Archaeologists in Israel have found a mark from a seal that they believe belonged to King Hezekiah, a figure in the Bible. The artifact was discovered during excavations of the southern wall around Jerusalem's Old City, The Daily Beast reports. "This is the first time that a seal impression of an Israelite or Judean king has ever come to light in a scientific excavation," the director of the excavation, Eilat Mazar, said on Wednesday.
The item has a symbol of a two-winged sun and ancient Hebrew writing. Mazar described the backside of the bulla as having markings of thin cords that were likely used to tie a papyrus document.
Hezekiah's rule has been pinpointed around 700 B.C. and he was said to be one of the best rulers in history. "There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him," it is written in 2 Kings 18:5-7.
The clay imprint, or bulla, was initially discovered about five years ago, but it was not recognized at the time, according to Reuters. However, after it was seen under a magnifying glass, the meaning of the text became clear. The inscription has been translated as meaning "Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah," according to the Atlantic.
