“From These Hills … ”

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For almost two decades and still continuing, Israeli archaeologist Beno Rothenberg has investigated the Timna Valley—called in Arabic wadi Mene’iyeh and known to thousands of visitors as “King Solomon’s Mines”. At first Rothenberg came almost alone to this isolated spot in the Negev about 20 miles north of Eilat, but in recent years he organized an international team of miners, geologists, physicists, historians and engineers. Rothenberg and his team have probed slag heaps and smelting camps under a blazing sun that often reaches 120 degrees fahrenheit. In the past three years, Rothenberg penetrated seemingly endless ancient mine shafts and galleries.