Rare ancient seal with winged "genie" discovered in Jerusalem

A rare stone seal that dates back millennia has been found in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority said Thursday.

The black stone seal has been dated back 2,700 years and was found near the Temple Mount's southern wall, the authority said in a news release. The stone was found amid an excavation in the Davidson Archaeological Garden, where many ancient relics have been previously discovered.

The seal is engraved with what may be two names written in an ancient form of Hebrew, according to the authority, and bears the profile of a winged man wearing a hat or crown. Israel Antiquities Authority archeologist Dr. Filip Vukosavović said the figure is likely that of a winged "genie." It's the first time such a relic has been discovered in the region, he said, and shows the impact of the then-dominant Assyrian empire.

"This is an extremely rare and unusual discovery," Vukosavović said in the news release.

The object was likely worn by a man who had a senior position in the administration of the ancient kingdom of Judah, the authority said. The stone seal would have been made by a local craftsman and worn as an amulet to show authority. After that man died, the amulet was passed down to his son, who added the two names on either side of the genie.

It's possible the son even engraved the names himself, research partner Ronny Reich of the University of Haifa said in the release, because they were carved in a "sloppy manner," a sharp contrast to the detailed work done on the genie.

The engraving work does show "further evidence of the reading and writing abilities that existed in this period," according to Dr. Yuval Baruch, the director of the excavation and the deputy director of archaeology at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

"Contrary to what may be commonly thought, it seems that literacy in this period was not the realm only of society's elite," Baruch said. "People knew how to read and write – at least at the basic level, for the needs of commerce."

More information about the stone seal will be shared during a research conference next week, the authority said.