Eliakim Seal Impression

Eliakim Seal Impression

The Seal of Eliakim

This is an 8th-century BC royal-administrative seal associated with Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, mentioned in the Second Book of Kings and the Book of Isaiah, who served as the chief steward in the court of King Hezekiah. Several bullae bearing his name were discovered at Tell Lachish, in the layer of destruction resulting from Sennacherib’s campaign in 701 BCE, making them among the strongest archaeological evidence linking biblical texts to historical reality. These bullae are small blocks of clay pressed with a metal or stone seal bearing the name or title of the person. After being sealed, they are left to dry, serving as proof that the document or container was unopened and possessed official identification. Bullae were used to seal documents written on papyrus or parchment, as well as to seal jars containing royal materials, taxes, or administrative records.