Archaeologists in the City of David National Park in Israel have discovered a rare stone seal from the first temple period – one of the oldest finds since the start of excavations in the country, affirming the biblical role of Jerusalem 2,700 years ago.
"The seal, made of black stone, is one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem, and is executed at the highest artistic level," Dr. Yuval Baruch and Navot Rom, excavation directors, said in a press release.
Baruch touted the piece as evidence of reading and writing abilities on a wider scale than previously thought during the period.
"Contrary to what may be commonly thought, it seems that literacy in this period was not the realm only of society’s elite," Baruch argued. "People knew how to read and write – at least at the basic level, for the needs of commerce."
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"The figure of a winged man in a distinct Neo-Assyrian style is unique and very rare in the glyphic styles of the late First Temple period," he added. "The influence of the Assyrian Empire, which had conquered the entire region, is clearly evident here."
The seal depicts a winged genie in the style of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, which the excavating team argued showed the influence of the empire in the region in the 7th and 8th centuries. The press release said the "figure raises one arm forward, with an open palm; perhaps to suggest some object it is holding. On both sides of the figure an inscription is engraved in paleo-Hebrew script – "LeYehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu."
The release continues that, "The name Yehoʼezer is familiar to us from the Bible (Chron. I 12:7) in its abbreviated form – Yoʼezer, one of King David's fighters," while also stating that "in the book of Jeremiah (43:2), describing the events of this very period, a person is mentioned with a parallel name, ʼAzariah ben Hoshʼaya. The two parts of his first name are written in reverse order to the seal owner’s name, and his second name is the same, appearing in its abbreviated form. This writing form in the text fits the name on the newly discovered seal and it is thus appropriate for this time period."
Ze'ev Orenstein, director of International Affairs for the City of David Foundation, told Fox News Digital that "This singular find joins the list of countless archeological discoveries in the City of David - the historic site of Biblical Jerusalem - affirming Jerusalem's Biblical heritage."
"It similarly serves as yet another affirmation of the thousands-of-year-old bond rooting the Jewish people in Jerusalem - not simply as a matter of faith, but as a matter of fact," he said.
Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist and Assyriologist Dr. Filip Vukosavovic declared the discovery "extremely rare and unusual" and marks the first time such an artefact was found in Israeli and regional digs.
"Figures of winged demons are known in the Neo-Assyrian art of the 9th-7th Centuries BCE, and they were considered a kind of protective demon," Vukosavovic said of the object.
The experts determined that the seal’s owner would have chosen this specific depiction as the insignia because he may have felt it "belonged to the broader cultural context."
"In recent years, the archaeological evidence is increasing – especially in the City of David excavations and at the base of the Temple Mount – and instructive regarding the extent of the Assyrian culture's influence in our region, and especially in Jerusalem," Baruch said.
The researchers believe the object was worn as an amulet around the neck of a man who held a senior position in the Kingdom of Judah’s administration. They based their conclusion on the presence of a hole drilled through the piece, likely to allow it to be worn on a string and the high artistic level required to produce the piece.
Israeli Minister of Heritage Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu praised the piece as a "spectacular and unique find" that "opens another window for us into the days of the Kingdom of Judah … and attests to the administration’s international connections."
"In doing so, it demonstrates the importance and centrality of Jerusalem already 2700 years ago," Eliyahu said. "It is impossible not to be moved by such an unmediated and direct encounter with a chapter of our past, a time in which the First Temple stood in all its glory."
The City of David team will put the seal on public display next week in Jerusalem for two days during the annual research conference, with viewings on Sept. 4 and 5.
