Excavations at Tel Burna, an Iron Age settlement in the Shephelah region of modern-day south-central Israel, have revealed artifacts and fortifications dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries. Some scholars are suggesting these finds might indicate that archaeologists have located the site of the biblical town of Libnah.
Dr. Itzhaq Shai, project director and assistant professor at Ariel University, told Popular Archaeology, “The identification of the site has been debated for more than a century. There are scholars who have claimed that Tel Burna is biblical Libnah, which was mentioned several times in the Bible. This identification was based mainly on geographical and historical arguments. […] To date, there are other candidates for the location of ancient Libnah, including nearby Tel Zayit; however, the exposed archaeological remains at Tel Burna support this identification, with both the geographical, survey and excavation data fitting well with what we know and expect from a border town in the Iron Age.”
Aerial view of excavated areas at Tel Burna. Credit: Chris McKinny