Advanced Imaging Technology Reveals 2,600 Year-Old Hebrew Inscription

Using multispectral imaging, a team of Israeli researchers has discovered a hitherto invisible text on the back side of an ostracon (ink-inscribed pottery shard) that has been on display for half a century.

The recto (upper image) and the verso (lower image) of the ostracon Arad 16: color images, multispectral images and manual drawings of the proposed reading. In red: team’s alterations and additions with respect to the original publication. Image credit: Faigenbaum-Golovin et al, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178400.

The ostracon, known as Arad 16, was found in 1965 at the desert fortress of Arad by Prof. Yohanan Aharoni and dated to 600 BC (the eve of Judah’s destruction by Nebuchadnezzar).

“Arad was a military outpost — a fortress at the southern border of the kingdom of Judah — and was populated by 20 to 30 soldiers,” said team member Dr. Anat Mendel-Geberovich, of Tel Aviv University.

“Most of the ostraca unearthed at Arad are dated to a short time span during the last stage of the fortress’s history, on the eve of the kingdom’s destruction in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar.”

“Many of these inscriptions are addressed to Elyashiv, the quartermaster of the fortress. They deal with the logistics of the outpost, such as the supply of flour, wine, and oil to subordinate units.”

The inscription on the front side of Arad 16, opening with a blessing by Yahweh, discusses money transfers and has been studied by archaeologists and Biblical scholars alike.

“While its front side has been thoroughly studied, its back was considered blank,” said Arie Shaus, also of Tel Aviv University.

Using multispectral imaging to acquire a set of images, the researchers noticed several marks on the ostracon’s reverse side.

“To our surprise, three new lines of text were revealed,” Shaus said.

“The content of the reverse side implies it is a continuation of the text on the front side,” added Tel Aviv University researcher Shira Faigenbaum-Golovin.

Renewed reading of Arad 16 recto (left) and the first reading of Arad 16 verso (right). Image credit: Faigenbaum-Golovin et al, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178400.

“The new reading of the recto (front side) of Arad 16 has added about 45 new characters. There are almost 20 words on the recto with a changed reading,” the scientists said.

“The text details an exchange of supplies and silver between Elyashiv, the quartermaster of the Arad fortress and Hananyahu, possibly his peer at Beer Sheba, located one day’s walk (15.5 miles, or 25 km) to the west.”

“Elyashiv and ?ananyahu seem to be on friendly terms, with the letter possibly continuing an earlier personal communication.”

“The letter begins with an affectionate salutation (‘Your friend ?ananyahu [hereby] sends greetings to [you] Elyashiv and to your household’) and continues with a blessing from God (‘I bless [you] by Yahweh’).”

“This is followed by the mention of a receipt sent by ?ananyahu (‘when I left your house I sent the receipt to Ge’alyahu’).”

“Requests regarding a certain purse and an amount of silver (‘in the sum of 5 Xar’), as well as oil (‘if there is still any oil left at your [p]ost — send it’) are made, along with a call to avoid sending a certain commodity, the name of which is indiscernible (‘[…] drop it, don’t send it!’).”

“The last part of the recto contains some decipherable signs and letters, which, however, do not amount to a coherent text.”

“The verso (back side) is seen and deciphered by us here for the first time,” they said.

“The text bears more than 50 characters, creating 17 new words.”

“It begins with a request for wine (‘If there is any wine, send [quantity]’), as well as a guarantee for assistance if the addressee has any requests of his own (‘If there is anything [else] you need, send [= write to me about it]’).”

“The letter concludes with a request for the provision of a certain commodity to an unnamed person, and a note regarding a bat (an ancient measure of liquids) of wine carried by a man named Ge’alyahu.”

“The newly revealed inscription features an administrative text, like most of the Arad inscriptions. Its importance lies in the fact that each new line, word, and even a single sign is a precious addition to what we know about the First Temple period,” Dr. Mendel-Geberovich said.

“On a larger scale, our discovery stresses the importance of multispectral imaging to the documentation of ostraca. It’s daunting to think how many inscriptions, invisible to the naked eye, have been disposed of during excavations,” Faigenbaum-Golovin added.

“This is ongoing research. We have at our disposal several additional alterations and expansions of known First Temple-period ostraca. Hence, the future may hold additional surprises,” said Tel Aviv University researcher Barak Sober.

The team’s findings were published this week in the journal PLoS ONE.

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S. Faigenbaum-Golovin et al. 2017. Multispectral imaging reveals Biblical-period inscription unnoticed for half a century. PLoS ONE 12 (6): e0178400; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178400