Ancient seal found in Jerusalem offers insight into rituals in biblical temple 2,000 years ago

By Simcha Jacobovici in Jewish World February 11, 2013

Excerpts from article by Rob Waugh on dailymail.co.uk

A tiny clay seal found under Jerusalem’s Old City is the first relic of religious life inside Jerusalem’s Temple Mount 2,000 years ago.

pure coin — Israeli archaeologists said they had found the 2,000-year-old clay seal near Jerusalem's Western Wall, confirming written accounts of ritual practices in the biblical Jewish Temple

The coin-sized seal found near the Jewish holy site at the Western Wall bears two Aramaic words meaning ‘pure for God.’
Archaeologist Ronny Reich of Haifa University said it dates from between the 1st century B.C. to 70 A.D. – the year Roman forces put down a Jewish revolt and destroyed the biblical Second Temple in Jerusalem.

It’s the first discovery of a written seal from the period – and the first time archaeology has offered confirmation of religious rituals in the Temple.

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