Seal of Rephaihu ben Shalem, 8th century BCE

In the National Park around the Old City Walls of Jerusalem, artifacts were found that include, among other things, a complete seal that bears the Hebrew name “Rephaihu (ben) Shalem” and fragments of bullae. The excavation directors are Professor Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa and Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

In an archaeological excavation that is being carried out at the Spring House near the Gihon Spring in the City of David, soil was excavated which contained pottery sherds that date to the Iron Age 2 (8th century BCE).

Wet sifting and carefully sorting through the soil produced the hoped for results- fragments of three bullae (pieces of clay that were meant to seal letters or goods), and two stone seals were recently found. All of the objects bear Hebrew names and all date to the 8th century BCE. Among them is a seal that was discovered intact and which bears the Hebrew name “Rephaihu (ben) Shalem”, who lived in the City of David in Jerusalem during this period. The seals were primarily used by public officials.

According to the researchers, Eli Shukron and Professor Ronny Reich, “In contrast with the large cluster of bullae that was found two years ago, in which all of its items contain graphic symbols (such as a boat or different animals – fish, lizards and birds) but are of an earlier date (end of the 9th-beginning of the 8th century BCE), the new items indicate that during the 8th century BCE the practice had changed and the clerks who used the seals began to add their names to them.”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Seals dating to the 8th Century BCE found at City of David excavations

Seal of Rephaihu ben Shalem, 8th century BCE

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