FROM FOX NEWS: An archaeologist who was recently sifting through debris in Israel uncovered a link to a legendary biblical king from the House of David.
The Temple Mount Sifting Project announced the discovery on July 30 of a rare clay seal impression bearing the name “Yed[a‛]yah (son of) Asayahu.”
The project is dedicated to recovering artifacts from dumped soil that was illegally removed from the Temple Mount during unsupervised construction in 1999 by the Islamic Waqf.
The archaeologically rich soil was dumped in the nearby Kidron Valley, where archaeologists, volunteers and tourists now gather to sift through the discarded debris in search of ancient Jewish artifacts.
According to the project’s website, the discovery was made approximately 3-weeks ago, and they are quickly working to complete studies on it.
The website says:
About three weeks ago, on the eve of the Jewish fast of the 17th of Tammuz (commemorating the breaching of Jerusalem’s walls and the start of the mourning period for the destruction of the First and Second Temples), archaeologist Mordechai Ehrlich discovered a rare and exceptionally well-preserved clay sealing, impressed by a stamp seal inscribed with ancient Hebrew letters.
Since the discovery of the sealing, an intensive, fast-track study has been conducted so the find could be announced before the 9th of Av. A full paper will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal next week. The researchers—epigrapher Dr. Anat Mendel-Geberovich and Zachi Dvira—have fully deciphered the inscription. They read it as follows:
“Belonging to Yed[a‛]yah (son of) Asayahu.” – ליד[ע]יה (בן) עשיהו
Marks on the back of the artifact indicate it was used as a sealing on a bag or storage container. Remarkably, the sealing still retains a clear fingerprint, presumably left by the ancient official who once owned it. According to the style of writing, the sealing dates to the late First Temple period (approximately the late-7th century BCE to the early-6th century BCE).
The names inscribed on the sealing are reminiscent of famous figures described in the Hebrew Bible. About 2,600 years ago, King Josiah of Judah ordered repairs made to the Temple in Jerusalem. During these repairs, workers discovered an ancient sacred scroll (Sefer haTorah), likely the Pentateuch book of Deuteronomy (2 Kings 22:12; 2 Chronicles 34:20). When the royal scribe read the scroll to King Josiah, its warnings about the people’s sins and impending divine punishment deeply alarmed the king. Josiah then dispatched trusted officials to seek divine counsel from the prophetess Huldah, who foretold Jerusalem’s future destruction but assured Josiah that he personally would not live to witness it.
Among Josiah’s trusted envoys was a senior official named Asayahu, described as “the king’s servant.” Given his prominent role, it is reasonable to assume that his son, Yeda‛yah, may have also served in a prominent position, either at the same time or shortly thereafter.
— Temple Mount Sifting Project – סינון העפר מהר הבית (@TMSifting) August 10, 2025
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