Nahman Avigad

The fury of Babylon, unleashed against Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E., is recalled by these arrowheads. Discovered amid a layer of charred wood, ashes and soot at the foot of the Israelite tower shown on the preceding page, these arrowheads represent both sides of the fierce battle. At top left lies a Scythian triple-winged bronze arrowhead, used by the Babylonians and their mercenaries; the other three are flat, iron Israelite arrowheads. The charred remains and the arrowheads testify to the destruction wrought by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who “burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great man’s house, burnt he with fire” (2 Kings 25:9).