Tell Tayinat and the Judean Temple — Design and Placing the Treaty/Covenant Document in the Holy of Holies

In April of 2024, we had a chance to visit Tell Tayinat in south central Türkiye. Tell Tayinat is a name that is probably not too familiar. It is located bout 12 miles east of Antioch on the Orontes.

This important site was excavated by Robert Braidwood of the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute from 1935 to 1938.  Timothy Harrison of the University of Toronto is the director of the international excavations that began in 2003.

I wanted to visit Tell Tayinat because it was an important center during the Early Bronze Age and during the Iron II Period.  It is especially interesting because of two tripartite temples that seem to have affinities with the Tabernacle and Solomonic Temple as described in the Bible.  In addition, a bit-hilani palace was discovered here—similar in design to Solomon’s Palace in Jerusalem and a palace found at Megiddo (in Israel).   In addition, numerous reliefs, statues, cuneiform tablets, etc. have come to light during the excavations! Tell Tayinat may have been Kunula, the capital of the Neo-Hittite Kingdom of Patina (ca. 950–725 B.C.).

View looking northwest at Tell Tayinat which is located on 0.5 mi. [800 m.] from Alalakh. The picture was taken from Alalakh and Tell Tayinat is on the right side of the image (above the white car).

Since on a previous visit, all the excavated areas were covered with plastic to help preserve the remains during the harsh winters, I did not expect to see much on the top of the mound. Much to my surprise, and excitement, there on the top of the mound was one of the two tri-partite temples completely exposed and intelligable!

A view looking southeast at the reconstructed foundations of Temple 2, one of the two tri-partite temples discovered at Tell Tayinat.

The temple dates to the Iron II period (10th-6th centuries B.C.).  These temples are often compared to the tri-partite Solomon Temple in Jerusalem. A picture of this temple immediately after it was reconstructed can be found Here.

Using biblical terminology to describe this temple, left of center is a squarish inner room that could be comparable to the “Holy of Holies.”  In the center of the image, with a doorway leading in and a doorway leading to the “Holy of Holies,” is a rectangular room, comparable to the “Holy Place” that in the Solomonic Temple contained the incense altar, the table for Showbread, and the menoroth.  Beyond that, to the right of center, was the porch of the temple.and beyond that would have been the courtyard.

In the “Holy of Holies,” note the raised platform in the far left corner that is covered with cloth to protect it from the elements.  Could this be where a statue of a deity was placed?  On the near side of the platform, a large cuneiform document called a Succession Treaty of Esarhaddon was found—broken, but with most of the pieces still in place.  The tablet measures 16 x 10 inches. It has since been reconstructed!  Esarhaddon ruled Assyria from 691 to 669 B.C.

Compare the deposit of the biblical Covenant Document (aka “Treaty”) between Yahweh and his people in the Sacred Room (devir) of the Tabernacle/Temple and in/beside the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 40:20; Deuteronomy 31:26; 1 Kings 8:9).

Ex. 40:20 ¶ He took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it.

Deut. 31:26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. There it will remain as a witness against you.

1 Kings 8:9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

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For a discussion about this temple see Victor Hurowitz, “Solomon’s Temple in Context,” Biblival Archaeology Review, March/April 2011, Volume 37, Issue 2.

And for the Esarhaddon Succession Treaty see Here for comments and pictures.