Earliest Hebrew Text Discovered

The ostracon (pottery shard inscribed with writing in ink) was found lying on the floor inside a building near the city gate of the site, known as the Elah Fortress at Khirbet Qeiyafa, 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of Jerusalem. Carbon-14 dating and pottery analysis dates this inscription to the time of King David ca. 3,000 years ago, predating the Dead Sea Scrolls by approximately a millennium and placing it earlier than the famed Gezer Calendar with its paleo-Hebrew script, discovered in the early 20th century.

While the inscription has yet to be deciphered, initial interpretation indicates the text was part of a letter and contains the roots of the words judge, slave, and king. This may indicate that this is a legal text that could provide insights into Hebrew law, society, and beliefs. Archaeologists say that it was clearly written as a deliberate message by a trained scribe. It is hoped the text will serve as an anchor in our understanding of the development of all alphabetic scripts.

By Will King, Correspondent, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio