Seal of Jerusalem Governor found

The Jerusalem Posts reports today:

The new find supports the biblical rendering of the existence of a governor of Jerusalem 2,700 years ago, says archeologist.

A rare, well preserved Hebrew-inscribed and stamped piece of clay from the First Temple Period belonging to the “governor of the city” of Jerusalem was recently discovered during excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority in the Western Wall Plaza.

According to Dr. Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah, excavator of the site on behalf of the IAA, “The Bible mentions two governors of Jerusalem, and this finding thus reveals that such a position was actually held by someone in the city some 2,700 years ago.”

“The finding of the seal with this high-rank title – in addition to the large assemblage of actual seals found in the building in the past – supports the assumption that this area, located on the western slopes of the western hill of ancient Jerusalem, some 100 m west of the Temple Mount, was inhabited by highly ranked officials during the First Temple period.”

Two governors of Jerusalem are mentioned in the Bible, Joshua in 2 Kings 23:8 and Maaseiah in 2 Chron. 34:8, both of whom lived at the end of the First Temple period.

This drawing shows what Jerusalem at the end of the First Temple period looked like:

5 thoughts on “Seal of Jerusalem Governor found”

  1. hi,

    do we find any similar coins with such depiction on it? what meaning does the picture add?
    is there any where a clear drawn out sketch of the coin?

    tx

  2. Eli, This coin is very rare and, as far as I know, there are ni parallels. About the meaning of the picture: “The upper part of the governor’s seal impression shows two standing figures facing each other, though their potential identities are obscure, as their heads are depicted as dots, with no special features. The two are garbed in a striped, knee-length garment”.

  3. hi

    couldnt find where to comment so i comment at last post:

    the temple in tel dan and (nothing left at) bet el seem to be carbon copy of the temple in jerusalem, would be interesting to compare and rebuild based on those info.

    the devir and heichal in tel dan and place of altar really are same of temple in jerusalem

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