Excavators uncovered a seal and a bullae—a seal impression use to sign documents or containers during ancient times—in the Givati Parking Lot Excavation of the City of David in Jerusalem. These two artifacts were found next to the rubble of a structure that was destroyed during the 6th century BC by the Babylonians.

"Despite the numerous excavations conducted in Jerusalem to date, so far the findings revealed from the Persian period are extremely meager and therefore we lack information regarding the character and appearance of the city during this period,” Prof. Yuval Gadot of the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University, and Dr. Yiftah Shalev of the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement.

The researchers said the finding was very rare and reveals just how badly Jerusalem was damaged during the Babylonian destruction.

"The finding of the stamp and seal impression in the City of David indicates that despite the city's dire situation after the destruction, efforts were made to restore the administrative authorities to normal, and its residents continued to partly use the structures that were destroyed,” explained Prof. Gadot and Dr. Shalev.

The seal impression was found on a large piece of clay, indicating that it was not used to seal a document, but something larger like a storage container or jar. The imprint is an image of a person sitting on a chair with one or two columns in front of him.

The excavators say this style of impression is characteristic of Babylonian culture. The person sitting on the chair is believed to be a king and the columns probably represent the Babylonian gods Nabu and Marduk.

The seal itself is made of a large, locally-made pottery shard.

Researchers also found other artifacts, including a broken pottery vessel decorated with the face of the god Bes on it.

"Discovering the new findings on the western slope of the City of David adds much information about the city's structure during the period of the Return to Zion, a period we knew about mainly from Biblical literature (the books of Ezra and Nehemiah),” the researchers said. “The paucity of the findings from this period made it difficult to understand the status and extent of the city. The findings from the Givati Parking Lot Excavation shed light on the renewal of the local administration, in a location similar to the one that existed before the destruction of the First Temple, about 100 years prior." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

California Town Tears Down Beloved Hillside Cross

Danielle Smith Again Defends Alberta's Coming Ban on Transgender Mutilation of Children

Detransitioners: We Were Pushed to Transition as Teens, Now We're 'Vindicated' By Study Showing Kids Grow Out of It

US Supreme Court Says Idaho Can Enforce Ban on Child 'Sex Changes' as Lawsuit Continues

How Bidenomics Shattered the American Dream of Homeownership

Bill Aims to Stop Illegal Aliens from Squatting in US Homes

Soros-Linked NGO Distributes Flyers in Mexico Telling Illegal Immigrants to 'Vote For Biden': Report

Long-Awaited Articles of Impeachment against DHS Secretary Mayorkas Finally Arrive in Senate

Justices Gorsuch and Alito Highlight Biden Admin's Glaring Double Standard during J6 Hearing

Louisiana House Passes Bill That Requires All Schools Receiving State Funds to Display the Ten Commandments Inside Classrooms

NPR Suspends Editor Who Blew Whistle on Left-Wing Takeover of Newsroom

Sri Lanka: Pro-Family Activists Successfully Derail Effort to Turn Country Pro-LGBT, But Now There's a New Fight in Parliament over Broad 'Gender' Bills

50,000 Join Polish March for Life in the Midst of Government Push to Overturn Abortion Ban

Hamas Remains Obstacle to Gaza Ceasefire, Israel Has Moved in a 'Significant Way,' US Says

Wow. Joe Biden Approved Iran's Assault on Israel 'Within Certain Limits'

'Unjust Scam': Trump Says He Will Likely Miss Son Barron's Graduation Due to 'Conflicted and Corrupt' Judge

Maine Governor Allows National Popular Vote Legislation to Become Law

Election Integrity: Trump, Mike Johnson Back Bill Assuring Only US Citizens Vote in Elections

Fox News Host Lawrence Jones Delivers Powerful Gospel Message: I'm 'Proud to Be a Believer'

California Mom Wants Child Castrated Without Father's Consent