2,600-year-old seal bearing name of First Temple-era official discovered in Jeruslam

A bulla inscribed with the name of Natan-Melech, official in the court of King Josiah. Source: Israel Antiquities Authority.

The Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University discovered a 2,600 year old ancient  bulla seal impression bearing the inscription “(belonging) to Nathan-Melech, Servant of the King”  in the City of David just outside the Old City of Jerusalem, according to an announcement on Sunday.

It was discovered during an archeological dig inside a large public building that was destroyed in the sixth century BCE — likely during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. Large stone debris, burnt wooden beams and numerous charred pottery shards also were discovered in the building, all indications that they had survived an immense fire.

The dig was conducted by archeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University.

The stamp and its seal impression that were discovered in the dig are each about one centimeter in size.

The name Nathan-Melech appears once in the Bible, in the second book of Kings 23:11, where he is described as an official in the court of King Josiah, who took part in the religious reform that the king was implementing.

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A 1 cm stamp-seal made of bluish agate stone was also found in the ruins. The stamp is engraved with the name: “(Belonging) to Ikar son of Matanyahu.” The name “Matanyahu” appears in the Bible and on other stamps and seal marks, but the name “Ikar” has not been seen before.