Archeologists have discovered an ancient stone table containing information on financial transactions in the City of David in Jerusalem, a study published in Atiqot, a peer-reviewed journal on Israeli history, has shown. Scientists date it to between the first century BC and the first century AD, so it is literally an artifact from biblical times.
The legible part of the stone contains names and numbers – for instance, one line has the name Shimon, which was very popular at the time, and mentions that Shimon had something to do with "money," although it is not clear whether he was entitled to a monetary reward or, on the other hand, was in debt, as the researchers are unsure about the true purpose of the financial statement. However, it is suspected that stone table was a sort of salary list used by ancient HR.
Experts in Israeli history are excited by the finding, despite perhaps appearing plain. As archeologists Esther Eshel and Nahshon Szanton put it, "At first glance, the list of names and numbers may not seem exciting, but to think that, just like today, receipts were also used in the past for commercial purposes, and that such a receipt has reached us, is a rare and gratifying find that allows a glimpse into everyday life in the holy city of Jerusalem."
The stone table was discovered during excavations on the so-called Pilgrimage Road – a commercial hub at the time connecting Jerusalem with the Temple Mount and the Second Temple, which was later destroyed by the Romans during the First Jewish-Roman War.