Ruins of an ancient palace found at the site where Jacob allegedly wrestled with God. Photo

Archaeologists have discovered the ruins of a 2,800-year-old palace. This is probably where the biblical prophet Jacob wrestled with God "from sundown to dawn."

Stone blocks with carved images of lions and lavish feasts were discovered at the site of Tulul ed-Dhahab in Transjordan, which, according to researchers, "may be the biblical Mahanaim." The ruins probably belong to the Kingdom of Israel, which is consistent with the Holy Scriptures, according to which the ancient Israelites once controlled this region, DailyMail writes.

Professor Israel Finkelstein of the University of Haifa said the newly discovered ruins provide more clues as to why key foundational biblical stories took place in this area.

Mahanaim, which is mentioned in the Old Testament 13 times, has a profound meaning in the biblical narratives. In Hebrew, this word means "two camps". When Jacob saw it, he said, "This is the camp of God!' So he named that place Mahanaim," the letter says.

Archaeologists have also discovered a Herodian-era building near the ruin that may have been part of a Hellenistic and Roman monument known as the Amathus. This indicates that the site retained importance even during the Roman period.

It is said that Jacob wrestled with an angel on the nearby Penuel Hill and named the place after seeing the "face of God."

Although the palace has not yet been fully excavated, the research team believes that it was a rectangular residence built on a platform by Jeroboam II, the 13th king of Israel, who is also mentioned in the Bible.

A total of 10 blocks were found at the site. One depicts a man carrying a goat as part of a banquet scene, the other two depict two horn players. Some blocks were engraved with horses and date palms, archaeologists say.

Blocks 4 and 5 present motifs of military or hunting themes, often associated with banquet scenes. The study also showed that two blocks with lion heads were probably at the entrance to the residence, protecting the gate.

"The incised blocks found at Tall adh-Dhahab al-Gharbi, the location of biblical Mahanaim, must have originated from an elaborate Iron Age building that served as an elite residency," the researchers suggest.

"The characteristics of Tall adh-Dhahab ash-Sharqi—its small size, its rectangular layout and possibly the existence of an elevated platform—seem to show that it was not a town, but perhaps a temple compound," the experts put forward another assumption.

The researchers emphasized that although their work does not prove the veracity of the biblical stories, it shows that the Israelites have lived in this region for thousands of years.

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