A rare, ancient papyrus dating back 2,700 years to the First Temple Period is the earliest extra-biblical source to mention Jerusalem, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, in Hebrew writing.
The document was formally unveiled by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) on Wednesday morning, just as UNESCO voted to deny any Jewish connection to Jerusalem.
The IAA’s Amir said this is “an important and special find that bears witness to the historical relationship between the Land of Israel and Jerusalem, and the Jewish people.”
“The discovery of the papyrus on which the name of our capital Jerusalem is written is further tangible evidence that Jerusalem was and will remain the eternal capital of the Jewish people,” stated Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev.
Watch the video below to learn more about this remarkable discovery.