28 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Rare biblical ‘balsam tree’ found depicted on ancient Jerusalem amethyst seal

Archaeologists working in the Old City of Jerusalem have discovered an engraved amethyst seal in the Second Temple, thought to be the earliest depiction of a plant used for incense and Cleopatra’s perfume.

Volunteers sifting through earth collected during an archaeological dig in the region discovered the tiny artifact. 2000 years after the little seal nearly disappeared.

The seal — depicting the plant known variously as biblical persimmon, bosem or balsam, or even the Balm of Gilead — was discovered at the Foundation Stones of the Western Wall, according to a statement released Thursday.

The Israel Antiquities Authority said the plant, also known as Bosem, balsam, or “Balm of Gilead,” was used in the manufacture of expensive perfumes, medicines, and ointments during the Second Temple period. This biblical persimmon plant, which is not at all related to the orange persimmon fruit that we are familiar with today, is known from biblical and historical sources.

Some experts believe the plant was given to King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba, the IAA said.

The balm of Gilead was also known to be a component of the favorite perfume of Cleopatra, the legendary Queen of Egypt.

Researchers Eli Shukron, Prof. Shua Amorai-Stark, and Malka Hershkovitz said in the statement that the seal depicts a bird, probably a dove, and a thick branch with five fruits on it, which they believe to be the persimmon plant.

“This is an important find because it may be the first time a seal has been discovered in the entire world with an engraving of the precious and famous plant, which until now we could only read about in historical descriptions,” said Eli Shukron, who, on behalf of the IAA and the City of David, carried out the excavation where the seal was discovered at the foundations of the Western Wall.

The seal is made of a precious amethyst, in a range of shades of purple and lilac, with a hole where a metal wire was inserted which was used to wear the stone as a ring. The length of the oval stone seal is 10 mm, its width is 5 mm and its thickness is 7 mm. The oval stone also features a bird, probably a dove. The experts noted that both the tree and the dove embodied good fortune and success.

According to Amorai-Stark, stamps containing engravings of plants had previously been discovered, but this was the first time one showed a branch packed with fruit, leading them to believe it was the biblical persimmon.

“Towards the end of the Second Temple Period, the use of stone stamps expanded and became more common, but in most stamps discovered so far with plant engravings, it is common to find plants that were common in Israel at the time: vines, dates, and olives, which are among the seven species. But on this stone seal, we immediately noticed that the fruit that appears on it is unlike any of the fruits we have encountered to date,” said Amorai-Stark.

According to the expert, the owner of the rings was likely a wealthy person.

Cover Photo: Amethyst stone depicting balsam tree. Photo: ELIYAHU YANAI/CITY OF DAVID

Related Articles

Rare 3,500-Year-Old Chariot Wheel Discovered at Inverness Golf Course

24 April 2025

24 April 2025

Archaeologists have discovered a rare prehistoric chariot wheel at the site of a future golf course near Inverness. The discovery...

Neanderthals too may have Developed a System of Numerical Notation

2 June 2021

2 June 2021

People developed numbers tens of thousands of years ago, according to archeological findings. Scholars are now investigating the first comprehensive...

Largest-Known Flower Preserved in Amber Is Nearly 40 Million Years Old

20 January 2023

20 January 2023

The largest-known fossilized flower encased in amber, dating back nearly 40 million years, was again discovered in the Baltic region...

Archaeologists Discover Rare Boundary Stone From the Tetrarchy Period of the Roman Empire Contains Two Unknown Place Names

21 January 2025

21 January 2025

In northern Galilee, excavations at Tel Avel Beit Ma’akha, about 1.2 miles south of Metula, have produced a remarkable find:...

Oldest Direct Evidence for Honey Collecting in Africa

18 April 2021

18 April 2021

Honey is an important food source that has been considered a very important healing source in the history of civilizations....

3,000-Year-Old Eyeliner Innovative Formula Discovered in Iran: A Unique Iron Age Kohl Without Lead

17 July 2025

17 July 2025

Ancient black eyeliner found in Iron Age graves reveals a previously unknown cosmetic recipe using graphite and manganese oxide, predating...

Oldest prayer beads made from salmon vertebrae found on England’s Holy island

28 June 2022

28 June 2022

On the island of Lindisfarne, just off the coast of Northumberland, known in England as the “Holy Island“, archaeologists have...

1,500-year-old feast mosaic found in Turkey

2 February 2022

2 February 2022

A 50-square-meter mosaic depicting an open-air feast dating back 1,500 years ago was unearthed during excavations in the ancient city...

Mine-clearance divers discovered an ancient shipwreck dating from the 3rd century BC

25 June 2023

25 June 2023

As a result of collaborative training exercises between Croatian and Italian naval mine-clearance divers, one of the earliest fully preserved...

Astonishing Find in the Czech Republic: Hikers Discover a 3.7 Kilogram Serbian/Bosnian Gold Treasure

29 April 2025

29 April 2025

A leisurely hike on the slopes of Zvičina Hill in the Czech Republic turned into an extraordinary discovery for two...

Rare Viking Armlet and 2,000-Year-Old Golden Neck Ring Discovered in Sweden

20 March 2025

20 March 2025

Recently, two extraordinary archaeological finds have captivated the attention of historians and enthusiasts alike in Sweden. The first discovery, an...

Deadly Omens Revealed from 4,000-year-old Babylonian Tablets

10 August 2024

10 August 2024

Researchers successfully deciphered 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablets discovered over a century ago in what is now Iraq.  The tablets, housed at...

Archeologists discovered a treasure trove at the bottom of an ancient Roman bathhouse drain near Hadrian’s Wall

1 February 2023

1 February 2023

Archeologists in Carlisle, England, discovered a treasure trove at the bottom of the drain system of an ancient Roman bathhouse...

Secrets of the Ancient Walls: 1,700-Year-Old Roman Altar Unearthed at Vuçak Castle in Kosovo

19 April 2025

19 April 2025

Excavations at Vuçak Castle in the Kosovo countryside have led to a remarkable discovery: a Roman altar dating back to...

Archaeologists found a mysterious stone tablet in Georgia that contains an unknown language

5 December 2024

5 December 2024

Archaeologists have unearthed a basalt tablet with inscriptions in an unknown language near Lake Bashplemi, in the Dmanisi region of...