Archaeological evidence for settlement in Jerusalem exists from the Proto-historic periods. From that time onwards, until the end of Iron Age I (ca. 1000 BCE), the archaeological finds provide ongoing testimony for the continued occupation of Jerusalem, with vacillations and processes in the different periods, particularly during the various stages of the Bronze Age. The combined archaeological and historical evidence for urban-oriented activities in Jerusalem in the Middle Bronze Age IIB, the Late Bronze Age, and Iron Age I, including fortifications, sophisticated water systems, and evidence of international relations, set the stage for the rise of Jerusalem in the Iron Age II as the capital city of the Judean Kingdom.

This paper will review and summarize the principal finds that relate to the archaeological history of the city, up until the beginnings of the Judean state in the tenth century BCE. While dealing with well-known finds from the excavations in the city over the past century-and-a-half, some less-known finds from largely forgotten studies will also be mentioned. Finally, an attempt will be made to harmonize the archaeological data with the meager historical evidence that relates to Jerusalem in these periods.