Posted on 10/30/2008 6:37:54 PM PDT by george76
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,"
"The chronology and geography of Khirbet Qeiyafa create a unique meeting point between the mythology, history, historiography and archaeology of King David," he said.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are the earliest-known copies of the Bible, some dating back about 2,000 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
the Elah Fortress in Khirbet Qeiyafa...
Yeah ... five lines of text in which a mom asks her son why he never visits anymore .... and why he likes the red tie better than the yellow one ....
Wow.. any photos?
Say what you will, but those old Hebrews sure could write.
“...and contains the roots of the words “judge,”...”
We’ve discovered the root of “So sue me”...
Aw sheesh... assemply instructions were on the inside....
Anything on it about Creation, only about 3,450 years earlier?
When I read that I immediately thought of our current situation. Hope it wasn't a prediction of judges making us slaves of King Obama, lol.
I wonder if the word for judge is related to the judges who held executive power in Israel prior to David’s predecessor Saul, or to a judicial offficer.
Once again, the IQ of the media drops about 30 points when tasked to write on anything pertaining to religion.
To link this pottery to the reign of King David is pure speculation, since no pottery or other cultural strata linked to any Hebrew king prior to Omri has been established. The whole issue of Bible chronology is probably the most hotly debated question in archaeology. All one can reliably say is that the pottery seems to date to c. 1000 BC, which is around the time of the currently dominant chronology extrapolated from Biblical records puts the reign of kings Saul, David and Solomon.
But it got people to click on the link, so, mission accomplished.
More here with picture of the location...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/world/middleeast/30david.html?em
After 3,000 years and the most advanced society in history - I think we should be able to read the damn things. Is there anything in that part of the world ever been easy?
Thanks, George. Interesting.
Perhaps causing thread drift, but, will it take 3,000 years to find a certain birth certificate?
The site is not completely unearthed, and it has been established to BE at the time of David.
Check my previous post for more info.
I am curious where this notion of a 6 thousand year old Earth comes from or is derived from. Can you explain?
The translated text is:
One Pastrami on Pumpernickel, hold the Mustard.
From that site...
“What he has found so far has impressed many. Two burned olive pits found at the site have been tested for carbon-14 at Oxford University and were found to date from between 1050 and 970 B.C., exactly when most chronologies place David as king. Two more pits are still to be tested.”
The archaeological site of Khirbet Qeiyafa is located on the hills that border the Elah Valley on the north. This is a key strategic location in the biblical kingdom of Judah, in the main road from Philistia and the Coastal Plain to Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron in the hill country. In this area one of the world’s most famous battles took place, the battle between David and Goliath.
Khirbet Qeiyafa is a forgotten Biblical site. This is most surprising in view of its massive fortifications of megalithic stones which still stand to a height of 2-3 m, and its strategic geopolitical location.
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