Archaeologists have uncovered a rare mold used to cast the face of a female figurine dating to the First Temple period—the first production mold of its kind ever found in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Monday.
The mold was found during excavations at the Kishle, a former Ottoman-era prison on the grounds of the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Dr. Amit Re’em and Dr. Ayala Zilberstein, who are directing the excavation on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, said the mold was uncovered while soil from First Temple-period fills was being sifted. “The Kishle excavation, which has been ongoing for several years, continues to surprise us time and again,” they said.
After cleaning the mold, the Antiquities Authority revealed its finely detailed facial features. The authority then produced a cast from the mold, revealing a complete female face with an elaborate curly hairstyle.
Re’em said clay figurines from the First Temple period have turned up in nearly every excavation in Jerusalem and across Judea, but until now, no molds used to produce them had ever been discovered in the city. “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,” he explained.
The figurines date to between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE, the final two centuries of the First Temple period, and generally stood 10 to 20 centimeters (four to eight inches) tall. They are most often found broken at the neck, a byproduct of a technique in which the head and body were shaped by hand while only the face was formed using a mold.
Archaeologists have identified three main figurine types from the period: female figurines known as Judean Pillar Figurines, typically shown with prominent hairstyles and hands beneath their breasts; horse-and-rider figurines; and zoomorphic figurines depicting animals, primarily horses. The figurines were coated in a white slip, and traces of pigment show they were originally painted yellow, red and black.
“The identity and purpose of the Judean Pillar Figurines remain the subject of scholarly debate,” said Debbi Ben-Ami, curator of the Iron Age at the Antiquities Authority. She explained that such figurines have been found in homes, streets and tombs, suggesting everyday use. They have been interpreted variously as representations of a fertility goddess, children’s toys, or household amulets meant to bring blessing and protection. She said researchers hope the newly found mold will “provide fresh insights.”
Israel’s minister of heritage, Rabbi Amihai Eliyahu, linked the discovery to rabbinic teachings that the First Temple was destroyed over idolatry, sexual immorality and bloodshed, saying the mold offers “a tangible glimpse into the world in which the prophets of Israel lived.”
Speaking with JNS on Monday, Eilat Lieber, director and chief curator of the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, elaborated on the biblical context of the find and what it proves about local production.
“It’s the first mold that was found in the area of ancient Jerusalem,” Lieber told JNS. “Figurines we can find a lot everywhere, but to find the mold of the head of a woman and you can recognize the details of the hair, the eyes ..., you can really hear the words of the prophet that said those figurines cannot speak, they cannot see. You can hold this mold in your hand and see this is what they talked against, actually.” (The verses stating idols cannot speak or see are found in Psalms 115 and 135, though similar descriptions appear in the prophetic writings of Jeremiah and Isaiah.)
Lieber emphasized the significance of uncovering localized manufacturing rather than imported goods. “It means a lot for us that here, not far from the central Temple of Jerusalem, during the First Temple period, there was kind of an industry of figurines,” she explained. “It’s not about bringing figurines to Jerusalem from other places, it’s right here in Judea.”
Echoing Eliyahu’s sentiments, Lieber noted how the mold provides physical evidence of the historical and religious tensions recorded in text.
“As we know from the Bible, there was a struggle in Judea between the monotheism [presented] by kings of Judea, just like Uzziah, Hezekiah and many others, against [these] ritual practices,” Lieber said. “Suddenly you find an evidence to this story, to the words from the Bible.”
The artifact’s discovery proved to be a dramatic finish to the archaeological work at the site.
“Just in the last meter of the excavation, there was a surprise waiting to be found,” Lieber noted. “And we have to tell the story.”
The mold will eventually be housed in an archaeology, art and innovation wing of the Tower of David Museum currently being built over the Kishle excavations. Funded by the Canadian-based Schulich Foundation and slated to open in late 2028, Lieber said that the site will feature full accessibility, a glass floor to reveal the foundation rock and advanced technological elements.
“We have to add the information layer by using projection and images [so] that people can imagine the different layers from the history of Jerusalem,” Lieber said.
