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SHAI HALEVI, ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY

CAPITAL GAINS. In the seventh century BCE, as Judah came under the political and cultural dominance of Assyria, monumental architecture characterized dozens of sites around Jerusalem. This prolonged period of wealth and prosperity is on display at the hilltop site of Armon ha-Natziv southeast of Jerusalem. Buildings at the site included distinctive royal architectural elements, such as decorative window frames, balustrades, and these volute (or proto-Aeolic) capitals. They come from a ceremonial building nestled in a garden, well beyond the city walls. The craftsmanship and location are indicative of Jerusalem’s prosperity during this period.