Summary: Recent find of a beautiful lilac-colored stone seal with the engravings of a bird and branch may be the first time the precious biblical, “Balm of Gilead” or persimmon plant has been seen.
“[Joseph’s brothers] sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.” – Genesis 37:25 (ESV)
First Known Engraving of Biblical Plant, “Balm of Gilead”
A stunning amethyst stone seal was discovered in a sewer beneath Jerusalem on October 21st, announced the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The oval-shaped iridescent purple stone has a hole for the insertion of a metal wire for use as a ring and is 10x7x5 millimeters in size. The 2000-year-old seal bears the first known depiction of a renowned plant from the Bible, “The Balm of Gilead,” also known as bosem, balsam or biblical persimmon (not to be confused with the familiar orange fruit of the same name.)
“This is an important find, because it may be the first time that 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,” exclaimed archaeologist Eli Shukron, who conducted the excavation where the seal was found in the Emek Tzurim National Park, along the foundation stones of the Western Wall of Jerusalem’s Old City, on behalf of the IAA and the City of David.
Shukron, along with researchers Shua Amorai-Stark and Malka Hershkovitz, describe the stone engravings as a bird, probably a dove or ibis, and a thick branch bearing five pieces of fruit which they believe to be the precious persimmon perfume plant mentioned in the Bible, Talmud and various historical sources.
“Towards the end of the Second Temple period, the use of stone stamps expanded and became more common, but most of the stamps discovered so far with plant engravings were of … vines, dates and olives,” said Amorai-Stark. The engraved fruit on this special stone, she continued, is “unlike any we have encountered to date.”
Symbols and Meaning
The dove is “a positive motif in the Hellenistic, Roman and Jewish world, symbolizing wealth, happiness, goodness and success,” explained Amorai-Stark. Or, on the contrary, the bird could be an ibis judging by the shape of the beak and may represent the ancient Egyptian god Thoth, who was a judge of the dead.
“The balsam plant is a positive symbol,” said Shukron, “because magical and ceremonial properties were attributed to it.” The expensive balm extracted from the plant was used at the time of the Second Temple as an ingredient to produce incense, perfume, ointments and medicines and therefore was extremely valuable.
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored? – Jeremiah 8:22 (ESV)
The plant was so treasured, Mark Antony is said to have gifted his beloved Cleopatra with prized persimmon groves which had formerly belonged to King Herod, according to First-century Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius. Some experts also believe the plant was given to King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba, the IAA said.
Wondering About the Wealthy Ring Owner
The engraving on the seal attests to the identity of the person who wore the ring. “The seal owner was a Jew with means, since the production and trade that took place around the persimmon plant was tightly controlled at the time by Jews living in the Dead Sea basin, where the fruit was grown,” said Amorai-Stark. She hypothesized that the seal’s original owner most likely had a persimmon orchard, “and when he came to the craftsman who made the ring for him, he may have brought a branch of persimmon, so that the craftsman would know what to carve on the stone.”
Conclusion
Exciting finds like this one “allow us to get a glimpse into the daily lives of the people who lived in the days of the Second Temple—the glory days of Jerusalem,” concluded Shukron. Keep on thinking!
TOP PHOTO: The 2000-year-old amethyst seal showing The Balm of Gilead was found during excavation near the Western Wall in Jerusalem. (credit: Eliyahu Yanai, City of David)
