Aramaic epitaph discovered in the sword cave

ARAMAIC WATCH: ‘Abba of Naburya has perished’: Unique 1,900-year-old inscription found in Dead Sea cave. Four-line Aramaic text, one of the few legible inscriptions from the era, may be tied to the Bar Kochba Revolt. The words were spotted only inches away from hidden Roman swords (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).

“Abba of Naburya has perished,” the first line reads. Only isolated words or letters in the additional three lines have been deciphered, including the words “on us,” “he took,” and “the.”

The inscription was discovered in a cave near the Ein Gedi National Park in the Dead Sea region. The cave was already known to archaeologists as it contains a stalactite with a fragmentary ink inscription written in ancient Hebrew script characteristic of the First Temple period.

The inscription sounds poignant. During the Bar Kokhba Revolt, the Romans sometimes besieged groups of rebels in caves until they starved. The Cave of Horror contained what appear to be similar epitaphs on ostraca and parchment associated with graves there. If the inscription dates to this revolt, it may have a like context.

For more on that Hebrew inscription in this cave and the four swords found near the two inscriptions, see here.

Cross-file under Northwest Semitic Epigraphy and Technology Watch..

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Nongbri on the Crosby-Schøyen Codex

VARIANT READINGS: The Upcoming Sale of the Crosby-Schøyen Codex (Just How Old is this Book?).

In my recent post on the upcoming sale of the Coptic Crosby-Schøyen Codex, which contains 1 Peter and Jonah, I noted that it was "dated to 300 CE ±50 years (and such dating may still be overly precise)." In this post Brent Nongbri mentions that it has also be subjected to radiocarbon dating and that some evidence points to date being at the late end of that range. So this may be an unusual case when we can narrow the range of an undated ancient manuscript to within a couple of decades.

The articles on the sale claim that this codex contains the earliest copies of the two biblical books. Maybe so for Coptic translations. But I pointed out that there are earlier fragments of the original Hebrew of Jonah among the Dead Sea Scrolls (4QXII^a, 4QXII^f, and 4QXII^g).

Add to those Murabba‛at 88, which includes fragments of the Hebrew text of Jonah, and the Nahal Hever Scroll, which contains a Greek translation of the Minor Prophets, including part of Jonah. More of the latter scroll was found a few years ago in the Cave of Horror.

Now Brent notes that P.Bodmer 8 is arguably an older copy of 1 Peter in the original Greek.

He has many other observations about the codex, as well as photos, so do have a look at his post.

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Barthélemy, The Precursors of Aquila (Brill)

NEWLY TRANSLATED BOOK FROM BRILL:

The Precursors of Aquila

The First Complete Publication of the Text of the Greek Minor Prophets Scroll (8ḤevXIIgr), Preceded by a Study of the Greek Translations and Recensions of the Bible Conducted in the First Century CE under the Influence of the Palestinian Rabbinate

Series: Vetus Testamentum, Supplements, Volume: 196

Author: Dominique Barthélemy Translator: Ron Bell

This ground-breaking study in Septuagint translation technique is, after sixty years, finally available to an English-speaking audience. Barthélemy provides us with a first look at the fragments of the Greek Minor Prophets Scroll from the Cave of Horror and embarks on a careful examination of this scroll’s place in the history of Septuagint translation and revision. He poses questions and answers that have yet to be fully explored. Devanciers d’Aquila is described as “epoch-making” (Robert Kraft—Gnomon), “a stimulating contribution” (Sidney Jellicoe—Journal of the American Oriental Society), and “a monograph of singular importance” (Geza Vermes–Journal of Semitic Studies).

Copyright Year: 2023
E-Book (PDF)
Availability: Not Yet Published
ISBN: 978-90-04-67844-6
Publication: 28 Sep 2023
EUR €130.00

Hardback
Availability: Published
ISBN: 978-90-04-54958-6
Publication: 07 Aug 2023
EUR €130.00

The Greek Minor Prophets Scroll was in the news in 2021, when (apparently) new fragments of it were discovered in the Cave of Horror. See here and here.

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CT's biblical archaeology top ten 2021

CHRISTIANITY TODAY: Biblical Archaeology’s Top 10 Discoveries of 2021. Evidence of Herod’s green thumb, Roman crucifixion methods, and Philistine bananas add to our understanding of the world of the Bible (Gordon Govier).

As usual, PaleoJudaica has posted on many of these stories. For the Ashkelon basilica, see here. For the inscription of Pharaoh Hophra, see here. For the rediscovered Egyptian city, see here. For the Cambridgeshire crucifixion, see here and here. For the new Dead Sea Scroll fragments recovered in the Cave of Horror, see here, follow the links back from here, and also note the space coin from the same cave. For the recent discoveries at Yavneh, see here, here, and here. For that public building ("banquet hall") in the Western Wall Tunnels, see here. For the Jerubbaal (?) jug, follow the links back from here. And for the second synagogue found at Magdala, see here.

For another 2021 archaeology top-ten list, see here.

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Israeli archaeology in a plague year

PANDEMIC ARCHAEOLOGY: What were Israel's archaeological advances during COVID? A 6,000-year-old skeleton of a child, a near-3,000-year-old natural disaster and ancient churches, including advancements in the legendary Dead Sea Scrolls, are among this year's finds (Rossella Tercatin, Jerusalem Post).

PaleoJudaica has posted on most of these stories. For the new Minor Prophets scroll fragments from the Cave of Horror, see here, here, here, here, and follow the links in-between. For the fragmentary capitals found at Armon Hanatziv, see here and here. For the new evidence for Amos' earthquake, see here. For the Iron-Age temple at Tel Moza (Tel Motza, Tel Moẓa, Tel Moẓah), see here and links. For the Jerubbaal (?) jug, see here and links. Posts on ancient Caesarea are here and here. For the early church with the Pan altar in the Banyas Springs Nature Reserve, see here. For the suspended excavations at Huqoq, see here and links.

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A Bar Kokhba coin is going into space

ASTRO-NUMISMATICS: Israeli astronaut to take 1,900-year-old Bar Kochba revolt coin to space. As part of next year’s Rakia mission to International Space Station, Eytan Stibbe says he’ll bring along ancient artifact as a ‘symbol of Jewish history’ (Michael Bachner, Times of Israel).

Israel’s second-ever astronaut, Eytan Stibbe, has chosen to take the 1,900-year-old coin with him on the Rakia mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for early next year. Stibbe said that he is taking the artifact with him as a symbol of his Jewish heritage.

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said in a statement on Thursday that Stibbe has recently visited the IAA’s Dead Sea Scrolls laboratory in Jerusalem, where he was shown various artifacts, including the coin, as well as 2,000-year-old fragments of the Book of Enoch.

That book tells the story of Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, who ascended to the heavens and was accompanied by angels who showed him the sun, the moon and the stars.

Stibbe ultimately elected to take the coin along, rather than the ancient fragments.

This is very cool, but I totally would have chosen the Enoch fragments.

The coin was discovered in the Cave of Horror in Nahal Hever, where archaeologists recently recovered new fragments of an ancient Greek scroll of the Minor Prophets.

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Archaeology (July/August 2021)

ARCHAEOLOGY MAGAZINE has a new issue out (July/August 2021). Access is by paid subscription, but parts of the issue are open access. The two following are of interest:

The Ugarit Archives. Thousands of cuneiform tablets written in a distinctive script tell the dramatic story of a Bronze Age merchant city in Syria (Roger Atwood). Note also the sidebars: Women in Ugarit and A Poem for Ugarit.

A Challenging World (Jarrett A. Lobell). That "world" is the cliff caves around Qumran, where archaeologists recently discovered more scroll fragments and other artifacts (in the "Cave of Horror"). See here and here.

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The search for new DSS

OVERVIEW: Historic Judean archeological discoveries a 'wake-up call.' Judean treasure: IAA director calls historic finds ‘a wake-up call’ (JUDITH SUDILOVSKY, Jerusalem Post). A thorough review of the recent scroll discovery in the Cave of Horror and the search for new Dead Sea Scrolls (Judean Desert scrolls) in recent years. Written around a long interview with Eitan Klein, deputy director of the Israel Antiquities Authority Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Theft, who co-directs Operation Scroll.

The cave-by-cave scanning, which was not possible before, has helped archaeologists identify previously unknown cave openings, he said.

“There is no 100 percent but we think our scanning is about 90 percent of the caves. I expect us to get to 95 percent of the caves, though there will be some we will miss,” he said. “Thefts still occur but our control of the area is much stronger now. We will have a catalogue of all the caves in the Judean Desert and today I can look at a cave and know if there are antiquities there or not, which I couldn’t know before. Before I would look at a cliff and see a black hole.”

Background here and many links.

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Biblical Studies Carnival #181

THE AMATEUR EXEGETE: Biblical Studies Carnival #181 (March 2021).

Surprisingly, this post has no reference to the two new books arguing for the authenticity of the Shapira Scroll and the attendant media and blog coverage (see here and here and links). This was one of the two biggiest biblical studies stories in March.

Ben, perhaps an addendum is in order?

The other biggest story in March, the discovery of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments in the Cave of Horror, is mentioned briefly in one link.

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Cave of Horror Scroll latest

THE SCROLL FRAGMENTS FROM THE CAVE OF HORROR also continue to receive lots of media attention. I am not trying to link to everything. These articles each have at least a few new details:

Archaeologists Discover Additional Dead Sea Scroll Fragments In Desert Caves (Daniel Estrin, NPR)

Discovery of biblical scrolls shows importance of Greek Old Testament, scholar says (Jonah McKeown, Catholic News Agency). The scholar is Dr. John Bergsma.

Cave of Horror: fresh fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls echo dramatic human stories (Gareth Wearne, The Conversation).

Background here and links.

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Are there more scroll finds coming?

LET'S HOPE SO: Are the newest Dead Sea Scrolls just the beginning? Some 600 Judean Desert caves surveyed so far, Israeli Antiquities Authority's Eitan Klein tells 'Post' a day after discovery of first fragments in some 60 years unveiled (Rossella Tercatin, Jerusalem Post).

Hundreds of caves in the Judean Desert are still left to explore, offering a concrete possibility that new biblical texts will emerge, Israel Antiquity Authorities researchers said a day after it unveiled the first such discovery in over 60 years.

[...]

By the way, this claim that this is the first such discovery in 60 years is correct, but needs some careful nuancing. The IAA press release says "For the first time in approximately 60 years, archaeological excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll."

I know of at least one biblical fragment found outside of an archaeological excavation, as well as one Hebrew documentary text. And numerous non-biblical scrolls and fragments were excavated near Jericho in the 1980s and 1990s. Not all of the recent headlines have grasped the nuance. Here are the specifics, as far as I know them.

The Ketef Jericho excavation in 1986 and 1993 discovered a total of 19 documentary texts in Aramaic, Greek, and Hebrew. They date from the fourth century BCE to the Bar Kokhba Revolt. Their condition ranged from complete to highly fragmentary. They are published in DJD XXXVIII.

Since then, a couple of unprovenanced scrolls have surfaced. In 2005 Hanan Eshel obtained an ancient scroll fragment of Leviticus from the Bedouin. He got in a bit of difficulty over this. In 2009 the IAA seized a documentary Hebrew scroll that at the time was dated to the first or second century CE. As far as I know they are both still accepted as genuine, but it's been a while since I heard any more about either.

I should also mention the "Jerusalem Papyrus," also unprovenanced, which was seized by the IAA in 2016. It looks like a 7th-8th century BCE Hebrew papyrus, but there are serious concerns that it may be a forgery.

That is everything I know offhand. If you know of more, please drop me a note.

The find in the Cave of Horror further encourages our hope for new scroll discoveries, biblical or otherwise.

While we are on this subject, I hope that excavators at the Timna Valley and Megiddo archaeological sites will keep the possibility in mind as well. For years I have been harping on the fact that recovery of very early textiles and other organic fragments from both sites raise the possibility that scroll fragments could turn up at either. Wouldn't it be nice to find some scroll fragments from the tenth century BCE?

Background here, here, and here.

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The politics of the Cave of Horror discoveries

COMMENTARY: Archaeology: Israel's national pastime - analysis. Embers still burn from the country’s once great passion for excavations (Herb Keinon, Jerusalem Post).

By unveiling both Jewish and general archaeological discoveries on the same day, the IAA made a statement: we are interested and focused on both Jewish and general discoveries.

But as significant as the discovery of the woven basket and that ancient mummified skeleton were, for most Israeli Jews the particular Jewish findings likely resonated more loudly.

Background here and here.

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New Dead Sea Scroll fragments found in the Cave of Horror!

THE ONE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR. Today was the first weekday in forever that I had to be away from my desk in the morning and didn't blog. So this morning the IAA announces that it discovered new Dead Sea Scrolls. It figures.

Bible scroll fragments among dazzling artifacts found in Dead Sea Cave of Horror. (Amanda Borschel-Dan, Times of Israel).

In a stunningly rare discovery, some two dozen 2,000-year-old biblical scroll fragments have been excavated from Judean Desert caves during a daring rescue operation. The newly discovered scroll fragments — the first such finds in 60 years — are Greek translations of the books of Zechariah and Nahum from the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, and are written in two scribal hands. Only the name of God is written in Hebrew in the texts.

The 20-odd fragments were found in the so-called Cave of Horror in Nahal Hever, which is some 80 meters (260 feet) below a cliff top. According to an Israel Antiquities Authority press release, the cave is so-named because it is “flanked by gorges and can only be reached by rappelling precariously down the sheer cliff.”

Operation Scroll (see here and links) has had some near misses, such as Qumran "Cave 12" and Cave 52, but this is the real thing.

The famous fragmentary Greek Minor Prophets Scroll was found in (mostly looted from) the Cave of Horror in the 1950s and 1960s. According to the Daily Mail's coverage, these new fragments are likely missing bits of that scroll:

The new pieces are believed to belong to a larger set of parchment fragments that include a Greek rendition of the Twelve Minor Prophets.

It is thought the newly found fragments are the missing parts of those scrolls, which were first found in 1952. They include Micah's prophecy about the End of Days.

My memory, with which the Wikipedia article concurs, is that the Cave of Horror got its name because so many human skeletons were found in it. (I can't believe that I have never before posted on the Greek Minor Prophets Scroll or on the Cave of Horror.)

The new discoveries in the cave include a huge 10,500-year-old basket and a 6000-year-old child burial.

Bit by bit, a letter at a time, whatever it takes. Until we're done. Meanwhile, more please!

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