JERUSALEM, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli research revealed that the Kingdom of Edom, established around the 13th century B.C. in today's Israel and Jordan, was powerful with advanced copper production, Tel Aviv University (TAU) said on Wednesday.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, was conducted by TAU researchers, in collaboration with the University of California in San Diego, the United States.

The researchers uncovered the advanced copper industry in the area, contradicting previous estimates that it was populated only by weak alliance of tribes.

The study included a meticulous analysis of the copper industry's wastes in the Arabah area, near the Dead Sea, revealing the kingdom's development history.

The team analyzed findings from the ancient copper mines in the Faynan area in Jordan, and the Timna area in Israel, and found a surge in this industry during the 10th century B.C.

The researchers found that copper wastes decreased, indicating that the copper production process has become more efficient.

"There are archaeologists who are trying to belittle the copper production in the area during this period, claiming that it is a loose collection of tribes that produced copper temporarily and occasionally," the researchers said.

"Our findings contradict this view and are consistent with the biblical story that a kingdom was in the area," the researchers noted.

They added that the evidence which they found can only be attributed to a centralized and hierarchical kingdom,which is same to the ancient and biblical Edom.

The copper production development was attributed to the military campaign of Pharaoh Shoshenq I of Egypt, who preferred to develop copper production and trade.

"Copper has been the 'hi-tech' of ancient times. The way which the technology is applied and changes in its efficiency over time reflects social processes," the researchers concluded. Enditem

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