>  Archaeology of the Old Testament   >  “Shema, servant of Jeroboam” Seal’s Mystery Resolved?

A cast of the “Shema, Servant of Jeroboam” Seal. Photo courtesy of R. Deutsch

In 1904 the German archaeologist Gottlieb Schumacher conducted archaeological excavations at biblical Megiddo, one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Holy Land. Among others, he recovered a remarkable Hebrew seal. Made of jasper and measuring 37 x 27 mm, it featured an unusually detailed, high-quality glyptic image of a roaring lion. It also bore a paleo-Hebrew inscription reading “Belonging to Shema / Servant of Jeroboam”. Most scholars attributed the seal to a high official in the court of Jeroboam II, a prosperous king who reigned over the kingdom of Israel for 41 years (789-748 BCE).

The seal gained prominence in academic and popular literature, even becoming an emblem on Israeli currency and institutional logos.

The Roaring Lion Depicted on an Israeli 5 Lira Bank Note from 1958

The Roaring Lion Depicted on an Israeli 1/2 Lira coin from 1980

After its discovery, Schumacher made a cast of the seal and sent the original to Istanbul. However, its whereabouts since, are unknown. Many speculated that it was lost or stolen. Yet a new testimony sheds a new light on its possible fate.

Gottlieb Daughter’s Testimony

In 2020 Tel Aviv University published a bulla (seal impression) with similarities to the “Shema Servant of Jeroboam” seal. Although of inferior quality and purchased in an antiquities market, a team of scholars concluded it was genuine (Achituv et al. 2023).  However, another team of experts contested these results, labeling the bulla “an embarrassing forgery.” (Deutch et al. 2024). Amidst this controversy, a critical new testimony emerged regarding the fate of the original seal that Gottlieb discovered. The article indicates that in 1966, Israeli archaeologist Ariel Berman met Nellie Marcinkowski, Gottlieb Schumacher’s daughter. Among others, she recounted that her father told her that following Sultan Abdul Hamid II’s death in 1909, the seal was taken from the Istanbul Museum. It was placed in the Sultan’s tomb, along with objects representing various Ottoman Empire districts.

I was amazed to read this testimony and am surprised it appeared only as a small note in the publication. I would also add my l hope, albeit perhaps too ambitious, that one day the seal will be retrieved from the tomb, returned to Israel, and placed for public display. After all, to this day this seal is one of the most significant finds ever made from biblical times.

Bibliography:

Achituv Sh. et al. 2023. A Seal Impression of ‘Shema’ Servant of Jeroboam”. Tel-Aviv 50(2): 216-230.

Deutch R. et al. 2024. Th Bulla of “Shema, Servant of Jeroboam” An Embarrassing Forgery. In Deutch R., and Lemaire A. (Eds.). Gabriel. Studies in Archaeology, Epigraphy, Iconography and the Biblical World in Honor of Gabriel Barkay on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday (22 June 2024). Tel-Aviv, Israel. Pp. 136-149. https://www.academia.edu/121011857/The_Bulla_of_Shema_Servant_of_Jeroboam_An_Embarrassing_Forgery

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