First Assyrian Inscription Ever Found in Jerusalem Confirms Biblical-Era Links Between Judah and Assyria

Key Facts

Published: October 26, 2025 Location: Jerusalem Source: Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem Post, i24

• Archaeologists uncover first Assyrian inscription ever found in Jerusalem, dating to the First Temple period.
• The 2.5 cm fragment bears Akkadian cuneiform and references a "chariot officer" and the month of Av.
• Petrographic testing shows the clay originated in the Assyrian heartland of Mesopotamia.
• The discovery offers rare material evidence of political tension between King Hezekiah's Judah and Assyria.

by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – Archaeologists have discovered a remarkable Assyrian inscription dating to the First Temple period in Jerusalem–the first find of its kind ever unearthed in the city. The small but significant fragment provides the earliest direct evidence of communication between the King of Assyria and the King of Judah, echoing events recorded in the Bible.

The 2.5-centimeter pottery fragment, inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform, was found near the Temple Mount’s Western Wall during excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the City of David Foundation. Experts date the inscription to around 2,700 years ago, during the late 8th to early 7th centuries BCE–roughly the time when King Hezekiah reigned in Judah and Sennacherib ruled in Assyria.

Official Message Between Empires

According to researchers, the inscription likely formed part of a royal seal impression used to close an official dispatch sent from the Assyrian royal court to Jerusalem. The text includes a date reference, “the first of the month of Av,” and mentions a “chariot officer”–a title associated with high-ranking royal couriers responsible for delivering official orders and tax demands.

“This inscription provides direct evidence of official correspondence between the Assyrian Empire and the Kingdom of Judah,” said Dr. Ayala Zilberstein, excavation director for the Israel Antiquities Authority. “It strengthens our understanding of the Assyrian presence in Jerusalem and how deeply it influenced the kingdom’s administration and affairs.”

Possible Biblical Connection

Scholars believe the dispatch may have addressed a delay in tribute payments from Judah to Assyria, possibly tied to the tax revolt described in 2 Kings 18:7–“And he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and did not serve him.”

“This could reflect the same political tensions recorded in the Bible, when King Hezekiah defied Assyrian rule,” said Dr. Filip Vukosavović, one of the Assyriologists who helped decipher the text. “It is the first material evidence of that imperial exchange, and perhaps even of the friction that led to Sennacherib’s invasion.”

Clay From Assyria’s Heartland

Petrographic analysis of the artifact revealed that the clay used to make it was not local to Judah, but rather originated from the Tigris Basin region–the site of Assyria’s major cities, Nineveh, Ashur, and Nimrud. This finding confirms that the document was produced in an Assyrian administrative center and physically dispatched to Jerusalem.

“The clay composition proves this was a royal communication issued from Assyria itself,” said Dr. Anat Cohen-Weinberger, co-researcher on the study. “It underscores Jerusalem’s role as a key provincial hub within the Assyrian empire’s vast network of control.”

Layers of History Beneath the City

The fragment was recovered through wet sifting of soil from the Davidson Archaeological Park. The layer in which it was found originated from an older First Temple structure that had collapsed and become embedded within later Second Temple-period debris in Jerusalem’s ancient drainage canal.

The inscription is the only Assyrian text ever discovered in Jerusalem from the First Temple era, confirming the city’s participation in the international political system of the ancient Near East, where empires exchanged letters, sealings, and tribute records.

“This rare discovery illustrates, once again, our deep roots in Jerusalem, which is the spiritual and national center of the Jewish people,” said Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu, Israel’s Minister of Heritage.

Presentation and Ongoing Research

The artifact will be presented publicly on October 23 at the “New Discoveries in Jerusalem and Environs” Conference, jointly organized by the IAA, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv University. The Geological Survey of Israel continues chemical analysis to pinpoint the clay’s precise origin.

Archaeologists say the discovery sheds fresh light on Jerusalem’s political and administrative role 2,700 years ago–revealing that even as a vassal to Assyria, it served as a key player in the power dynamics of the ancient world.

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