Excavations in Jerusalem's City of David uncover royal seal inscriptions from Judah's final days

Israel Antiquities Authority excavations at the Giv'ati parking lot in Jerusalem have uncovered charred wooden beams, collapsed floors, shattered jars, seal imprints, charred grains of wheat and layers of ash, each telling part of the story of Jerusalem's last days. Dozens of storage jars have been found, some bearing a rose petal, a six-petaled flower symbol associated with the royal administration system of the late Kingdom of Judah.

Now, the excavation team is highlighting seal impressions and storage jars found there. Among the impressions is one bearing the name of Akar Ben Matanyahu, and a bulla reading "belonging to Netanel, servant of the king." Laboratory tests found that storage jars from the site contained wine and olive oil, with some also showing traces of vanilla, likely used to season the wine. The vanilla did not grow in the Jerusalem mountains but arrived through trade networks connecting South Arabia, East Africa and India to the region.

Alongside the vessels, researchers found dozens of pottery fragments and small pieces of tin that served as seals, evidence of an organized system of collection and management. Researchers said these findings point to an active, organized, and flourishing city shortly before its destruction.

Earlier digs uncovered structures filled with crumbled stones, ash, charcoal, and shattered pottery left on the floors. In one public structure, the upper floor completely collapsed, and tests conducted on the floor showed that in parts of the structure, the fire reached temperatures of about 600 degrees celcius.

Israel Antiquities Authority released the finds on the Ninth of Av, which marks a day of remembrance for the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem.