2,600-Year-Old Tiny Seal Reportedly Carrying Fingerprint of 'Biblical Personality' Found in Jerusalem

Archaeologists have uncovered a remarkable ancient seal they believe could have Biblical connections. The seal was discovered by the Temple Mount Sifting Project (TMSP) in Jerusalem, according to the press release. Researchers quickly deduced that the seal was marked by some Hebrew writings, and as per what is known about seals, the writings should refer to the name of the seal's owner. The researchers and epigraphers, Anat Mendel-Geberovich and Zachi Dvira, translated the writing to "Belonging to Yed[a‛]yah (son of) Asayahu." It piqued the interest of researchers, as Asaya, Asayahu's ancient Hebrew variant, has been mentioned in the Bible. They also detected a fingerprint on the seal, which, by its features, possibly belonged to the owner or someone from the same period.

Unique Seal

The seal was uncovered in July 2025, in Jerusalem, according to Times of Israel. For around 20 years, a team of experts has been exploring Temple Mount for archaeological clues. The seal is the result of this pursuit. The style of writing on the seal led researchers to date the seal back to the 7th or 6th century BCE. It means that this 2,600-year-old artifact was created during the First Temple period. Researchers were ecstatic about the discovery because it was only the second seal uncovered through the project that carried a complete and legible inscription.

Dvira, who is also a co-director of the project, shared that because the seal's writing was so recognizable, he and his team decided to inform the public about this discovery, something which doesn't usually happen. The fact that the seal was uncovered just before the event of Tisha B'Av also played a part in their decision. Tisha B'Av is a Jewish day of mourning for the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE. The discovery of a seal from the First Temple period, therefore, is valuable in the aforementioned context. 

Who was Asayahu?

Asaya was a senior official working under King Josiah around 2,600 years ago, according to The Jerusalem Post. Ashayahu is mentioned in the holy book, in the tale narrating the discovery of the Pentateuch book of Deuteronomy. This book was uncovered during repair works in the Jerusalem Temple, ordered by King Josiah himself. The scroll contained some warning which worried the king, and he decided to send his "servant" Asaya to seek divine counsel on his behalf. 

Asayahu mentioned that the seal contains an extra letter Vav added at the end of Asaya, according to stated Times of Israel. This was a typical practice conducted in ancient times by people to testify their association with god. A clay sealing found 20 years ago also mentioned Asayahu as "servant to the king," but its authenticity could not be fully verified. Researchers are inclined to believe that the Ashayahu on the seal is indeed the biblical figure, as many ancient items uncovered in the region have also mentioned biblical personalities.

Furthermore, the fact that the seal was found in Temple Mount suggests that the owner or their relatives were involved in the temple's administration, which aligns with what is known about Asayahu.  Archaeologists believe that if the Asayahu in the seal is the Biblical figure, then the artifact belonged to a prominent individual. Seeing how crucial Asayahu was to the king, it is very likely that his supposed son, Yedayah, also held respectable positions in society. Yedayah's ultimate fate has not been recorded anywhere. 

Fingerprint on the Seal

Close examinations of the seal also uncovered a fingerprint possibly belonging to the seal's owner, according to Popular Mechanics. Experts used Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) photography to analyze the artifacts, the results of which will soon be published in a study. Researchers believe that the seal was used to lock storage spaces in the Temple Mount. However, they are not sure if the storage was associated with the Temple treasury or the royal treasury, as both were present in the area.