古代ユダ王国の柱頭か　２７００年前の彫刻公開　エルサレムで発見

【エルサレムＡＦＰ＝時事】イスラエルの考古学者らは3日、2700年前の柱頭の一部だと考えられる貴重な石の彫刻を公開した。ほぼ壊滅状態だった古代ユダ王国の繁栄の復活を示しているという。（写真はエルサレムで発見された紀元前約701年の柱頭とされる彫刻）
　雄羊の渦巻き状の角を連想させるプロトアイオリス式の二つの石灰岩の彫刻は、幅５０センチほどで、ほぼ完全な状態で保存されている。後に破壊された建物の、中庭の柱の上部だったと考えられている。
　文化遺産について発信する「エンシェント・ヒストリー・エンサイクロペディア」によると、アイオリス様式は、フェニキア様式から発展した古典建築の初期の形式だったという。
　彫刻は昨年１１月、エルサレム旧市街から南に数キロに位置するアルモンハナチーブの遊歩道で、ビジターセンターの建設の準備中に、イスラエル考古学庁の考古学者により発見された。
　発見した考古学者は、彫刻が発見された場所は「王族の所有地」、もしくは極めて裕福な人物の宮殿だったと推定されると指摘している。
　宮殿はおそらく、紀元前７０１年のアッシリア帝国による包囲攻撃からの立て直しを図っていたヒゼキヤ王とヨシア王の治世に建てられたとみられる。
　エルサレムを中心としていたユダ王国は、紀元前約９４０年から紀元前５８６年まで続き、バビロニアのネブカドネザル王によって滅ぼされた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/09/07-13:17）

Israeli archaeologists unveiled Thursday unique 2,700-year-old stone carvings indicating a rebound in prosperity in the Kingdom of Judah following the near destruction of ancient Jerusalem.
The two limestone blocks, roughly 50 centimetres (20 inches) wide, have almost perfectly preserved proto-Aeolic carvings reminiscent of spiralling ram horns.
The items known as capitals are believed to have topped pillars in the courtyard of a building that was completely destroyed.
The Aeolic was an early form of classical architecture developed from Phoenician styles, according to the Ancient History Encyclopedia.
The find was made in November by Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) archaeologist Yaakov Billig in preliminary works for construction of a visitor centre on the Armon Hanatziv promenade, which lies a few kilometres (miles) south of Jerusalem's Old City.
Two blocks were uncovered, one on top of the other. A third was found a few weeks later.
Larger proto-Aeolic capitals used on pillars in doorways have been found in areas that were part of the Kingdom of Judah.
The kingdom was centred on Jerusalem and lasted from around 940 to 586 BC, before being destroyed by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.
The design is typical of the First Temple era and is a symbol representing the kingdoms of Judah and Israel.
Its image is imprinted on Israel's contemporary five-shekel coin.
The medium-sized models from Armon Hanatziv are the first of their size to be found, Billig told AFP.
Smaller capitals that were part of window sills were also found at the site of what Billig said was presumably a royalist estate, or at the very least the palace of an extremely wealthy person.
The palace was probably built between the reigns of King Hezekiah and King Josiah, in the period when Jerusalem was recuperating after the Assyrian siege in 701 BC, said Billig.
The IAA recently uncovered other finds from the same era in the area, such as another palace and an administrative centre, all a short distance from ancient Jerusalem and testifying to significant regal and administrative activity.
It shows that at that certain time period, someone decided that it was possible and safe to make a wonderful palace, an estate, on the mountain region outside of the city, Billig said.
The three capitals, defined by IAA Jerusalem district archaeologist Yuval Baruch as extraordinarily important, raise a new crop of questions, such as why they were preserved while nearly all other remains from the palace were plundered.
Was it a matter of sanctity? I don't know, Billig said.