First Temple Figurine Mold Found in Jerusalem, First of Its Kind in City

Archaeologists have uncovered Jerusalem’s first known production mold for First Temple-period figurines during excavations at the Kishle inside the Tower of David Museum. The clay mold formed a woman’s face, and conservation work produced a reconstruction with clear facial features and detailed curls. Excavation directors Amit Re’em and Ayala Zilberstein said it came from soil fills dated to the First Temple period; comparable figurines date from the eighth to sixth centuries BCE. Researchers say the mold directly shows that at least some figurines found throughout Jerusalem and Judah were made in the city rather than imported.