Discovery of an Ancient Ceramic Seal in Israel

Israeli archaeologists have discovered evidence of the seal of “Hezekiah,” a biblical king who helped develop Jerusalem as an ancient metropolis.

According to a Reuters report citing Eilat Mazar, an archaeologist and professor at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and head of the excavation team, there is a strong possibility that the circular inscription on a ceramic fragment less than one centimeter in diameter was made by the king himself.

Hezekiah ruled around 700 BCE and is described in the Bible as a courageous king who was determined to eliminate idolatry.

According to Mazar, “This is the first time that a seal made by an ancient king of the Israelites has been discovered in a scientific archaeological investigation.”

Mazar said the ceramic seal was found in a pit at the foot of the southern section of the wall surrounding the old city of Jerusalem, buried beneath debris dating back to the time of Hezekiah and apparently thrown there from an adjacent royal structure.

The seal bears a line of ancient Hebrew writing and an image of the sun with two wings.