An Egyptian Private-Name Scarab Impression on a Clay Sealing from the City of David

A tiny fragment of a clay sealing impressed by an Egyptian scarab was unearthed in 2014 during excavations by the Tel Aviv University at the City of David. The legible hieroglyphs form part of an inscription that provided the name and title of the seal owner, most likely a dignitary from the time of the 13th Dynasty. Close inspection of the sealing revealed that it was used to seal a box, and a provenance analysis of the clay proved it to be of local composition. In light of these findings, other Egyptian objects from MBIIA contexts, such as Egyptian seals, sealings and pottery are reevaluated in order to assess the extent of the relations between Egypt and the Levant in general, and Jerusalem in particular.