Watch: New City Of David Findings Shed Light On Period Of Ezra And Nehemia

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The City of David announced that it has discovered seals, known by their Latin name as bullae, which shed light on the status of Jerusalem during the Persian period after the First Temple was destroyed and Jews returned seventy years later to rebuild the temple.

A double stamp impression on a bulla and a seal made of reused pottery shards were unearthed during the course of excavations at the Givati parking lot adjacent to the City of David. The excavations were conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority in conjunction with Tel Aviv University.

The seal impressions were usually made of clay and were used to sign documents or to seal containers. The seals found featured an image of a person sitting in a chair surrounded by columns. Experts identified this as a Babylonian-style seal which would characterize the finds as from the period of the beginning of the Second Temple.

Credit: (Eliyahu Yanai, City Of David Archives)