The Status of Jerusalem in the Persian Period - Gordon Conwell

The Status of Jerusalem in the Persian Period

A recent article in the Jerusalem Post reports that archaeologists have unearthed two important artifacts in excavations undertaken by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University in the Givati Parking Lot Excavation of the City of David, in the Jerusalem Walls National Park.  The artifacts include a double stamp impression on a bulla and a seal made of re-used pottery shards.  If researchers are correct, these two artifacts could date back to the Persian period – about 2,500 years ago – and thus may offer evidence that, even after the Babylonian destruction of the city in 586 BCE, Jerusalem maintained its rank as an important administrative center.

The purpose of the Cooley Center is to explore the historical foundations of the Christian faith. This is accomplished by several means, one of which is providing resources that explore archaeology in the Middle East during biblical times.