Earliest Hebrew Text Discovered

January 20, 2009

The ostracon (pottery shard inscribed with writing in ink) was found lying on the floor inside a building near the city gate of the site, known as the Elah Fortress at Khirbet Qeiyafa, 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of Jerusalem. Carbon-14 dating and pottery analysis dates this inscription to the time of King David ca. 3,000 years ago, predating the Dead Sea Scrolls by approximately a millennium and placing it earlier than the famed Gezer Calendar with its paleo-Hebrew script, discovered in the early 20th century.

While the inscription has yet to be deciphered, initial interpretation indicates the text was part of a letter and contains the roots of the words judge, slave, and king. This may indicate that this is a legal text that could provide insights into Hebrew law, society, and beliefs. Archaeologists say that it was clearly written as a deliberate message by a trained scribe. It is hoped the text will serve as an anchor in our understanding of the development of all alphabetic scripts.

By Will King, Correspondent, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio

 

Photo Credit: Isranet