Israeli archaeologists have discovered a 2,700-year-old seal that bears the inscription "Bethlehem," in what experts believe to be the oldest artefact with the name of Jesus' traditional birthplace.
Experts state the tiny clay seal's existence and age provide vivid evidence
that Bethlehem was not just the name of a fabled biblical town, but also a
bustling place of trade linked to the nearby city of Jerusalem.
Eli Shukron, the Israel Antiquities Authority's director of excavations, said
the find was significant because it is the first time the name "Bethlehem"
appears outside of a biblical text from that period.
Shukron said the seal, 1.5 centimetres (0.59 inches) in diameter, dates back
to the period of the first biblical Jewish Temple, between the eighth and
seventh century B.C., at a time when Jewish kings reigned over the ancient
kingdom of Judah and 700 years before Jesus was born.
The seal was written in ancient Hebrew script from the same time. Pottery
found nearby also dated back to the same period, he said.
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