World News for Students of English

09-12-2015 15:00

Despite its size, this is a monumental discovery, what is said to be the mark from the seal of the King Hezekiah has been discovered. Archaeologists made the find near the southern part of the wall that surrounds Jerusalem’s Old City, an area rich in relics from the period of the first of two ancient Jewish temples.

The dots help separate the words: “Belonging to Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, king of Judah.” The archaeologists say the backside of the clay imprint on the seal had markings of thin cords that were used to tie a papyrus document.

“Now we know that some documents that was signed by King Hezekiah himself was stored along with the other seals that were stamping all kinds of products. But he himself for some reason, had a document signed by him in this building.”

The biblical king ruled around 700 BC and helped build Jerusalem into an ancient metropolis.

The Israeli archaeologists say the centimetre-long piece of clay may well have been made by the king himself.

Difficult words: monumental (very big), seal (a piece of clay or wax with an individual design stamped into it; something which is used to stamp the “logo”), relic (an old object of historical importance), clay (earth that we use to make things).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com