First Temple-era figurine mold unearthed in Jerusalem's 'most significant excavation' in decades

It is the first mold ever found in Israel to produce such figures dating back to the First Temple period.

The mold, used in antiquity to cast the face of a female figurine, was found within the Tower of David Museum during excavations ahead of construction of the new Schulich Wing for Archaeology, Art, and Innovation.

Following its discovery, the mold was handed over to Tamar Gonen, a ceramics conservation and restoration specialist at the IAA, who successfully cleaned the artifact and revealed its inner design of finely crafted facial features.

Afterward, it was passed on to conservation and restoration specialist Sviatoslav Klindukhov, who created a cast from an appropriate material.

The result was a full reconstruction of the face of a female figurine, displaying clearly defined features and an elaborate curly hairstyle.

Three prominent types of First Temple figurines have been found: female figurines, commonly known as Judean Pillar Figurines; those depicting a horse and its rider; and zoomorphic (animal) figurines, primarily representing horses.

Made of clay, these figurines are often between approximately 10 and 20 centimeters high. They are typically covered in a white coating, though surviving traces of pigment indicate they were originally painted in yellow, red, and black.

When discovered, these clay figurines are often found broken at the neck – a result of the manufacturing technique, in which the head and body were made separately by hand, while only the face was formed using a mold.

“The mold was discovered while sifting soil removed from fills and accumulations dating to the First Temple period,” explained IAA Excavation Directors Dr. Amit Re’em and Dr. Ayala Zilberstein. “The Kishle excavation, which has been ongoing for several years, continues to surprise us time and again.”

“[The mold] is one of the most significant archaeological excavations conducted in Jerusalem in recent decades, presenting the city’s history in a clear and continuous sequence, from the days of the Kings of Judah, through the many periods that shaped Jerusalem, and up to the British Mandate.”

Re’em added that clay figurines from the First Temple period have been found in almost every excavation conducted in Jerusalem and the surrounding area.

“Until now, however, no production molds for these figurines had ever been discovered in Jerusalem,” Re’em said. “This raised the question of whether they were manufactured locally or imported from elsewhere. The discovery of this mold at the Kishle is therefore the first of its kind in Jerusalem, providing direct evidence that at least some of these figurines were produced within the city itself.”

According to IAA Iron Age Curator Debbi Ben-Ami, the function of the Judean Pillar Figurines has not yet been fully understood.

“The fact that they have been found in almost every household, as well as in streets and tombs, indicates that they were objects of everyday use,” she said, noting that the identity and purpose of the Judean Pillar Figurines remains the subject of scholarly debate.

Ben-Ami explained that several interpretations of the statues have been proposed by scholars, including that they are the representation of a fertility goddess, such as Asherah, the ancient Northwest Semitic goddess believed to have been the wife of El or Yahweh.

Other scholars have suggested that the figurines might have been children’s toys, she added.

A third possibility for the statues’ purpose may have been that they served as “blessing figures,” household amulets intended to bring protection and good fortune, Ben-Ami said.

“We hope that the newly discovered mold from Jerusalem will provide fresh insights and help answer some of the questions that continue to occupy researchers.”

“The Tower of David Jerusalem Museum is built on the idea that Jerusalem’s past continues to shape its present,” Lieber said. “This summer, visitors will have the extraordinary opportunity to take part in real archaeological research by sifting soil from the Kishle excavations.”

“Every fragment recovered helps illuminate another chapter in the story of Jerusalem, making participants true partners in preserving and revealing the city’s remarkable heritage.”

“The discovery of a mold for producing figurines from the First Temple period in the heart of Jerusalem offers us a tangible glimpse into the world in which the prophets of Israel lived and into the spiritual and cultural realities they confronted,” he said. “When such an artifact emerges from the soil of Jerusalem, history becomes real and immediate: this small piece of pottery tells the story of the beliefs, customs, and spiritual challenges that characterized the capital city in ancient times.”