Normally the underside of a scarab bears the name of the pharaoh at the time it was made. Whose name is on this one?
If it is really 3,800 years old, I would expect the name of a Middle Kingdom monarch.
Normally the underside of a scarab bears the name of the pharaoh at the time it was made. Whose name is on this one?
If it is really 3,800 years old, I would expect the name of a Middle Kingdom monarch.
Timing is key:
"A toddler has made a stunning discovery at the site believed to be where David battled Goliath more than 3,000 years ago.":
Coccinellidae (/ˌkɒksɪˈnɛlɪdiː/)[3] is a widespread family of small beetles. They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in the United Kingdom; "lady" refers to mother Mary. Entomologists use the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles to avoid confusion with true bugs.
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In Christianity, coccinellids have been seen as the literal gatekeepers of Heaven. A Swedish name for the insects, Himmelska nycla, means "Keys of Heaven". Jews have referred to the insects as the "Cow of Moses our Teacher".
While it's certainly true that "David" is the name of the bush that attracts monarchs, the ladybug is named after Moses.
"Moshe Rabbeinu's Cow" [פרות משה רבנו]
More here.>>>
Yiddish was no different from other European languages. It too had names for ladybug bearing religious associations, such as mashiakhl ("little Messiah"); Moyshe rabbeynus beheymele or Moyshe rabbeynus kiyele ("Moses' little cow"), and moyshe rabbeynus ferdele ("Moses' little horse"). These names are interesting, because while they show clear Slavic and German influences, they are Judaized forms of them in which not only -- as would go without saying -- is the Virgin Mary shunted aside, but God's name is considered too holy to be coupled with a lowly creature like a beetle. Instead, the ladybug is named for the messiah or for Moses (literally, Moyshe rabbeynu, "Our master Moses," which is how Jewish tradition always refers to him), Judaism's most revered figures.
The modern Hebrew parat Moshe rabbenu is, therefore, a translation of Moyshe rabbeynus beheymele or kiyele.
Given the find spot and the “Canaanite” identification, it’s probably not that old. It would be nice to have a direct scientific measurement, but as it’s been buried, that’s unlikely to satisfy anyone. :^(