Artifact confirming Jewish King David as historical figure on display in Edmond, Oklahoma

The legendary Tel Dan Stele artifact will be available for public viewing at Herbert W. Armstrong College campus in Edmond, Oklahoma, between September 22 and November 25, The Armstrong International Cultural Foundation and Israel Antiquities Authority announced in a joint announcement on Tuesday.

According to the press release, the 9th-century BCE “sensational” fragment is currently on loan from the Israel Museum and will be part of the “Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered” exhibit at the Armstrong Auditorium on the Armstrong College campus.

Exhibit curator Brad Macdonald explained the importance of the monument’s fragment, saying, “This is a colossal honor for Oklahoma and the Armstrong Foundation. This artifact provides an extraordinary snapshot of biblical history and possibly Israel's most important archaeological discovery ever. This is only the second time the stele has been to America.”

The Tel Dan Stele became a major archeological find with significant meaning for the Jewish people. It provided the first confirmation of the biblical figure King David as a historical figure, cementing historical evidence of Jewish presence in the Tel Dan area.

Discovered in 1993 by Avraham Biran, the basalt victory stele was constructed by the Syrian king Hazael upon his triumph against King Jehoram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah. The inscription engraved on the stele clearly shows King David as a historical figure and biblical figure, referencing a “king of the House of David.”

Key biblical artifacts

The discovery of a direct reference to the Jewish monarch “caused an earthquake in the archeological community,” emphasized Macdonald in the press release. "It vanquished the common belief that King David was a fictional character and bolstered the credibility of the Bible as a valuable historical source. This is just one reason that it is one of the most important archaeological discoveries ever found."

The “Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered” exhibit will feature over 50 artifacts showcasing the United Monarchy period before the split into the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah. Moreover, the exhibit will include the world premiere of the Ophel Pithos inscription linked to the legendary Queen of Sheba’s visit to King Solomon.

In addition to the victory stele and Ophel Pithis, the Phoenician artifact Ophel Electrum Basket Pendant, which is “likely the oldest piece of gold jewelry ever discovered in Jerusalem,” will also be presented as part of the exhibit, further providing historical evidence of cultural exchange between the Jewish and Pheonician people during the period.