Unearthing Ancient Secrets: 2,500-Year-Old Seal Discovery in City of David

Two seals engraved with Hebrew names were uncovered during archaeological excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the Givati Parking Lot site in the City of David, part of the Jerusalem Walls National Park. "Finding seals with Hebrew inscriptions from the First Temple period is rare, and discovering a seal that belonged to a woman is even more exceptional," the researchers shared.

For nine years, the Israel Antiquities Authority, in collaboration with the Nature and Parks Authority and the Elad Foundation, has been conducting digs. Recently, researchers reached the ancient layers of Jerusalem, dating back to the First Temple era. Here, an unexpected discovery awaited: inside a beautifully crafted stone-built structure, the seals were found. Researchers believe this well-built structure may have served as an administrative center.

Dr. Doron Ben Ami, Yana Tchekhanovets, and Shlomo Cohen, directors of the excavation for the Israel Antiquities Authority, explain that "personal seals, like those of Elihana and Saaryahu, were used to sign documents and were often incorporated into a signet ring carried by their owners. In ancient times, they indicated the owner's identity, lineage, and status." The rare woman's seal, made of semi-precious stone, is inscribed in reverse in ancient Hebrew script: "Elihana bat Gael," highlighting her father's name alongside hers.

According to Dr. Hagai Misgav from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, "Seals owned by women represent only a tiny percentage of all discovered seals. This is largely due to their generally lower economic status, except in exceptional cases such as this. Although the name Elihana doesn't appear in the Bible and there is no additional information about her identity, the fact that she possessed a seal attests to her high social status."

Dr. Misgav adds that "most known women's seals bear the father's name rather than the husband's. As in other cases, this could indicate Elihana's relatively high status, which was tied to her original family rather than her husband's. It's possible Elihana retained her property rights and economic independence after marriage, hence keeping her father's name, although we have insufficient information on the laws in Judah during this period."

The second seal discovered at the site, also inscribed in reverse, reads: "Lesaaryahu ben Shebanyahu." The name Saaryahu is mentioned on an ostracon from Arad, likely meaning "Hashem revealed in the storm"; (see Job 38).