New discoveries in an ancient copper mine have lead researchers to speculate it could have supplied Solomon (and other Iron Age kings) with this key ingredient of bronze. The Bible states Solomon required large quantities of bronze for the Temple and its furnishings.
It was determined some time ago that the mine was in operation in the 7th century B.C., but new artifacts have pushed the date back to the 10th century B.C. – Solomon and David’s time.
The mine is in the ancient territory of Edom, so we don’t know if it actually supplied Israelite kings. At the very least, it illuminates the Bible text and enlarges the context of our understanding.
I saw a news item on this last night but didn’t get around to writing until this afternoon. Many others have posted with photos and links to a 12-minute video. Ferrell Jenkins has informative comments with good photos. Todd Bolen at BiblePlaces has more photos and comments. Dr. Leen Ritmeyer includes a model of the Temple with its bronze implements in place.
Bible, Archaeology, and Travel with Luke Chandler 