Archaeologists unearth evidence of biblical power struggle beneath Jerusalem: 'Screamed with excitement'

A radical of excavators precocious uncovered the first-ever Assyrian inscription recovered successful Jerusalem — shedding airy connected past powerfulness struggles described successful the Bible.

The inscription, which was carved connected a tiny pottery fragment, was uncovered astatine the Tzurim Valley National Park successful East Jerusalem. The find was announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) connected Oct. 22.

Though the fragment was unearthed successful the Tzurim Valley, it was primitively portion of rubble adjacent the Western Wall, beside the Temple Mount.

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The inscription belonged to the Assyrian civilization, the ascendant empire successful the Middle East during the clip of biblical kings.

The Assyrians ruled overmuch of the Near East from the 9th to the 7th centuries B.C., earlier Nineveh, their capital, fell. The inscription was written successful Akkadian and dates backmost 2,700 years, according to officials. 

The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the archetypal Assyrian inscription ever recovered successful Jerusalem, carved connected a pottery shard. (Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority)

"The inscription provides uncommon grounds of correspondence betwixt the tribunal of the King of Assyria and the King of Judah," the IAA said, calling the fragment "tiny, highly uncommon and historic."

Archaeologist Moria Cohen, who spotted the artifact, told the IAA she was sifting ungraded erstwhile she abruptly noticed "a potsherd with a unusual pattern."

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"I looked closely, and it seemed similar cuneiform publication — which felt truthful unlikely, due to the fact that adjacent though galore fascinating finds person been uncovered here, we’ve ne'er recovered thing similar this," said Cohen.

"I checked again, and erstwhile I realized it wasn’t decoration but existent cuneiform penning — I screamed with excitement …[The] thought that aft 2,700 years I’m the archetypal idiosyncratic to interaction this fragment — it’s incredibly moving. It’s genuinely a once-in-a-lifetime find."

The excavation enactment adjacent the Western Wall included sifting ungraded recovered from past underground drainage channels beneath Jerusalem's Old City, seen astatine left. (Shai Halevi, Israel Antiquities Authority; Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority)

The pottery piece, conscionable astir 2.5 centimeters long, records an speech betwixt past rulers.

Historians judge it was portion of a royal bulla, oregon seal impression, utilized to convey a connection astir a taxation outgo oregon different obligation.

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The inscription specifies a deadline — specifically, the archetypal time of the period of Av — and mentions a chariot officer, according to experts. 

"The find strengthens our knowing of the extent of Assyrian beingness successful Jerusalem and the grade of its power connected the city’s administration," said the excavation director.  (Eliyahu Yanai, City of David)

"Although the fragment does not see the sanction of the King of Judah to whom the connection was addressed, its chronological discourse and partial substance suggest it was sent to the tribunal of 1 of the Judean kings — Hezekiah, Manasseh oregon Josiah aboriginal successful his reign — erstwhile Judah was a vassal kingdom nether Assyria," the IAA noted.

"While we cannot find whether the hold was method oregon politically motivated, the precise beingness of specified an authoritative connection whitethorn bespeak a constituent of hostility betwixt Judah and the imperial administration," the merchandise added.

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Excavation manager Ayala Silberstein said the inscription "provides nonstop grounds of authoritative correspondence betwixt the Assyrian Empire and the Kingdom of Judah.

"The find strengthens our knowing of the extent of Assyrian beingness successful Jerusalem and the grade of its power connected the city’s administration," Silberstein added.

The Israel Antiquities Authority called the find "tiny, highly uncommon and historic," citing its tremendous significance. (Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority)

"It besides expands our cognition of the presumption of the caller vicinity that developed astatine that clip connected the slopes westbound of the Temple. It appears this country served arsenic a halfway for high-ranking officials and ministers."

In sum, Israeli officials said the fragment "holds tremendous significance."

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"It opens a model into the diplomatic and administrative relations betwixt Judah and Assyria — providing the first-ever grounds of authoritative connection betwixt Jerusalem and the astir almighty empire of its time," officials added.