Posted on 06/24/2023 8:31:50 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
A team of researchers working with citizen archeologists on the Tzurim Valley National Park sifting project (near Temple Mount) has found a unique ancient gem seal—one that bears the face of the god Apollo. The team, led by Eli Shukron, has been speaking with the press about the unique find and its possible history.
Gem seals are flat-faced, carved stones, generally coin-sized. They were used by ancient people as a form of signature. The seal was pressed against a soft material such as wax to leave an imprint of whatever was carved on the stone. Such signatures were used when purchasing goods, signing documents or during business transactions. With this new find, the face on the seal was surprising, because it bears the face of the god Apollo. It has been dated to approximately 2000 years ago, a time when Jews were living in the area. Apollo was a Greek god, not theirs; the Jews were monotheistic. Thus, the question of why such a seal would be found there arose...
The face of Apollo was carved in profile with his long hair flowing down his neck. The researchers note that the god Apollo was revered by many people along the Eastern Mediterranean during that time, and people of different faiths were more than willing to embrace his more positive attributes.
The site of the dig contained soil that was once part of the foundation of the Western Wall, which surrounded the Second Temple in the City of David (modern Jerusalem). When the Romans came in AD 70, they destroyed the wall, leaving its foundation to crumble.
(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...
Video and editing by Eliyahu Yanai, City of David
A gem seal depicting a portrait of Apollo, a god in Greek mythology, dating from 2,000 years ago, was found in the drainage canal in the City of David. It was discovered in the sifting project in the Tzurim Valley National Park within archeological soil that was removed from the foundations of the Western Wall.A Gem Seal Bearing the Portrait of Apollo | 1:16 | City of David | 74.9K subscribers | 17,151 views | Premiered October 29, 2022
Better gather some laurel leaves just to be on the safe side. ;^)
BTW, to hell with The Prime Directive!
And let’s not think about what Hunter’s seal would look like. Joe’s seal would most likely be a budding breast.
That looks more like a token than a seal.
Thank you
Kill a deer?? That’s the funniest thing I ever heard!!!
No it’s about Apollo, not another one of Baal’s Pharaohs....
😆🤣😅😜
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LOL Great reference!
In the Hebrew Bible, the period of the Israelites is described; it identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of David as well as the city where he was anointed as the third monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel, and also states that it was built up as a fortified city by Rehoboam, the first monarch of the Kingdom of Judah.[7]
The Hebrew Bible also calls it Beth-Lehem Judah,[26] and the New Testament describes it as the "City of David".[27]
It’s a semiprecious stone or other stone, or fired clay, signet, used to press a sort of signature into or onto a document.
That's where the whole notion breaks down.
A devout Jew at that time and place would not have used such a pagan seal, but a Roman soldier or other official assigned there might.
LOL!
Nice!
Maybe it was a self-portrait.......................
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