World-famous biblical artifact from Israel on display in Oklahoma

The stele is part of the "Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered" exhibit, which features over 50 artifacts from Israel's United Monarchy.Photo byCourtesy Photo

The Armstrong International Cultural Foundation, in collaboration with the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, and the Israel Antiquities Authority, is proud to announce that the world-renowned Tel Dan Stele will be on public display at Armstrong Auditorium in Edmond, Oklahoma, from September 22 through November 25.

"This artifact is possibly Israel's most important archaeological discovery ever," said Brad Macdonald, curator of the exhibit. The Tel Dan Stele, dating back to the 9th century BCE, is a fragment of a monument that provides the first archaeological evidence of King David as a historical figure. Discovered in 1993 at Tel Dan in northern Israel, the stele was erected by King Hazael of Syria to commemorate his victory over Israel's King Jehoram and Judah's King Ahaziah. The inscription famously references the "House of David," corroborating the biblical narrative.

The stele is part of the "Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered" exhibit, which features over 50 artifacts from Israel's United Monarchy period, including premieres of the Ophel Pithos Inscription and the Ophel Electrum Basket Pendant. Admission to the exhibit, which runs through January 2025, is free.