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Israel Antiquities Authority

Two stone seals discovered near the mikveh provide additional evidence that Umm el-‘Umdan was an ancient Jewish village. One is a square seal ring engraved with a geometric floral decoration of leaves and grapes. The authors believe that the floral seal ring was connected to a wine industry that took place at Umm el-‘Umdan. This industry would have been integral to the economic life of the village. That the seal was discovered near the mikveh suggests the workers in the wine industry needed easy access to purify themselves frequently.