Khirbet en-Nahas (Faynan Copper Center)
A fortress and slag mounds in Edom dated to the tenth century
Found 1934 — Surveyed by Nelson Glueck (1930s); excavated by Thomas E. Levy (UC San Diego) and Mohammad Najjar (Jordan Department of Antiquities), 2002–2009
Where Khirbet en-Nahas ('ruins of copper'), Wadi Faynan, southern Jordan (Jordan)
Dates from c. 1200–900 BCE (peak 10th–9th) · Iron Age I–IIA · Judges through David and Shlomo (Solomon)
Now at In situ; finds in the Jordan Department of Antiquities
How Khirbet en-Nahas (Faynan Copper Center) was found
Levy's team dug the square fortress and deep slag mounds and ran a large radiocarbon program on charcoal and seeds, publishing dates that placed the fortress and peak smelting in the tenth–ninth centuries BCE.
What it is
The largest Iron Age copper-smelting site in the southern Levant: a 10-hectare field of black slag mounds, over 100 buildings, and a square fortress about 73 m on a side with a four-chambered gate. Slag deposits are several meters deep.
Why it matters for the Bible
Before this work, most scholars believed Edom did not become a kingdom until the eighth century under Assyrian influence, so the Bible's Edomite kings and David's wars with Edom looked anachronistic. The radiocarbon dates show a big, organized copper industry with a fortress in the very period the Bible describes. Levy argued that this supports an early Edomite polity and fits the biblical picture; Finkelstein and others replied that the site may reflect nomadic groups or northern control, not a state. The debate is ongoing but the dates have held.
The Hebrew word: neh-CHOH-shet
נְחֹשֶׁת
נְחֹשֶׁת is pronounced neh-CHOH-shet and means copper, bronze (Strong's H5178).
People this discovery connects to
- David — דָּוִד (Dah-VEED) — beloved
- Hadad the Edomite — הֲדַד (Hah-DAHD) — name of a storm god
Places
- Edom — אֱדוֹם (Eh-DOHM) — red
- Punon — פּוּנֹן (Poo-NOHN) — uncertain (identified with Faynan)
Events
David's conquest of Edom · Hadad's flight to Egypt and return
Khirbet en-Nahas (Faynan Copper Center) in Scripture
Genesis 25:30 First mention of Edom in Scripture.
Genesis 36:31 Kings reigned in Edom before any king reigned in Israel; the site bears on how early Edom was organized.
2 Samuel 8:13-14 David subdues Edom and garrisons it; the fortress and industry date to this period.
Questions people ask
What is Khirbet en-Nahas (Faynan Copper Center)?
The largest Iron Age copper-smelting site in the southern Levant: a 10-hectare field of black slag mounds, over 100 buildings, and a square fortress about 73 m on a side with a four-chambered gate. Slag deposits are several meters deep.
When was Khirbet en-Nahas (Faynan Copper Center) discovered?
It was found in 1934 by Surveyed by Nelson Glueck (1930s); excavated by Thomas E. Levy (UC San Diego) and Mohammad Najjar (Jordan Department of Antiquities), 2002–2009, at Khirbet en-Nahas ('ruins of copper'), Wadi Faynan, southern Jordan.
Where is Khirbet en-Nahas (Faynan Copper Center) today?
In situ; finds in the Jordan Department of Antiquities.
Which Bible verses does Khirbet en-Nahas (Faynan Copper Center) relate to?
Genesis 25:30, Genesis 36:31, 2 Samuel 8:13-14.
Is Khirbet en-Nahas (Faynan Copper Center) authentic?
The radiocarbon dates are accepted; their meaning for an early Edomite 'kingdom' and for the biblical account is contested.
Related discoveries
- אַרְגָּמָןTimna Valley Copper Mines and 'Slaves' Hill'Tenth-century smelting camps and a scrap of royal purple cloth
- שַׁעֲרַיִםKhirbet QeiyafaA fortified Judahite city with two gates overlooking the Elah Valley
- גִּיחוֹןGihon Spring Tower and Pool TowerGiant fortifications guarding Jerusalem's only spring
- צִקְלַגTel Sera' (Tell esh-Shari'a): Ziklag CandidateAn Egyptian governor's residence and hieratic tax receipts in the town many identify as David's Ziklag
- צְלָעוֹתKhirbet Qeiyafa Model ShrinesTwo miniature shrines with architecture echoing Solomon's Temple
- מִלּוֹאStepped Stone StructureA giant stone rampart on the slope of the City of David, perhaps the biblical Millo
Sources
- Levy et al., 'High-precision radiocarbon dating and historical biblical archaeology in southern Jordan', PNAS 105 (2008)
- Levy, Najjar & Ben-Yosef (eds.), New Insights into the Iron Age Archaeology of Edom (2014)
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