This item, approx. 7x7mm in size is a sealing – a piece of clay, which, while still wet and soft, was affixed to a string used to tie up a rolled papyrus document. Looking at the righthand picture, you may be able to make out the impression left by the string and the strands of papyrus on the reverse side of the sealing.Emphasis in the original.
On the left side, you can see the ancient Hebrew letters stamped into the sealing, which, despite two broken letters, can be read as saying Gibeon \ [belonging to the] king. The shape of the letters and comparison to similar artifacts date our sealing to the 7th century BCE.
This sealing belongs to a rare group known as “fiscal bullae”. ...
Go to the link for some interesting details and also an overview of the Temple Mount in the late First Temple period.
Earlier posts in the series are here and here.
Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.
