“Heliodorus son of Apollonios, Agoranomos” reads the first part of an inscription on a rare lead weight seized by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) during a raid on an antiquities shop in Jerusalem’s Old City. Dated by its inscription to the year 165 of the Seleucid era (148/7 BCE), the weight may be connected to a powerful family from the ancient city of Maresha in the Shephelah region. Unfortunately, since the weight originates from the antiquities market, there is no way to know exactly where it came from.I have already noted this discovery, but this essay includes some new informed speculation about the possible provenance of the object. Assuming, that is, that it is a genuine ancient artifact. The essay underlines the fact that it is looted and unprovenanced, but does not go on to ask the next question. It would be helpful if it became normal procedure to present the positive case that an unprovenanced artifact is genuine.[...]
For lots more on the site of Maresha, see here and links.
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