Ancient jar inscription sheds light on relationship between kingdoms of Solomon and Sheba
%2Favatars%2Fm5OpRxGbkgWL.png&w=96&q=75)
%2F2023%2F04%2F14%2Fimage%2Fjpeg%2Fs1NqPBKYIptgkmoEqX8pAZ94Vzs7JJnzZkKmME1c.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
An enigmatic inscription on a jar discovered in Israel that identifies an ingredient for producing incense has been decoded by a recent study.
The jar was initially found during excavations conducted in 2012 in the Ophel region south of the Temple Mt., under the direction of the late Dr. Eilat Mazar from the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Only seven letters from the original inscription were still visible, according to the press statement.
Throughout the past 10 years, more than ten researchers have put out a variety of readings without being able to agree on one, but they have all acknowledged that the inscription is written in Canaanite character, from which the old Hebrew script employed during the First Temple period was derived.
Research revealed that the writing is "Ancient South Arabian," the dialect that was spoken in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula (today's Yemen region), where the Kingdom of Sheba was the preeminent power.
"Deciphering the inscription on this jar teaches us not only about the presence of a speaker of Sabaean in Israel during the time of King Solomon but also about the geopolitical relations system in our region at that time - especially in light of the place where the jar was discovered, an area known for also being the administrative center during the days of King Solomon. This is another testament to the extensive trade and cultural ties that existed between Israel under King Solomon and the Kingdom of Sheba," explained Dr. Vainstub.
A new interpretation
The inscription on the jar reads, "[ ]shy l'dn 5," means five " šǝḥēlet," referring to one of the four ingredients mentioned in the Bible (Exodus 30:34) required for the incense mixture. The " šǝḥēlet " was an essential ingredient in the incense that was burnt in the First and Second Temples and was called "tziporen" in Rabbinic literature.
A trail runs between two ancient mikvahs used by Temple-goers for 2,000 years at the Ophel site in the Archaeological Park on the southern wall of the Jerusalem Walls National Park. Additionally, this is the location of the Solomonic kingdom's administrative hub.
The production and trade of incense and perfume plants during the 10th century BCE helped the Kingdom of Sheba, which had Ma'rib as its capital, prosper. They created sophisticated irrigation systems for the fields that were home to the plants needed to make incense and perfumes. They spoke a South Semitic language.
According to the Bible, King Solomon was in charge of the commerce routes in the Negev, which were used by Sabaean camel caravans to transport perfumes and incense plants to Mediterranean ports for export.
Daniel Mintz and Meredith Berkman of New York provided funding for the first excavation under Dr. Eilat Mazar's direction, with help from Oklahoma's Herbert W. Armstrong College and the East Jerusalem Development Company.
Vainstub's study was published in the Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology.
Study abstract:
In Eilat Mazar’s excavations in the Ophel in Jerusalem, a partially preserved inscription engraved on the shoulder of a pithos was found in 2012 in a context dated to the 10th century BCE. Although close to a dozen interpretations of the inscription have been offered over time, its reading remains highly disputed. All of these interpretations consider the script to be Canaanite. In this study, it is argued that the inscription was engraved in the Ancient South Arabian script and that its language is Sabaean. The inscription reads “ ]šy ladanum 5.” The aromatic ladanum (Cistus ladaniferus), rendered as lḏn in the inscription, is most probably תֶלֵחְׁש (šǝḥēlet), the second component of incense according to Exod 30:34. The inscription was engraved before the locally made vessel was fired, leading to the conclusion that a Sabaean functionary entrusted with aromatic components of incense was active in Jerusalem by the time of King Solomon
SHOW COMMENT (1)
/2023/05/23/image/jpeg/WGiDzBgkMEB3MWU2C2FQaPjsdhaIUwtYZUSBvBiE.jpg "Triangles over circles? YouTuber builds funky cycle with special wheels")
/2023/05/26/image/jpeg/smTFO3AG7ESAzCi8L0kVnrUEHbVmcjiZ2KhVW0QE.jpg "Potential cure for diabetes found in groundbreaking stem cell study")
/2023/05/25/image/jpeg/xbqtdlTTlQ6wFUubr9etkXJZVi8dBYvahuUEjCzI.jpg "This architecture firm is introducing inflatable skyscrapers")
/2022/08/29/image/jpeg/NxRfd147Qu6t0ROFnFnHbmbDljsGwA3RcQ2IX1Np.jpg "Personalized nutrition via 3D printing can be a revolution in food technology")
/2022/11/08/image/jpeg/aK55OAMMRf05pKSsbgqUVLIvlctLAXZyMqXucOH3.jpg "Why the ESA's world-first Biomass satellite is 'very timely' for understanding Earth's climate")
/2023/05/17/image/jpeg/DkhVUYyTr3zCw7iMFNI06s7EfwX7rbb5FNLrNLqh.jpg "Rimac's electric hypercar Nevera breaks 23 records, does 0-62 mph in 1.81 seconds")
/2023/05/15/image/jpeg/S7A2PhLvnBijrZpmrSi9gqlRzSIHXoRNtYGGKycb.jpg "Earth's ancient 'sea'crets exposed, thanks to a geologist's 462 million-year-old find")
/2022/12/06/image/jpeg/x4qxBVlxJLwNaukxEmLJX5KgLLRViV8VWdVndsvV.jpg "How CGI has taken animals out of the scene in Hollywood")
/2022/09/15/image/jpeg/hFcdP7FahzWRZtmzaM9uG2RiZw7aCbppEufZYHAE.jpg "Airless tires made with NASA tech could end punctures and rubber waste")
/2023/05/20/image/jpeg/qGLecng5T9rgIGZSsgiqXO1GgHfPT8WL781Q7uMq.jpg "World's most efficient aero-engine, the Rolls-Royce UltraFan, completes first test")