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For centuries, scholars have either dismissed King David and King Solomon as mythological figures, or disputed the era in which they ruled over the Israelites, as told in the Bible.

But the discovery of six official clay seals may finally prove that there was a ruler in the region during the 9th and 10th century BC.

Although the bullae don't directly reference David or Solomon, they do suggest the presence of a government and political activity during their respective supposed reigns.

For centuries, scholars have dismissed David and Solomon as mythological figures. But the discovery of six official clay seals (most well-preserved example pictured) may finally prove that there was a ruler, or at least government activity, in the region during the 9th and 10th century BC

The clay seals were found at Khirbet Summeily, an archaeological site in Tell-el Hesi to the east of Gaza in southern Israel, by Jimmy Hardin, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures at Mississippi State University.

He said the clay bullae were used to seal official correspondence in much the same way wax seals were used on official documents in later periods.

Professor Hardin, co-director of the Hesi Regional Project, has been excavating in the region  v since 2011.

'Our preliminary results indicated that this site is integrated into a political entity that is typified by elite activities, suggesting that a state was already being formed in the 10th century BC,' Professor Hardin said.

The clay seals were found at Khirbet Summeily, an archaeological site in Tell-el Hesi to the east of Gaza in southern Israel (marked), by Jimmy Hardin, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures at Mississippi State University

'Preliminary results indicated that this site is integrated into a political entity that is typified by elite activities, suggesting that a state was already being formed in the 10th century BC,' Professor Hardin (pictured holding a bulla). Two seals have complete impressions, two have partial seal impressions, and two have none

'We are very positive that these bullae are associated with the Iron Age IIA, which we date to the 10th century BC, and which lends general support to the historical veracity of David and Solomon as recorded in the Hebrew biblical texts.

'These appear to be the only known examples of bullae from the 10th century, making this discovery unique.'

The finds contribute to an ongoing debate about whether governments or states existed in the early Iron Ages.

Professor Hardin said that the artefacts hold far-reaching implications for the growing number of scholars who maintain such political organisation occurred much later than biblical texts suggest.

Biblical accounts claims David ruled the Kingdom of Israel and later Judah between 1010 BC until his death in 970BC. When David died (depicted), the reign was passed to his son Solomon. He was considered a wise king, and is said to have written the Song of Songs, Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes

THE TEL DAN-STELE AND THE HOUSE OF DAVID 

A large rock, known as the Tel Dan Stele (pictured), was discovered in the early 1990s and inscriptions on its surface reference a King of Israel and the House of David. Although the translation isn't complete, the eighth and ninth lines read: 'The king of Israel, and I killed [...]yahu son of [... the ki]/ng of the House of David'

The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence that points to the rule of the House of David in the region. 

A large rock, known as the Tel Dan Stele, was discovered in the early 1990s and inscriptions on its surface reference a King of Israel and the House of David.

Although the translation isn't complete, in particular, the eighth and ninth lines have been translated as: 'The king of Israel, and I killed [...]yahu son of [... the ki]/ng of the House of David. And I made [their towns into ruins].

The broken stele is currently on display at the at Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its Assyria to Iberia at the Dawn of the Classical Age exhibit.

The museum calls its inscription: 'the earliest extra-biblical reference to the House of David.'

Epigraphers and biblical historians are said to be in agreement that the letters 'bytdvd' on the stone refer to the House of King David.  

In a separate study, Professor Gershon Galil of the University of Haifa discovered new archaeological and epigraphic data in northwestern Syria and southern Turkey.

This data is said to offer important information about the period of David's reign, and how far his rule reached.

According to Professor Galil's discoveries,after the victory of David king of Israel, over the Arameans, David would have controlled the entire area from the Sinai Peninsula to the Euphrates.

This includes areas in Israel, Zobah and Palistin in the 10th century BC. 

'Some text scholars and archaeologists have dismissed the historic reliability of the biblical text surrounding kings David and Solomon, such as recorded in the Bible in the books of Kings and Second Samuel, which scholars often date to the Iron Age IIA or 10th century BC,' Professor Hardin said.

'The fact that these bullae came off of sealed written documents shows that this site - located out on the periphery of pretty much everything - is integrated at a level far beyond subsistence.

'You have either political or administrative activities going on at a level well beyond those typical of a rural farmstead.'

The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence that points to the rule of the House of David in the region.

A large rock, known as the Tel Dan Stele, was discovered in the early 1990s and inscriptions on its surface reference a King of Israel and the House of David.

KING DAVID AND SOLOMON: THE SECOND AND THIRD KINGS OF ISRAEL 

The most famous story about David is his battle with Goliath, (depicted) when under the reign of David's predecessor King Saul, warrior David took down the Philistine giant and saved the Israelities. Although he is referenced throughout the Bible, little archaeological evidence exists for his reign

The Bible claims David ruled the Kingdom of Israel and later Judah between 1010 BC until his death in 970BC.

He is referenced in the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles and mentions of the House of David were found inscribed on the Tel Dan Stele, believed to data back to around 840BC.

This suggests the existence of a mid-9th century BC royal household under the name of David.

He is seen as an important figure in various religions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The most famous story about David is his battle with Goliath, when under the reign of David's predecessor King Saul, warrior David took down the Philistine giant and saved the Israelities.

When David died, the reign was passed to his son Solomon.

Solomon was considered a wise king, and is said to have written the Song of Songs, Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

Solomon is also cited as building the first temple in Jerusalem, known as Solomon's Temple on Mount Zion.

This temple was later said to have been destroyed but no direct archaeological evidence to pinpoint its exact location has been discovered.

Solomon caused controversy for collecting vast amount of wealth and having 700 wives and 300 mistresses, including a foreign wife in the form of the daughter of a Pharaoh.

Solomon's reign was said to have lasted for 40 years. 

It is currently on display at the at Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its Assyria to Iberia at the Dawn of the Classical Age exhibit.

The museum calls its inscription: 'the earliest extra-biblical reference to the House of David.'

Professor Hardin's findings are published in the journal Near Eastern Archaeology.

The journal article describes the dig site as a borderland area between what would have been the centre of Judah and Philistia.

A separate study claims epigraphic data shows that after the victory of David over the Arameans, he would have controlled the entire area from the Sinai Peninsula to the Euphrates (pictured)

It was originally assumed to be a small Iron Age farmstead.

However, the excavation of the bullae and other recent archaeological finds indicate a level of political organisation previously thought not to exist at that time.

'We believe that the aggregate material culture remains that have been discovered at Summeily demonstrate a level of political-economic activity that has not been suspected recently for the late Iron Age I and early Iron Age IIA,' the researchers wrote in the journal.

Two of the bullae Professor Hardin's team excavated have complete seal impressions, two have partial seal impressions, and two others have none.

Two of them were blackened by fire, but one bulla has a well-preserved hole where the string used to seal the document passed through the clay.

The impressions in the bullae do not contain writing.

The dig site was chosen so researchers could study border dynamics between the nations of Philistia and Judea in the area previously dated to the 10th century BC.

In a separate study, Professor Gershon Galil of the University of Haifa discovered new archaeological and epigraphic data in northwestern Syria and southern Turkey.

This data is said to offer important information about the period of David's reign, and how far his rule reached.

According to Professor Galil's discoveries, after the victory of David over the Arameans, he would have controlled the entire area from the Sinai Peninsula to the Euphrates.

This includes areas in Israel, Zobah and Palistin in the 10th century BC.

'We were trying to identify in the archaeological record the differences between Philistia and Judah,' Professor Hardin said.

'Why is there a border in this area and only at this time? 

'We are trying to learn what was the process by which these political entities were created.

Within that larger question, you have a number of questions about whether the archaeological record matches the historical record from the texts, and if it disagrees, how do we reconcile the two.'

The bullae the team found were in the layer of material tested by the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Rock Magnetism at the University of Minnesota.

The markings were examined and dated by Christopher Rollston, an epigrapher in the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilisations at George Washington University.

Jeff Blakely from the University of Wisconsin-Madison said: 'Our dates for the bullae are based on multiple types of evidence we combined to determine a general 10th century BC date.'

'The style of the bullae, the types of ancient pottery found in the same contexts as the bullae, the types of Egyptian scarabs found, the style of an Egyptian amulet, and the overall stratigraphy or layering of the site each suggested a 10th century date.

'In addition, archaeomagnetism dating, which is based on the strength and direction of the earth's magnetic fields in the past, also suggested the layers in which the bullae were found must be 10th century. 

'Further research and analysis should refine our dating to decades rather than a century,' he said.