2,700-Year-Old Seal Discovered by Archeologists In Jerusalem
Archaeologists have discovered a stone seal believed to be around 2,700 years old. The seal dates back to the time of the first temple. It was found in the city of David National Park near the southern wall of the temple mount, within Davidson Archaeological Garden. The seal bears an inscription in paleo-Hebrew script that reads “LeYeho’ezer ben Hosh’ayahu.”. It also contains a winged figure with an arm raised forward with an open palm, designed in the Neo-Assyrian style.
The Neo-Assyrian style of the figure indicates the influence of the Assyrian empire in the region dating back to the ninth century BC. Yuval Baruch and Navot Rom (excavation directors, Israel antiquities authority) described the seal as “one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem.”.
Also, they stated that the winged figure in Neo-Assyrian style was “unique and very rare” for the late first temple period. They highlighted the clear influence of the Assyrian empire on the region at the time. Furthermore, they suggested that the finding contradicts the assumption that only elites were literate.
WATCH A VIDEO DOCUMENTARY OF THE SEAL BELOW !
The name “Yeho’ezer” appears in the Bible (chronicles 1.12–7) in an abbreviated form as “yo’ezer,” one of King David’s warriors. A similar name, “Azariah ben hosh’ayahu,” is mentioned in the book of Jeremiah (43.2), confirming the seal’s historical heritage. Ze’ev Ornstein (Director of International Affairs, City of David Foundation) stated that the seal joins a host of archaeological discoveries in the city of David—the historical site of biblical Jerusalem. It confirms Jerusalem’s biblical heritage. He also emphasised that the discovery is “another affirmation of the thousand-year-old bond rooting the Jewish people in Jerusalem—not simply a matter of faith but a matter of fact.”
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Content Credit| Ajibola Emmanuel Adebayo
Picture Credit | https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/08/rare-first-temple-period-seal-discovered-in-jerusalem/153341
