According to historical accounts, the fabulous riches amassed by King Solomon’s fabled mines are estimated to be worth over £2.3 trillion (or $3 trillion) in today’s money, making them a legendary source of wealth. The Old Testament claims that King Solomon supposedly had access to over 500 tons of pure gold from mines that may still be existent today, along with rich deposits of precious metals. However, a British expert now asserts that the legendary sources of Solomon’s incredible wealth have never been found. Additionally, he questions the widely-held belief that Solomon was the greatest king of Israel, suggesting that he may have been misunderstood in Egyptian records.
Is this the face of King Solomon? Mr. Ellis suggests King Solomon was actually Shoshenq I, who ruled an empire that Egypt and Israel at the end of the 10th Century BCE. British historian and author Ralph Ellis believes King Solomon was in fact a pharaoh called Shoshenq I who ruled Egypt and Israel at the end of the 10th Century BCE.
Mr. Ellis mentioned King Solomon’s lost mines are “about as likely as taking a dip in the Fountain of Youth” – the mythical spring that supposedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks from its waters. He delved 20 years of research into the story of Solomon, which is told in the Old Testament books of Kings and Chronicles, in a bid to trace the fabled mines.
Despite Mr. Ellis claiming that stories of staggering riches buried beneath the ground are likely a “gross misinterpretation” of historical texts, he acknowledges that there is still a “grain of historical truth” to the stories of Solomon’s spectacular wealth, but in a far less legendary capacity.
His study, which began in 1997, ‘strongly indicates’ Solomon was not a rich king of Israel at all, but rather a feared and powerful Egyptian Pharaoh. Mr. Ellis believes neighboring rulers plundered royal tombs located in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings and presented the riches to Solomon as ‘tribute’ to prevent invasion.
Speaking about his book, ‘Solomon, Pharaoh of Egypt’, the 54-year-old historian said: ‘According to the Bible, King Solomon was staggeringly wealthy.
French archaeologist Pierre Montet uncovered a treasure trove of buried grave goods in the tomb of Tutankhamun (purported), a discovery that official historian Ralph Ellis believes were the historical basis for the fabled King Solomon’s Mines.
The capital city of Egypt, Cairo, is famous for its rich history. Historian Mr. Ellis points out there are common parallels between David and Solomon, and Pharaohs in Egypt.
Over generations, the rulers and archaeologists have explored the Holy Land looking for evidence of their capital city, palace, temple, and wealth without any success.
There comes a point when we have to accept that the biblical account is either fictional, or that we may be looking in the wrong location and for the wrong things.
My research suggests that there is a factual basis for the story of Solomon and his riches, but that it was heavily amended and obscured by biblical scribes.
A sleek silver sarcophagus, part of the treasure trove found at Teis in Tennis and now on display at the Cairo Museum.
Mr. Ellis explores intriguing rumors regarding royal tombs located in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings and suggests the riches linked to Solomon as ‘tribute’ to prevent invasion.
“A wealthy and powerful Israelite dynasty did exist, just as the Bible claims, but they were not simply Israelite kings and their capital city was not at Jerusalem.”
Ellis added: “This is not the kind of revelation that many Israeli archaeologists will want to hear, for political and cultural reasons, but unlike classical interpretations of the biblical story it does make sense of the confusing biblical accounts.”
He believes that parts of the stories were considered ‘unpalatable and unacceptable’ by later biblical authors, who altered their history to create a ‘purely Israelite’ hero.
He suggests that if his theory is correct, then Solomon’s treasures can easily be found at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where artifacts from the era can be seen.
Pictured is a priceless golden mask uncovered at Tanis. Mr. Ellis stated that it is still a ‘grain of historical truth’ to the story of Solomon’s spectacular wealth, but in a far less legendary capacity.
Golden tabernacle (purported) was among the many treasures looted from the Valley of the Kings to pay tribute to Shoshenq I. According to the Old Testament, Solomon ruled the United Monarchy of Israel and Judah between 970 and 931 BC and accumulated 500 tonnes of pure gold.
Much of it was said to have come from a region called ‘Ophir’, but the Bible fails to give further details and its exact location remains a mystery.
The 1885 novel by Rider Haggard, ‘King Solomon’s Mines’, inspired countless expeditions into Africa, Arabia and Asia but no universally accepted evidence of Ophir has ever been discovered.
Author Ralph Ellis is believed by the experts to be the true successor of King Solomon. He suggests if his theory is correct, then Solomon’s treasures can be easily found at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where artifacts from the era can be seen.
Mr. Ellis suggests connections between King Solomon and his father David were in fact parables Psusennes II and his successor, Shoshenq I.
He said: “There are compelling parallels between David and Solomon, and Psusennes and Shoshenq. Even the ancestors and family members of these ‘two’ royal dynasties appear to be exactly the same. Once we accept that these Israelite kings were actually pharaohs of Lower Egypt, then all the inconsistencies in the biblical accounts are easily explainable.”
