This photo from June 4, 2018, shows a detailed figurine of a king's head
on display at the Israel Museum,
dating to biblical times, and found
last year near Israel's northern border with Lebanon, in Jerusalem
An enigmatic sculpture of a king’s head dating back nearly 3,000
years has set off a modern-day mystery caper as scholars try to figure
out whose face it depicts. The 5-centimeter (2-inch) sculpture is an exceedingly rare
example of figurative art from the Holy Land during the 9th century BCE —
a period associated with biblical kings. Exquisitely preserved but for a
bit of missing beard, nothing quite like it has been found before. While scholars are certain the stern bearded figure wearing a golden
crown represents royalty, they are less sure which king it symbolizes,
or which kingdom he may have ruled.
