Rare biblical seal with ancient fingerprint found in debris from Jerusalem's Temple Mount
The Temple Mount Sifting Project announced the discovery on July 30 of a rare clay seal impression bearing the name "Yed[a‛]yah (son of) Asayahu."
The project is dedicated to recovering artifacts from dumped soil that was illegally removed from the Temple Mount during unsupervised construction in 1999 by the Islamic Waqf.
The archaeologically rich soil was dumped in the nearby Kidron Valley, where archaeologists, volunteers and tourists now gather to sift through the discarded debris in search of ancient Jewish artifacts.
The recent discovery was made on the eve of the 17th of Tammuz, a Jewish fast day marking the breach of Jerusalem's walls before the destruction of the First and Second Temples.
Archaeologist Mordechai Ehrlich discovered what the project described as a "rare and exceptionally well-preserved clay sealing, impressed by a stamp seal inscribed with ancient Hebrew letters."
"The sealing still retains a clear fingerprint, presumably left by the ancient official who once owned it," the project noted.
Based on its script, the artifact dates to the late 7th or early 6th century B.C. – during the reign of King Josiah, who ruled Judah and oversaw major Temple reforms.
"Among Josiah's trusted envoys was a senior official named Asayahu, described as 'the king's servant,'" the release stated.
"Given his prominent role, it is reasonable to assume that his son, Yeda‛yah, may have also served in a high-ranking capacity, either at the same time or shortly thereafter."
"Thus, the clay sealing's owner was probably involved in Temple administration or the royal household, much like his father."
King Josiah was a central figure in Jewish history.
After ordering repairs to the First Temple in Jerusalem, his workers found an ancient scroll that the royal scribe then read to the king.
The scroll, the project said, contained "warnings about the people's sins and impending divine punishment deeply alarmed the king."
The release added, "Josiah then dispatched trusted officials to seek divine counsel from the prophetess Huldah, who foretold Jerusalem's future destruction but assured Josiah that he personally would not live to witness it."
Marks on the back of the seal suggest it was used to seal a bag or container – offering a glimpse into the ancient official's life.
The Temple Mount Sifting Project said that the possibility of a link between the seal and King Josiah was "highly plausible."
"Historically, seals like these were reserved for officials of high rank, and many individuals named in similar discoveries from Jerusalem have been directly identified with biblical-era officials," officials said.
"Thus, the clay sealing's owner was probably involved in Temple administration or the royal household, much like his father," the project said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Temple Mount Sifting Project for additional information.
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Rare biblical seal with ancient fingerprint found in debris from Jerusalem's Temple Mount
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