The city is mentioned as “Urasalim” in the Tell el-Amarna letters, a 14th century BC Egyptian archive of clay tablets. The city is also referenced in several Egyptian sources, starting in the 19th Century (12th Dynasty) enemy-curse clay tablets (execration texts) as Ushamam or Ushalmam. The holiness of the site of Canaanite worship was transformed later to the Holiest site for the Israelites, a pattern known from other Holy places such as Shiloh. The center of worship was Jerusalem, probably on the high place above the city – the hill of Moriah, the Temple mount. This was a Canaanite God of sunset, also called Salim or Salem. Melchizedek is not only a king, he is a priest of a high God – Shalem. And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. A reference to Salem, probably a wealthy and influential city, was noted in the meeting of Abraham with the King of Salem ( Genesis 14, 18-20): “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. In the 18th Century BC, a fortified city – named Salem or Shalem – was constructed on the ridge above the spring. The caves above the Gihon spring, on the eastern hillside, were in use as living quarters during that time or later during the Early Bronze age. The ridge of the City of David was first settled during the end of the Chalcolithic period, some 5,000 years ago.
Recent excavations have revealed sections of the palace, fortifications, water supply and other interesting remains from the Canaanite and Israelite cities.
The location of this ancient core of Jerusalem, and the earlier Canaanite city of the Jebusites, was forgotten after three millenniums of the successive constructions and destructions. The 3,000 years old city, established by King David, is located on a low ridge above the Gihon spring, southeast of the temple mount. Home > Sites > Jerusalem > City of David (“Ir David”) – Overview 2 Samuel 5 :6: “David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David”. Archaeological park with remains of the ancient core of Jerusalem, dated to the Canaanite and first temple periods.
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