In a significant archaeological find, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has announced the discovery of a 2,000-year-old receipt along Jerusalem’s Pilgrimage Road in the City of David.

The ancient artifact, a small fragment of a stone tablet bearing the Hebrew name “Shimon,” reveals lines of letters and numbers that point to its role as a financial record involving a transaction.

Although seemingly mundane at first glance, the IAA emphasizes the significance of this discovery, likening it to modern-day receipts used for commercial purposes.

“At first glance, the 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 IAA said in a Facebook post.

The find provides a rare and gratifying glimpse into the daily lives of the inhabitants of the holy city of Jerusalem, deepening our understanding of its ancient past.

Similar Hebrew inscriptions from the Early Roman period, also known as the time of Jesus Christ, have been found in Jerusalem and Bet Shemesh. However, this newly uncovered receipt is the first of its kind from this historic period to be found within the boundaries of the city of Jerusalem.

The inscription was skillfully carved into a chalkstone slab using a sharp tool, a material commonly used as an ossuary or burial chest in Jerusalem and Judea between 37 B.C. and 70 A.D.

“Ossuaries are generally found in graves outside the city, but their presence has also been documented inside the city, perhaps as a commodity sold in a local artisan’s workshop or store,” the statement noted.

The receipt was discovered in the lower city along the Pilgrimage Road, a crucial thoroughfare of ancient Jerusalem that spanned approximately one-third of a mile, connecting the city gate from the south of the City of David to the Temple Mount.

This road served as the main route during that time, highlighting its importance in the daily lives of the city’s inhabitants.

Related: Ancient ‘Jar’ Discovered in Jerusalem Might Have Actually Been a Powerful Weapon

Excavation Director Nahshon Szanton and Esther Eshel, an epigraphist and professor at Bar-Ilan University, expressed their excitement over this find, considering it a valuable addition to the archaeological puzzle that is ancient Jerusalem. Each new piece of information, especially an ancient inscription, adds a fascinating dimension to the history of the city.

“The combination of the architectural and tangible space of the huge, paved stones of the square that were preserved at the site and the discovery of small finds in this area, such as the measuring table and the new inscription, allow us to reconstruct parts of the incredibly unique archeological puzzle in one of the vibrant centers that existed in ancient Jerusalem,” Szanton and Eshel said in a joint statement published in the journal Atiqot.

“Each piece of information, and certainly an ancient inscription, adds a new and fascinating dimension to the history of the city.”

Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, underscored the significance of the ongoing excavation of the Pilgrimage Road in the City of David National Park.

“The Pilgrimage Road, which is continually being uncovered in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem, is a flagship project of the Israel Antiquities Authority,” Escusido said in a press release.

“It is not a coincidence that the many discoveries which are being revealed in the excavation shed light on the centrality of this road even during the Second Temple period. With every discovery, our understanding of the area deepens, revealing this street’s pivotal role in the daily lives of Jerusalem’s inhabitants 2,000 years ago.”