Tuesday, March 08, 2016

More on the two new inscribed seals from Jerusalem

CHRISTOPHER ROLLSTON: A Woman’s Seal and a Man’s Seal from First Temple Jerusalem Excavations.
In sum, these two seals are Old Hebrew. They are both well done, the work of a well-trained seal maker. The palaeographic date that I would assign to them is that of the chronological horizon that spans from the late 8th century to the early 7th century BCE. The Yahwistic theophorics are predictable, but still important. The fact that one of these seals is that of a woman demonstrates that she was a very prominent woman indeed, someone who must have engaged in business and legal activities that necessitated her owning a seal. This is most impressive and certainly the most important component of these new finds.
An interesting and informative analysis of the new discovery, as we have come to expect from Professor Rollston's blog. Background here.