Bible archaeologists discover ancient relic that may ‘prove the existence of legendary warrior from holy book’
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have discovered an ancient stone seal that may prove the existence of a warrior from the Holy Bible, it has been claimed.
The small black relic is about the size of a dime and was probably worn around the neck as an amulet some 2,700 years ago.
And its owner could be a legendary man who held a senior position in the holy city of Jerusalem, Israel.
Stone seals served as a kind of prehistoric identification card.
But unlike other seals, the recent find features an engraving of a never-before-seen winged "genie" or "demon" in Israel.
The ancient stone relic also bears the names of Yehoʼezer and Hoshʼayahu, both of which are referenced in the Bible.
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King David, the Israelite ruler at the period, had a warrior named Yoʼezer, which was the shortened form of Yehoʼezer.
And the name Azariah ben Hoshʼaya, which appears in the book of Jeremiah, is analogous to the name Hoshʼayahu.
Research partner Ronny Reich, from the University of Haifa, said: "It is not impossible that perhaps it was Yehoʼezer himself who engraved the names on the object."
This discovery offers more proof in favour of the biblical accounts of a multicultural society flourishing in ancient Jerusalem.
When this seal was created, in the first temple period, Jerusalem was ruled by the Assyrian Empire.
The seal, which has an etching of a winged protective figure, reflects the artistic and cultural impact of this governing authority.
Archaeologists went on to explain that winged demon figures have been identified in Neo-Assyrian art from the 9th to 7th century BCE.
Excavation director Yuval Baruch said that the fact that the seal's original owner picked a demon as his personal emblem "may attest to his feeling that he belonged to the broader cultural context."
But Baruch explained that the two names carved on either side of this figure are written in Hebrew script, implying that the person who inscribed them was deeply attached to his local identity.
IAA Archeologist and Assyriologist Filip Vukosavovic, who studied the seal, said: "This is an extremely rare and unusual discovery."
The relic also "opens another window for us into the days of the Kingdom of Judah during the First Temple period, and attests to that administration’s international connections," added Israeli Minister of Heritage Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu.
"In doing so, it demonstrates the importance and centrality of Jerusalem already 2,700 years ago."
It also provides a better understanding of the literacy and writing skills of those living in the holy city throughout this time.
"Contrary to what may be commonly thought, it seems that literacy in this period was not the realm only of society's elite," Baruch said.
"People knew how to read and write – at least at the basic level, for the needs of commerce."
The seal was discovered by the researchers close to Temple Mount's southern wall in the City of David National Park.
They think that a man named Hoshʼayahu, who was in charge of the administration of the Kingdom of Judah, wore the seal as an amulet.
The fact that the piece had a hole drilled in it, probably so it could be worn on a string, and the high degree of artistic skill needed to create it served as the foundation for their conclusion.
The researchers said: "The seal, made of black stone, is one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem."
According to their press release, the figure on the seal is walking to the right and extending one arm forward with an extended palm, maybe to indicate what it is holding.
On either side of the figurine is an etched text in Paleo-Hebrew character.
The text reads "LeYehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu".
The Bible uses Yoʼezer, the shortened form of the name Yehoʼezer, to refer to one of King David's warriors.
Hoshʼayahu also comes in a parallel form in the book of Jeremiah, which details the time period in which the seal was made: Azariah ben Hoshʼaya.
It demonstrates the importance and centrality of Jerusalem already 2,700 years ago
Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu
The scholars clarify that the two components of the biblical first name are written opposite to the seal owner's name.
The second name is same, but the seal only has a shortened version of it.
Further proof that the recently found seal was manufactured during the first temple period is provided by the fact that the writing style used in these biblical books matches the name engraved on it.
Professor Ronny Reich said the carving of the names "was done in a sloppy manner," while the winged form seemed to have been properly carved.
This validates the scholars' hypothesis that Yehoʼezer, the son of Hoshʼayahu, inherited the seal after his father's death and carved his own name and his father's name on either side of the demon.
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Ze'ev Orenstein, director of International Affairs for the City of David Foundation, told Fox News Digital: "This singular find joins the list of countless archaeological discoveries in the City of David - the historic site of Biblical Jerusalem - affirming Jerusalem's Biblical heritage.
"It similarly serves as yet another affirmation of the thousands-of-year-old bond rooting the Jewish people in Jerusalem - not simply as a matter of faith, but as a matter of fact."