2700-year-old First Temple-era stone seal featuring winged “genie” discovered

The Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Thursday that a rare and unique First Temple period stone seal was discovered in Jerusalem. It also showcases an image of a protective demon or genie and a paleo-Hebrew script.

The seal was first discovered in the Davidson Archaeological Garden, located south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. It was discovered during ongoing excavations which were jointly conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the City of David Foundation.

The seal has a hole running through it and can be attached to a chain and worn around the neck. It also features an image of a winged figure which resembles a demon or a genie, showcasing an Assyrian influence.

Experts note that this is an extremely unusual and rare discovery, and this is the first time that a winged genie has been discovered in Israeli and regional archaeology. The artefact upholds both Judaic and Assyrian elements. It demonstrates the extent of Assyrian culture’s influence, mostly in Jerusalem.

Experts date the rare seal to 2,700 years ago, featuring a unique winged genie

Experts opine that the artifact is at least around 2,700 years old, and is engraved with the words, LeYehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu” — “For Yeho’ezer son of Hosh’ayahu” — in paleo-Hebrew script .

According to the IAA, the owner was most likely a senior official during the Kingdom of Judah. There is a probability that he used the seal to sign documents or certificates.

“The image is “depicted in profile… with wings; wearing a long, striped shirt, and striding towards the right. The figure has a mane of long curls covering the nape of the neck, and on its head is a hat or a crown. The figure raises one arm forward, with an open palm; perhaps to suggest some object it is holding,” the IAA said .

Dr. Filip Vukosavović, an assyriologist and IAA archaeologist shared that this is an extremely rare and unusual discovery. This is the first time that a winged ‘genie’ – a protective magical figure – has been found in Israeli and regional archaeology.

Figures of winged demons are known in the Neo-Assyrian art of the 9th-7th Centuries BCE, and they were considered a kind of protective demon.

Seal initially featured a winged figure, with text added later, experts say

The IAA added that the seal originally contained just the image of the winged figure, and the text was inscribed later. It further said that at first, the item was probably worn as an amulet around the neck of a man named Hoshʼayahu, who held a senior position in the Kingdom of Judah’s administration.

Professor Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa shared that the paleo-Hebrew inscription was done in a sloppy manner, unlike the careful engraving of the demon.

The owner of the seal had chosen a demon to be the insignia of his personal seal showing that he belonged to the broader cultural context. This bears a close resemblance to most people in Israel today who see themselves as a part of the Western culture .

However, researchers noted that within that feeling, this owner of the seal also held firmly onto his local identity, and thus his name is written in Hebrew script, and his name is a Hebrew name, which belongs to Judah’s culture.