Israeli archeologists unearth rare, 2,700-year-old stone seal near Temple Mount

Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Israeli antiquities researchers announced Thursday they have unearthed a rare and significant stone seal from the First Temple Period of about 2,700 years ago.

The seal, which bears a name inscribed in paleo-Hebrew script and a winged demon, or "genie" figure, was discovered in the Davidson Archaeological Garden near the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement obtained by UPI.

"The seal, made of black stone, is one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem, and is executed at the highest artistic level," said excavation directors Dr. Yuval Baruch and Navot Rom.

The name inscribed on the stone is Hoshʼayahu, thought to be a senior administrator in the Kingdom of Judah, who likely wore the stone as an amulet around his neck and used it to sign official documents and proclamations.

The figure of the winged man demonstrates the ascendency of the Assyrian Empire over Middle East in the 9th-7th Centuries BCE while conferring onto its bearer the authority of the office, the researchers said.

"It seems that the object was made by a local craftsman -- a Judahite, who produced the amulet at the owner's request," said Israel Antiquities Authority Archaeologist and Assyriologist Filip Vukosavović. "It was prepared at a very high artistic level."

The find is "an extremely rare and unusual discovery," he added. "This is the first time that a winged 'genie' -- a protective magical figure -- has been found in Israeli and regional archaeology."

The figure of a winged man in a distinct Neo-Assyrian style is unique and very rare in the glyphic styles of the late First Temple period, scholars say.

Israeli Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu also hailed the discovery, calling it "spectacular" and noting it demonstrates how even 2,700 years ago Jerusalem had emerged as an international hub for commerce.

"It is impossible not to be moved by such an unmediated and direct encounter with a chapter of our past, a time in which the First Temple stood in all its glory," he said.