Israeli archaeologists say the small clay object is a seal impression
以色列考古学家称这个小陶土物件是一个刻有印文的印章,
or docket that could have been attached to important transport from the city leader to another important figure.
或是城市统治者运送给其他大人物的物品标签。
But for historians that find from the First Temple-period Jerusalem, is proof that the City of Jerusalem had a governor at least 2700 years ago.
历史学家认为印章属于第一圣殿时期物品,所以可以证明至少在2700年前,圣城耶路撒冷有位总督。
A Jerusalem governor has been mentioned in two places in the Bible, but there has been no historical evidence of such a position.
在《圣经》中有两处提到耶路撒冷的总督,但此前从未有任何历史证据证明有这样的职位。
This is the first time that in an archaeological excavation of a structure from the 7th century BC, we find a stamp of the governor of Jerusalem.
我们对公元7世纪的建筑进行了考古挖掘,这也是我们首次发现耶路撒冷总督的印章。
The seal impression, the size of a small coin, depicts two men in striped garments
这枚印章有硬币大小,印文上刻着两个穿条纹服饰的男子,
facing each other and holding a round object between them, which could be the moon.
二人相望,两人之间有一个可能是月亮的圆形物体。
We know the moon as an object of worship in neighboring cultures, so what is the city governor?
在周边文化中,我们知道太阳是人们的崇敬对象,那城市总督又是什么?
The mayor of Jerusalem in the 7th century BC doing a hundred meters from the Temple Mount in what appears to be a stance of someone worshiping the moon.
换句话说耶路撒冷的市长,在公元前七世纪距离圣殿山一百米的地方,做出崇拜月亮的姿态。
We don't have a clear answer of what this moon expresses here.
目前我们不清楚月亮在这里表达什么意思。
The artifact was discovered sometime last year, while the archaeologists were examining dust from the excavation site in Jerusalem's Old City.
这件文物是去年出土的,当时考古学家正在检查耶路撒冷老城挖掘遗址的灰尘。
Even though it does not have the name of Jerusalem on it,
即使文物上没有出现耶路撒冷的字样,
archaeologists say the location where it was found indicates that it refers to a Jerusalem governor.
考古学家们认为,通过文物的挖掘位置表明它指的是耶路撒冷总督。
It also proves that the city has been an important center of a Jewish state for some 3000 years.
这也证明了这座城市三千多年来一直是犹太国家的重要中心。
The governor of the city is reminded several times in the Bible, in several cities.
《圣经》中数次提到几个城市的总督。
The governor of Jerusalem is reminded twice, but we never found him actually in an archaeological excavation, so that's the big importance.
而耶路撒冷城的总督被提及两次,但我们从未在考古发掘中发现,所以这个发现非常重要。
The artifact is being unveiled at the time of renewed tensions about Jerusalem,
文物发掘之时,耶路撒冷紧张局势加剧,
sparked by US President Donald Trump's recognition of the city as Israel's capital.
美国总统特朗普承认耶路撒冷为以色列首都。
The status of Jerusalem is a sensitive issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
耶路撒冷的地位是巴以冲突中的一个敏感问题,
as Palestinians want the eastern sector of the city as the capital of the future state.
因为巴勒斯坦人希望把东耶路撒冷作为国家未来的首都。
Zlatica Hoke, VOA News Washington.
VOA记者斯拉迪卡·霍克华盛顿播报。