Impression of biblical king’s seal found in Jerusalem

Israeli archaeologists say they have found a 2,700-year-old piece of clay inscribed with a biblical king’s seal. It is thought the oval bulla, which is 13mm (0.5in) wide, was once attached to a papyrus document signed by Hezekiah, one of the kings of Judah. It was found by a team from the Hebrew University of […]

Israeli archaeologists say they have found a 2,700-year-old piece of clay inscribed with a biblical king’s seal.
It is thought the oval bulla, which is 13mm (0.5in) wide, was once attached to a papyrus document signed by Hezekiah, one of the kings of Judah.
It was found by a team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem at the site of an ancient dump, beside the wall that surrounds Jerusalem’s Old City. It is believed to have been thrown out with the rubbish from a royal building.
The bulla is imprinted with the symbol of a winged sun and an inscription in an ancient Hebrew script, saying: “Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah”.
Hezekiah, who ruled from 727-698BC, is described favourably in the Bible.
Although he was an Assyrian vassal, he successfully maintained the independent standing of the Judean Kingdom and its capital Jerusalem, which he enhanced economically, religiously, and diplomatically.