[narrator]
lies a mountainous region
that is called the Timna Valley.
Today, this area is known
for its uniquely shaped sandstone glyphs.
But more than 3,000 years ago,
the Timna Valley was the site...
of a vast network of copper mines.
[Robert M.]
mining activity had took place
for a long, long time.
And most of the mining operations
took place underground.
The deepest is about 115 feet.
They would hew in the ground circular shafts,
and going down that shaft...
they would cut steps
into the side of the shaft.
And they would tunnel long, horizontally,
where they would extract the copper
and take it back up to the surface.
[narrator]
have attracted attention
because there are those who believe
that buried underground in one of these deep tunnels,
is the legendary lost treasure
of the biblical King Solomon.
[foreboding music playing]
[narrator]
King Solomon is described as a noble
and wise ruler of Israel.
Historians believe that Solomon was a real person,
who lived in the 10th century B.C.
King Solomon is an intriguing figure,
because the Bible makes so many claims about him,
controlling vast amounts of territory.
[Robert M.]
Solomon expanded ancient Israel considerably.
From the Euphrates River in the north,
all the way to the River of Egypt.
And so, much more expansive, uh, territory.
The Bible also describes Solomon
controlling vast amounts of wealth.
Solomon decides to build a temple,
uh, in Jerusalem.
The temple becomes the home of God.
[Robert C.]
And he was so committed
to having the best temple in the region...
that he actually imports the finest materials
to build this temple.
[narrator]
Solomon's temple was built
from the best limestone and cedar wood.
Inside, the walls were overlaid with pure gold.
And Solomon adorned the temple
with objects made out of copper,
which was also a precious metal at the time.
King Solomon ruled Israel for 40 years
before dying in 931 B.C.
Upon his death, Solomon reportedly left behind
an enormous amount of gold
and other riches in his magnificent temple.
But then, in 586 B.C.,
the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem...
and sacked Solomon's temple.
When the temple of Solomon
was destroyed in 586 B.C.,
all the temple treasures
were lost to history.
[Rabbi Ariel]
that Solomon's treasures were taken out of Jerusalem...
and buried.
There are those who believe that
the treasures, are to this day, still hidden.
[narrator]
the legend of King Solomon's lost treasure
has been a source of fascination and mystery.
In 1885, the story was exposed to a wider audience
when author H.R. Haggard
wrote his famous novel,
which speculated that Solomon's treasures
were hidden deep in an underground mine shaft.
But if there is some truth to this legend...
then where is King Solomon's treasure buried?
For some, the most likely location
is the Timna mines.
[Robert M.]
not more than 150 miles from Jerusalem.
So, we're talking about close proximity.
At Timna, there are 10,000 mine shafts,
maybe more.
And so, it's easy for people to kind of say,
"There must be a connection."
[narrator]
numerous researchers have tried to prove
that the Timna mines are in fact, the hiding place
of King Solomon's lost treasures.
Some of the first evidence in support of this theory
was found by an archaeologist named Nelson Glueck,
who conducted a series of excavations at Timna
in the 1930s.
Nelson Glueck made a huge study
of the copper mines,
the smelting works,
and also the camps of those that were there.
[Andrew]
was pottery dating from the 9th to 10th century B.C.
And this was the exact timeframe
of the reign of King Solomon.
And so, for Nelson Glueck,
he felt that he had discovered evidence
of Solomon's Mines.