Proof of Ancient Bethlehem Discovered in Jerusalem

IFCJ

Imagine living in a place so rich with history that significant archeological finds are commonplace. That’s the reality in Israel.

Case in point: the recent discovery of a seal, or bulla, that dates from the 7th or 8th century BCE found in routine excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in the walls around Jerusalem National Park.

Eli Shukron, director of the excavation for the IAA, explains the significance of the discovery, “This is the first time the name Bethlehem appears outside the Bible, in an inscription from the First Temple period, which proves that Bethlehem was indeed a city in the Kingdom of Judah, and possibly also in earlier periods.”

For archaeologists this is important because the small clay seal provides evidence of what Christians and Jews have long known to be true -- that Bethlehem wasn’t a “fabled biblical town,” but a real bustling city filled with commerce and trade with neighboring towns. 

The discovery of a 2,700-year-old artifact providing evidence of biblical history? Just another day in the Holy Land.

http://blog.ifcj.org/post/proof-ancient-bethlehem-discovered-jerusalem