Three-thousand-year-old fabrics, leather and seeds dating back to the time of King David and Solomon have been discovered in Israel.

These textiles, which date back to the 10^th Century BC, are the first of this age to be found, are "remarkably preserved", providing "the first physical evidence" of what residents of Israel wore in this age, said Erez Ben-Yosef, lead archaeologist with Tel Aviv University.

Among the findings, excavated in the ancient copper mines of Timna, southern Israel, were remnants of clothing, tents, ropes, cords and bags.

The site of the dig, between the Dead Sea and the Eilat, is believed by some scholars to be the mines of King Solomon.

"The arid condition of the mines has seen the remarkable preservation of 3,000-year-old organic materials, including seeds, leather and fabric, and other extremely rare artifacts that provide a unique window into the culture and practices of this period," the university said.

The discovery of these ancient remnants "is an affirmation" of biblical texts, said Vanessa Workman, a member of the excavating and analysis team. "It brings the desert culture of that period alive."

The fabrics, 5cm large, provide "new and important information" about the Edomites, who were the descendents of Esau, said Ben-Yosef.

"Luxury-grade fabric adorned the highly skilled, highly respected craftsmen managing the copper furnaces," he added.

"They were responsible for smelting the copper, which was a very complicated process."