3200 year old Proto-Canaanite text found on Mt. Ebal

[Harel13]

I couldn't find any English articles yet, so sorry for the Hebrew one. Feel free to use Google Translate:

"זו רעידת אדמה בחקר המקרא": נחשפה "קללה" בת 3,200 מ"הר הקללה"

Edit: An English article: ‘Curse’ text on ancient amulet could change way scholars read Bible

Fresh off the presses, a folded lead tablet dated to the 13th century BCE was found on Mt. Ebal in Israel, also known as the "curse mountain" (see Deuteronomy 11:26-30, Deuteronomy 27:2-8 and Joshua 8:30-35). When it was opened up, it was discovered to be inscribed with Proto-Canaanite writing which read:

ארור, ארור, ארור,
ארור לאל י-הו
תמות - ארור
ארור - מות תמות
ארור לי-הו
ארור, ארור, ארור​

Translation (mine):

Cursed, cursed, cursed
cursed to the God Ya-hu
Die, [you who are] cursed
cursed - [you shall] die
cursed to Ya-hu
cursed, cursed, cursed​

One of the scholars who first studied the object, Prof. Gershon Galil, stated that this is the earliest Israelite text found to date, and proves wrong those who thought that that Israelites at the time did not write anything. The chiastic scheme of the text shows that the author belonged to a literarily-advanced culture.

Picture:

My reaction:

 

[sun rise]

Cursed, cursed, cursed
cursed to the God Ya-hu
Die, [you who are] cursed
cursed - [you shall] die
cursed to Ya-hu
cursed, cursed, cursed

Wow. Someone was extremely upset.

However the internet has stories about this or similar to this dating back to 2008 as this search found: Proto-Canaanite text found on Mt. Ebal

I do like archeology

 

[Harel13]

Wow. Someone was extremely upset.

However the internet has stories about this or similar to this dating back to 2008 as this search found: Proto-Canaanite text found on Mt. Ebal

I do like archeology

I think you're referring to the Qeiyafa ostracon, formerly the oldest Proto-Canaanite text:
Earliest Known Hebrew Text In Proto-Canaanite Script Discovered In Area Where 'David Slew Goliath'

 

[Gargovic Malkav]

Cursed, cursed, cursed
cursed to the God Ya-hu
Die, [you who are] cursed
cursed - [you shall] die
cursed to Ya-hu
cursed, cursed, cursed

Reminds me of what can come from people's mouths when they stub their toe.

 

[Estro Felino]

That's wonderful.

 

[metis]

I couldn't find any English articles yet, so sorry for the Hebrew one. Feel free to use Google Translate:

"זו רעידת אדמה בחקר המקרא": נחשפה "קללה" בת 3,200 מ"הר הקללה"

Fresh off the presses, a folded lead tablet dated to the 13th century BCE was found on Mt. Ebal in Israel, also known as the "curse mountain" (see Deuteronomy 11:26-30, Deuteronomy 27:2-8 and Joshua 8:30-35). When it was opened up, it was discovered to be inscribed with Proto-Canaanite writing which read:

ארור, ארור, ארור,
ארור לאל י-הו
תמות - ארור
ארור - מות תמות
ארור לי-הו
ארור, ארור, ארור​

Translation (mine):

Cursed, cursed, cursed
cursed to the God Ya-hu
Die, [you who are] cursed
cursed - [you shall] die
cursed to Ya-hu
cursed, cursed, cursed​

One of the scholars who first studied the object, Prof. Gershon Galil, stated that this is the earliest Israelite text found to date, and proves wrong those who thought that that Israelites at the time did not write anything. The chiastic scheme of the text shows that the author belonged to a literarily-advanced culture.

Picture:

My reaction:

Do you know exactly where it was found?

Thanks.

 

[Harel13]

Do you know exactly where it was found?

Thanks.

From what I know, it was found during the dirt-sifting project of dirt removed during the digs at Mt. Ebal from decades ago. The dirt was kept until advanced-enough sifting techniques were developed and recently a sifting project has begun.

 

[Brickjectivity]

That is a terrific find.

 

[Harel13]

Staying true to what I said the other day about a pinch of doubt, I'm adding here the initial reaction of one of the most respected experts on ancient Semitic texts in Israel, Dr. Chaggai Misgav. I'm personally a big fan of his work. Here's a translation of the main part of what he wrote on Facebook:

"Before my mail box will collapse, I'm releasing this message to the universe:​

I did not see pictures of this finding that's creating much buzz around the internet. I know what was reported in the media - a worn-out lead finding the size of a stamp, that the publishers, with the assistance of photos attained via certain technological techniques and greatly magnifying them, identified on its face (and probably also on the inside of the object) shapes of Proto-Canaanite letters, and from them formed a number of words, which according to them, in full confidence, include the name of Hashem and a curse formula. What is the object? What is its nature? What purpose did it serve? We still don't have answers. As long as I don't see it with my eyes, I cannot - as a researcher - say anything, not on the finding itself, not on the way it was read nor the manner in which it was interpreted. Research demands responsibility, to not say what is uncertain and certainly not to say what is unknown, [but on the other hand] and not to immediately cancel it. [...]"​

 

[danieldemol]

Staying true to what I said the other day about a pinch of doubt, I'm adding here the initial reaction of one of the most respected experts on ancient Semitic texts in Israel, Dr. Chaggai Misgav. I'm personally a big fan of his work. Here's a translation of the main part of what he wrote on Facebook:

"Before my mail box will collapse, I'm releasing this message to the universe:​

I did not see pictures of this finding that's creating much buzz around the internet. I know what was reported in the media - a worn-out lead finding the size of a stamp, that the publishers, with the assistance of photos attained via certain technological techniques and greatly magnifying them, identified on its face (and probably also on the inside of the object) shapes of Proto-Canaanite letters, and from them formed a number of words, which according to them, in full confidence, include the name of Hashem and a curse formula. What is the object? What is its nature? What purpose did it serve? We still don't have answers. As long as I don't see it with my eyes, I cannot - as a researcher - say anything, not on the finding itself, not on the way it was read nor the manner in which it was interpreted. Research demands responsibility, to not say what is uncertain and certainly not to say what is unknown, [but on the other hand] and not to immediately cancel it. [...]"​

I got no idea what you said the other day about a pinch of doubt, but I liked your post because I liked the responsible approach the researcher you quoted takes.

In my opinion.

 

[danieldemol]

The chiastic scheme of the text shows that the author belonged to a literarily-advanced culture.

Literarily advanced culture as compared to what other cultures?

 

[Harel13]

Literarily advanced culture as compared to what other cultures?

Good question. I'm not entirely sure. The article didn't say. I would say that it was more about the way Israelite culture was viewed until now by many scholars (and will remain to be viewed so at the very least until a scientific report has been released and critiqued), which is a culture in which writing was very uncommon and not highly developed. Most early texts found until now from around the 11th-10th century or so are just bits and fragments. A name here, a word there, a student practing his ABCs, etc. Practically first grade level material.

 

[metis]

From what I know, it was found during the dirt-sifting project of dirt removed during the digs at Mt. Ebal from decades ago. The dirt was kept until advanced-enough sifting techniques were developed and recently a sifting project has begun.

Thanks, as the dig I was in was southwest of that at the western edge of the highlands.

 

[RabbiO]

@Harel13 -

There are now several English language articles on the subject which can be found in a Google search.

I know you won’t see this note for awhile since Shabbat has begun where you are, but I thought you, and others, would want to know.

 

[Harel13]

@Harel13 -

There are now several English language articles on the subject which can be found in a Google search.

I know you won’t see this note for awhile since Shabbat has begun where you are, but I thought you, and others, would want to know.

Thanks! I edited one link into the OP.

 

[blü 2]

Literarily advanced culture as compared to what other cultures?

I take it from the thread's title that the date is c. 1200 BCE. At that time both Egypt (hieroglyphics) and in Mesopotamia, Sumer / Akkad / Babylon (cuneiform) had well-established writing systems.

 

[danieldemol]

I take it from the thread's title that the date is c. 1200 BCE. At that time both Egypt (hieroglyphics) and in Mesopotamia, Sumer / Akkad / Babylon (cuneiform) had well-established writing systems.

Thanks, I note also that the find hasn't been peer reviewed yet, however as the archaeologists have noted regarding the potential find, "“everything is possible”1 and it possibly could change the way biblical literary history is viewed.

In my opinion.

1 Archaeologist claims to find oldest Hebrew text in Israel, including the name of God

 

[Harel13]

A thought-provoking opinion piece on the tablet by a professor from my university:
Why does a 3,300 year-old piece of rock from Mount Ebal matter?

 

[Harel13]

Thoughts on the matter by Prof. Christopher Rollston on his blog. Excerpt:

"[...] The Claims of Stripling, van der Veen, Galil…and Some Responses

There are some rather striking claims in the press conference about this lead inscription and about its implications. First and foremost, I would emphasize that reading and deciphering Early Alphabetic inscriptions is difficult. Thus, is hard for me to believe that all of the readings of Stripling, Galil, and van der Veen will stand the test of time. In fact, I would predict that almost all of the readings posited in the press conference will be vigorously contested, once scholars in the field of epigraphy are allowed to see the images of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Furthermore, I am certain that the translations of the readings will also be contested.

And it should also be emphasized that at the press conference *no* images from the Academy of Sciences of the Czeck Republic were shown. Thus, claims were made, but the real evidence was not shown! Normally, even during a press conference about a new inscription, a good image or two of the inscription is shown. But in this case, None! Also of import: it is striking that the only drawing presented at the press conference was a single drawing of a single putative occurrence of the divine name [Y-h-w]. And I would emphasize that this drawing struck me as particularly schematic in nature. As a result of all of these sorts of things, my hermeneutic of suspicion is, therefore, quite heightened. [...]"​

 

[Luchito Prays]

I couldn't find any English articles yet, so sorry for the Hebrew one. Feel free to use Google Translate:

"זו רעידת אדמה בחקר המקרא": נחשפה "קללה" בת 3,200 מ"הר הקללה"

Edit: An English article: ‘Curse’ text on ancient amulet could change way scholars read Bible

Fresh off the presses, a folded lead tablet dated to the 13th century BCE was found on Mt. Ebal in Israel, also known as the "curse mountain" (see Deuteronomy 11:26-30, Deuteronomy 27:2-8 and Joshua 8:30-35). When it was opened up, it was discovered to be inscribed with Proto-Canaanite writing which read:

ארור, ארור, ארור,
ארור לאל י-הו
תמות - ארור
ארור - מות תמות
ארור לי-הו
ארור, ארור, ארור​

Translation (mine):

Cursed, cursed, cursed
cursed to the God Ya-hu
Die, [you who are] cursed
cursed - [you shall] die
cursed to Ya-hu
cursed, cursed, cursed​

One of the scholars who first studied the object, Prof. Gershon Galil, stated that this is the earliest Israelite text found to date, and proves wrong those who thought that that Israelites at the time did not write anything. The chiastic scheme of the text shows that the author belonged to a literarily-advanced culture.

Picture:

My reaction:

I can't distinguish very well the reading.

The proto canaaite writings enjoyed an alphabet, and was written with the style as shown right below.

Its funny the early record of that language in Israel is a curse. Wow.