Professor Yosef Garfinkle of Hebrew University announced in May of this year his discoveries in the Jewish city of Khirbet Queiyafa.  The city was occupied from about 1020-980 BC, during the reign of King David.  It was a border city between Israel and the Philistines.  Items in the city demonstrate conclusively that a uniquely Jewish cult, without graven images, existed at the time.  Also, many kinds of meat were eaten there, but definitely not pork.  The find also confirms and explains much of the detail in 1 Kings regarding the construction of the temple of Solomon.  The discovery predates Solomon’s temple.   This is a very significant find because it establishes that a monotheistic religion we call Judaism existed in Canaan in the eleventh century BC.  Up to this time, many skeptics and archaeologists have questioned that there even was a religion we call Judaism before about 600 BC.   For more information go to       http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Early+History+-+Archaeology/Cultic_shrines_time_King_David_8-May-2012.htm

John Oakes