Queen of Sheba's gold found by archaeologists

GlobalPost

BOSTON — An ancient mine believed to be the source of gold that belonged to the queen of Sheba has been uncovered by British archaeologist Louise Schofield.

Schofield, an archaelogist and former British Museum curator, led the excavaction on the high Gheralta plateau in northern Ethiopia, reported The Guardian.

"One of the things I've always loved about archaeology is the way it can tie up with legends and myths, Schofield told the Daily Mail. "The fact that we might have the queen of Sheba's mines is extraordinary." 

Sheba was an 8th century B.C. civilization which included the territories of modern-day Yemen and Ethiopia. At that time, Sheba was known for trading incense spices with Jerusalem and the Roman empire.

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Almost 3,000 years ago, the queen of Sheba herself journeyed to Jerusalem to visit Israel's King Solomon who was known for his wisdom.

In the Old Testament books 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, the Bible describes the visit of the queen of Sheba:

"Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her (1 Kings 10:2-3)."

The Queen brought 120 talents (four-and-a-half tons) of gold to King Solomon.

The 1959 film "Solomon and Sheba" is based on the royal encounter between King Solomon and the queen of Sheba.

According to The Guardian, Schofield said that "as she stood on the ancient site, in a rocky landscape of cacti and acacia trees, it was easy to imagine the queen arriving on a camel, overseeing slaves and elephants dragging rocks from the mine."

Schofield is planning a full excavation at the site once she has secured the necessary funds, reported the Daily Mail

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