Stone Vessel with 'Priestly Inscription' Uncovered In Jerusalem

Arutz Sheva ^ | July 31, 2009 | Hana Levi Julian and Gil Ronen

[NYer]

A rare 2,000-year-old ritual vessel made of limestone and inscribed with 10 lines of text has been discovered in an excavation near the Zion Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is an unprecedented find, according to Dr. Shimon Gibson, the archaeologist who heads the University of North Carolina team conducting the dig.

"Such stone vessels were used in connection with maintaining ritual purity related to Temple worship, and they are found in abundance in areas where the priests lived," Gibson reported. "We have found a dozen or more on our site over the past three years. However, to have ten lines of text is unprecedented. One normally might find a single name inscribed, or a line or two, but this is the first text of this length ever found on such a vessel," he said.

Although the letters are clearly visible it will take some time before their meaning can be discerned due to the style of the writing. Gibson estimated in his preliminary report that it could take up to six months to translate the inscription. "It is written in a very informal cursive hand and is quite difficult to read," he explained.

Initially, Gibson thought the inscription was written solely in Aramaic. However, a group of experts consulting on the matter was not convinced; they say there is a possibility that the text contains the sacred name of G-d and is deliberately cryptic.

"Stephen Pfann, of the University of the Holy Land, is leaving open the possibility that it is Hebrew. He has also suggested that the text might have had meaning within a closed circle of priests, similar to texts at Qumran," said Dr. James D. Tabor, co-director of the dig.

The excavations, which lasted several months, were carried out under the auspices of the Jerusalem branch of the Nature

[NYer]

Inscription found on Mt. Zion. Israel news photo: UNC

Ancient mikveh. Israel news photo: UNC

Room with two ovens. Israel news photo: UNC

Murex snail. Israel news photo: UNC

[NYer]

Ping!

[the invisib1e hand]

Stone Vessel

I'll bet it sunk like a rock when they tried to sail it.

[catbertz]

I remember reading that stone vessels can work. IIRC, there have been concrete hulled ships, as crazy as that sounds.

[NYer]

I'll bet it sunk like a rock when they tried to sail it.

"Vessel" - as in the type of bowl used to wash hands.

[NYer]

AFP's article

JERUSALEM — An earthenware vessel from the time of Jesus Christ bearing a rare and mysterious inscription has been found at a dig in Jerusalem, a British archaeologist announced on Friday.

"It is possible that this type of vessel was used by Jesus to wash his hands before eating," said Shimon Gibson, author of the recently published "The Final Days of Jesus -- The Archaeological Evidence."

Similar ritual artifacts have been found in the past at the archaeological dig just outside Jerusalem's Old City, but what makes this one rare is the writing engraved on it.

The letters, either ancient Hebrew or Aramaic, are legible though the meaning of the 10 lines of text is yet to be deciphered, according to Gibson who heads the University of North Carolina team conducting the dig.

"It is very rare to find this kind of inscription in Jerusalem," he said.

The artifact was found near a ritual bath currently being excavated, Gibson said.

---

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[theymakemesick]

Off topic: http://www.crystalbeach.com/selma.htm

[SJackson]

If you’d like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High Volume.

--------------------------

[SunkenCiv]

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·
	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks NYer. I think I'll ping this, although I believe it's the second topic about this. :') To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
·Dogpile · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society · · Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google · · The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·

[wildbill]

Co-director of the dig is archeologist Dr. James Tabor who made lots of waves recently with his book and the TV show about the tomb of Jesus.

[Cincinna]

Thanks, Civ

I hope this story doesn’t have the same end as the Ossuary of James, brother of Jesus, hoax.

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.bib-arch.org/debates/antiquities-trial-08.asp

[Ole Okie]

I remember reading that stone vessels can work. IIRC, there have been concrete hulled ships, as crazy as that sounds.

WW2 "Liberty Ships" were made of concrete.

[catbertz]

There you go! Thanks for the reminder. I now remember watching a show on those ships. Pretty cool.

[Eleutheria5]

Not that kind of vessel. Vessel as in implement, bowl, container.

[Eleutheria5]

What makes you so certain this had anything at all to do with Jesus? It’s a bowl with some Hebrew or Aramaic writing on it, used by priests in the Temple.