Handmade
Materials: Salomon
Width: 6 1/8 inches
Height: 9 3/8 inches
This highly detailed scale model recreates the city of Jerusalem during the reign of King Solomon. The topography features the Kidron Valley, the Central (Tyropoeon) Valley, and the Hinnom Valley. Within the city walls, key architectural landmarks are meticulously represented, including the House of David, Solomon’s Palace, the House of the Forest of Lebanon, the Hall of the Throne, the Hall of Pillars, and the sacred Temple precinct.
 
The Temple of Solomon: Understanding the High Portico vs. Low Portico Versions
At ArtTeo, we offer two distinct reconstructions of Solomon’s Temple: the "High Portico" (Tower) version and the "Low Portico" version. This distinction arises from a long-standing scholarly debate regarding the dimensions recorded in 2 Chronicles 3:4.
The High Portico Interpretation: According to 2 Chronicles 3:4, "The portico that was in front of the house was as long as the width of the house, 20 cubits, and its height was 120." While most measurements in this chapter are explicitly stated in cubits, the unit for the height of 120 is not specified. Many scholars argue that since the rest of the building is measured in cubits, the height should be as well. In this case, a height of 120 cubits would translate to approximately 60 meters (nearly 200 feet), resulting in the iconic "High Tower" design.
 
However, a deep study of the verse suggest that, because the word for cubit and one hundred are so similar in Hebrew, the text originally says 20 cubits. That would explain why when we read 120, we don't see the word cubits. That is the reasoning behind a 20 cubit height tower, which is lower than the rest of the temple extructure.
The Low Portico Interpretation: Conversely, other biblical scholars and archaeologists suggest that the number 120 might refer to a different, shorter unit of measurement or could potentially reflect a scribal variation in ancient manuscripts. This interpretation leads to a "Low Tower" design, which maintains a more uniform height with the rest of the Temple structure.