Historicity
In 1975, a clay bulla purportedly containing Baruch's seal and name appeared on the antiquities market. Its purchaser, a prominent Israeli collector, permitted Israeli archaeologist Nahman Avigad to publish the bulla. Its source is not definitively known but it has been identified as coming from the "burnt house" excavated by Yigal Shiloh. The bulla is now in the Israel Museum. It measures 17 by 16 mm, and is stamped with an oval seal, 13 by 11 mm. The inscription, written in the ancient Hebrew alphabet, reads:
| Line | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | lbrkyhw | to Berachyahu |
| 2 | bn nryhw | son of Neriyahu |
| 3 | hspr | the scribe |
In 1996, a second clay bulla emerged with an identical inscription; presumably it had been stamped with the same seal. This bulla also was imprinted with a fingerprint; Hershel Shanks, among others, speculated that, while it was impossible to prove, the fingerprint might be that of Baruch himself; however doubts have been raised about the authenticity of these bullae.ibid.
Read more about this topic: Baruch Ben Neriah