The kingdom of Judah, or the Southern Kingdom, was the area around Jerusalem and the southern parts of the present West Bank and the lowlands facing the coast and existed between about 940 BC-586 BC, before it was destroyed by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II. There, a 2,700-year-old seal has now been excavated by Arona in West Jerusalem.

The Israel Archaeological Agency (IAA) has excavated a fenced area where the building blocks from the ancient walls still remain. More than 120 broken clay pot handles marked "lamelekh" have been found at the site, which is the Hebrew word for "belongs to the king".

- The vessels probably contained the best of what the mountain area in the kingdom could offer. Maybe wine and olive oil. The economy was dominated during this time by its unique agricultural products, says Neira Sapir, who heads the IIA's excavation.

Tax was paid in fruit and vegetables

Other seals bear the names of people who are believed to have held high offices in the kingdom, or were wealthy merchants. The IAA describes the find as one of the largest and most significant collections of seals they have found in Israel.

- The taxes within the kingdom of Judah were collected in the form of agricultural products, and the place they have now dug up was probably the place where they were collected and stored, says Neira Sapir.

Large piles of stone

The excavations have been made more difficult by the large piles of stone that covered the site, something that Sapir believes could indicate that something important could be buried under the rock masses.

- It is still a mystery to us, he says.