Correspondence between Assyrian empire and King of Judah uncovered in Jerusalem

A fragment of correspondence between the Imperial Assyrian court and the Kingdom of Judah has been discovered in an archaeological excavation in Jerusalem, in what is believed to be the first ever Assyrian inscription from the First Temple period (8th–7th centuries BCE) found in the city.

The small pottery fragment, bearing a cuneiform inscription in the Akkadian language from about 2,700 years ago, was found near the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. It was discovered during wet-sifting, (a method for recovering small and fragile artifacts by passing excavated soil or sediment through screens in water), at the “Archaeological Experience” in the Tzurim Valley National Park – a joint project of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and the City of David Foundation.

Staff member Moria Cohen said: “I was sifting the soil and suddenly noticed a potsherd (broken piece of ceramic material) with a strange pattern. I looked closely, and it seemed like cuneiform script – which felt so unlikely, because even though many fascinating finds have been uncovered here, we’ve never found anything like this. I checked again, and when I realized it wasn’t decoration but actual cuneiform writing – I screamed with excitement.”

She added: “The thought that after 2,700 years I’m the first person to touch this fragment – it’s incredibly moving. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime find.”

Israel Antiquities Authority excavation director, Dr. Ayala Silberstein, said the inscription “provides direct evidence of official correspondence between the Assyrian Empire and the Kingdom of Judah. It appears this area served as a centre for high-ranking officials and ministers.”

Experts believe the fragment was once part of a royal bulla – a seal impression used to authenticate an official letter or shipment from the Assyrian royal court.

Analysis of the inscription and its content suggests that the sealed document, sent from a distant location, likely from one of Assyria’s main administrative centres such as Nineveh, Ashur, or Nimrud, dealt with a delay in the payment of a tax or other obligation.

The text specifies a deadline – the first day of the month of Av – and mentions a “chariot officer” (literally, “the one who holds the reins” in Assyrian), a high-ranking figure responsible for transmitting official royal communications.

Although the fragment does not include the name of the King of Judah to whom the message was addressed, its chronological context and partial text suggest it was sent to the court of one of the Judean kings – Hezekiah, Manasseh, or Josiah early in his reign – when Judah was a vassal kingdom under Assyria.

Such items served as intermediaries between Assyrian emissaries and Judean officials, conveying official instructions and tax demands.

Israeli Minister of Heritage, Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu said the discovery was “impressive evidence of the city’s status as the capital of the Kingdom of Judah some 2,700 years ago, and of the depth of its ties with the Assyrian Empire just as described in the Bible.

“This rare discovery illustrates, once again, our deep roots in Jerusalem, which is the spiritual and national centre of the Jewish people.”