Archeologist finds 3,000-year old Hebrew text

[Ghost in the Machine]

Archeologist finds 3,000-year old Hebrew text
Published: 10/30/08, 3:00 AM EDT

JERUSALEM (CNN) - An Israeli archaeologist has discovered what he says is the earliest-known Hebrew text, found on a shard of pottery that dates to the time of King David from the Old Testament, about 3,000 years ago.
Professor Yosef Garfinkel of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem says the inscribed pottery shard -- known as an ostracon -- was found during excavations of a fortress from the 10th century BC.

Carbon dating of the ostracon, along with pottery analysis, dates the inscription to time of King David, about a millennium earlier than the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, the university said.

The shard contains five lines of text divided by black lines and measures 15 by 15 centimeters, or about 6 inches square.

Archaeologists have yet to decipher the text, but initial interpretation indicates it formed part of a letter and contains the roots of the words "judge," "slave," and "king," according to the university. That may indicate it was a legal text, which archaeologists say would provide insights into Hebrew law, society, and beliefs.

The researchers say the text was clearly written by a trained scribe.

The shard was discovered at the Elah Fortress in Khirbet Qeiyafa, about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. The fortress, measuring 2.3 hectares (about 5.7 acres), is the earliest-known fortified city of the biblical period in Israel.

http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?bfromind=7508&eeid=6182850&_sitecat=1181&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=-2&ck=&ch=ne

[FVZA_Colonel]

1. The exploration of ancient cultures is an important means to understand how we have arived

at where we are at today. I have no doubt this will prove to be of importance.

[aquart]

2. A pottery letter?

I am imagining putting a vase in the mailbox.

[bklyncowgirl]

9. Potsherds were the ancient equivalent of scrap paper.

Papyrus and even clay tablets were pretty pricey in ancient times. You didn't want to take a chance on screwing up. A frugal scribe would make his notes on a bit of broken pottery and then copy it neatly onto papyrus. When he was done he'd send the papyrus or tablet to the royal archives and toss the old chunk of vase into the garbage to be eagerly excavated by archeologists thousands of years later.

It worked for them and it worked for us.

[canetoad]

3. "Judge," "Slave," and "Kiing"?

They found some Bush 2000 campaign literature.

[Swamp Rat]

5. Damn!

Beat me to it! :D

[canetoad]

6. Maybe Swampy

but by the time I put down the joint and find photoshop, you've got the job done! He looks good in blue eh?

[Swamp Rat]

7. he's a Blue Meanie

:D



:smoke:

[MilesColtrane]

4. I think that they're going to find that it's...

...a Henny Youngman joke.

[canetoad]

8. Actually, this is interesting stuff

and sorry for trashing your thread :)

I've always been interested in oral traditions, especially Hebrew, as so many religious texts are based on them. To find written material may provide insight into the accuracy of the oral accounts.

And....do ya think God made everyone able to read and write straight off, 6000 years ago, or did they have to learn. If so, who taught them?
Sorry:smoke:

[SoCalDem]

10. Translation: McCain - Palin '08

:rofl: