"Exceptional" Woman's 2,500-Year-Old Seal Unearthed in Jerusalem

News Staff : Mar 8, 2016
Times of Israel

"Seals that belonged to women represent just a very small proportion of all the seals that have been discovered to date... it seems that Elihana maintained her right to property and financial independence even after her marriage." -Dr. Hagai Misgav

(Israel)—[Reprinted with permission from The Times of Israel] Two 2,500-year-old seals—one belonging to an "exceptional" woman—were found outside of Jerusalem's Old City, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Monday in what it termed a rare discovery. (Photo: Clara Amit/courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority/via Times of Israel)

The first, First Temple-era find, made of semi-precious stone and bearing the name "Elihana bat Gael," indicated the woman who owned the seal was affluent. The second seal, found in the same area, belonged to "Sa'aryahu ben Shabenyahu."

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