Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a roughly 3,000-year-old stone seal from the period of Solomon's Temple. The seal features a winged figure from First Chronicles and an inscription with a name. The stone seal has been described as an “extremely rare and unusual” find, dating to the First Temple period, when the great temple still stood before its destruction by the Babylonians. Excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the City of David organization found the seal “near the south wall of the Temple Mount in the Davidson Archaeological Gardens,” according to a press release.
It reads, “Le Yehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu,” which translates into English to mean, “For Yeho'ezer the son of Hosh'ayahu.”
The Israel Antiquities Authority has determined that “Yo'ezer”, an abbreviation of “Yeho'ezer”, 1 Chronicles 12:6 As one of David's warriors. (Most English translations say “Yoezer.”) The text states that Yoezer and other warriors were “armed with bows and could shoot arrows or throw stones with their right or left hands.” The seal may have belonged to another Yoezer, who lived at the same time or later.
The seal, which is believed to have been used as a talisman or for signing documents and has a hole so it can be worn on a necklace, is made of black stone and is about 2,700 years old, according to the IAA.
“In the centre is a profile of a winged figure, possibly a king, wearing a long striped shirt and striding to the right,” the IAA said. “The figure has a long curly mane that covers his neck and a hat or crown on his head. The figure holds one arm up in front of him, palm out, possibly suggesting that he is holding something.”
Yuval Baruch and Navot Rom, who led the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said in a joint statement that the seal was “one of the most beautiful seals found in the excavations of ancient Jerusalem and was created at the highest level of artistry.”
Israel's Minister of Cultural Heritage, Rabbi Amihai Eliyahu, said the find “opens a new window into the First Temple period of the Kingdom of Judah and testifies to the regime's international connections.”
“It is impossible not to be moved when we come face to face with a chapter of our past, the time of the First Temple's glory,” Eliyahu said.
Archaeologists speculate that the stone seal originally belonged to Hoshayahu and was inherited by his son Jehoezer after his death. Archaeologists describe the winged creature as a winged “spirit” or “guardian demon,” possibly indicating Assyrian influence over the owner, as the Assyrians were conquering lands outside of Israel.
This is the first time a winged spirit/demon has been discovered in Israel.
“Judah, and especially Jerusalem, was under the hegemony and influence of the Assyrian Empire at that time, a reality reflected in its culture and art,” Baruch said. “The seal's owner's choice of the devil as a symbol for his seal may be evidence that he felt he belonged to a broader cultural context, just like the people of Israel today who see themselves as part of Western culture. But even amidst that sentiment, this Jehoezer held fast to his regional identity, which is why his name is written in Hebrew letters and is a Hebrew name that belongs to Judah's culture.”
In the 8th century BC, the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, followed by the Babylonians who conquered the Southern Kingdom.
Photo credit: ©Facebook/Israel Antiquities Authority
Michael Faust He has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years, and his work has appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star and Knoxville News Sentinel.
