Israelite Alphabet May Have Been Found

Associated Press ^ | 11/09/04

[anymouse]

Two lines of an alphabet have been found inscribed in a stone in Israel, offering what some scholars say is the most solid evidence yet that the ancient Israelites were literate as early as the 10th century B.C.

"This is very rare. This stone will be written about for many years to come," archaeologist Ron E. Tappy, a professor at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary who made the discovery, said Wednesday. "This makes it very historically probable there were people in the 10th century (B.C.) who could write."

Christopher Rollston, a professor of Semitic studies at Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, Tenn., who was not involved in the find, said the writing is probably Phoenician or a transitional language between Phoenician and Hebrew.

"We have little epigraphic material from the 10th century in Israel, and so this substantially augments the material we have," he said.

The stone was found in July, on the final day of a five-week dig at Tel Zayit, about 30 miles south of Tel Aviv.

[anymouse]

Archaeology, history ping.

[BipolarBob]

Did it read "Thou shalt not . .

[Boundless]

Does this put Judaism in a bit of a quandary?

The Jewish calendar presently starts at what Roman
calendars (presently Gregorian) call 3761 BC.

For Jews to celebrate this discovery as their roots,
it would seem that they need to officially acknowledge
that their former official year zero isn't.

[Verginius Rufus]

Initial reports are that it starts out, "Why does it take four Philistines to trim a lamp?"

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[andy58-in-nh]

The direct translation was: "B-E S-U-R-E T-O D-R-I-N-K Y-O-U-R O-V-A-L-T-I-N-E...

[Shalom Israel]

"This makes it very historically probable there were people in the 10th century (B.C.) who could write."

Um, 1,000 BC is roughly King David's day. So it might interest them to know that there's a famous Jewish author who predates the 10th century by a good 400 years.

[wedwo]

WOW! I'm....speechless! Really?? That's incredible!! Who would have known?! I guess that now lends credibility to the torah. I mean I certainly wouldn't have known that - but, but, this is proof, really scientific proof, real archaeological proof. Why I think I may just become a believer of G-D now.
THE ALEPH-BEIS HAS BEEN DISCOVERED!!! HALLELUKAH!!!!

[pbear8]

Actually I think it reads "C-A-N Y-O-U H-E-A-R M-E N-O-W ?"

[the_daug]

What do you mean? They had writing 1000 - 1100 BCE!

[Alouette]

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel/Russian Jewry ping list.

GGG ping

Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.

[maro]

why is this a big deal? The Mycenaeans had writing, and that was the 16th C. BC.

[Right Wing Assault]

BCE

BCE not allowed.

[Right Wing Assault]

Muslims will claim it never happened. They will claim they had an alphabet 15, 000 BC. Yeah, I know that was a bit before Mohammed was hatched.

[DJ MacWoW]

ping

[Boundless]

> Muslims will claim it never happened. They will claim
> they had an alphabet 15, 000 BC. Yeah, I know that was
> a bit before Mohammed was hatched.

So just what does Mohammed's Big Book of Mediterranean
Mythology have to say on the subject of cosmology?

And I'll bet it doesn't even mention the entire Westerm
Hemisphere.

[rmlew]

Why?
If the world was formed 5761 years ago, then why is it unreasonable for the earliest known Hebrew writting to be 3000 years old?

As for the discovery, it must have been more than a few words. Ancient Hebrew writting was quite similar to Phonecian. Both languages were quite similar in terms of grammar and lexicon.

The other explanation is that it includes the name of God.

[wedwo]

I believe the translation was:

d-o-h-c-e m-e-h-s-a-h u-n-i-e-k-o-l-e m-e-h-s-a-h l-e-o-r-s-i-y a-m-e-h-s

(read right to left)

[Zionist Conspirator]

Does this put Judaism in a bit of a quandary?

The Jewish calendar presently starts at what Roman calendars (presently Gregorian) call 3761 BC.

For Jews to celebrate this discovery as their roots, it would seem that they need to officially acknowledge that their former official year zero isn't.

Why should a people with the longest historical memory in human history (going back to 'Adam HaRi'shon hiself) be upset by what some atheist scientists are saying?

[Lester Moore]

d-o-h-c-e m-e-h-s-a-h u-n-i-e-k-o-l-e m-e-h-s-a-h l-e-o-r-s-i-y a-m-e-h-s

Actually it is:

d-n-u-h-e-n-i-w-s i-z-a-n a s-i r-e-l-t-i-h