothing, tents, ropes and cords...We found simply woven, elaborately decorated fabrics worn by the upper echelon of [Edomite] stratified society."

Three-thousand-years-ago, copper was a source of power, and the Timna copper mine was the main site slaves could recover the valuable mineral.

Dr. Ben-Yosef explained, "If a person had the exceptional knowledge to 'create copper,' he was considered well-versed in an extremely sophisticated technology. He would have been considered magical or supernatural, and his social status would have reflected this."

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