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Overview > Archaeology Wing > Early Hebrew Writing

Statuette of Imhotep depicted as a scribe Egypt Ptolemaic Period, 3rd–2nd century BCE	Hebrew alphabetic exercise Izbet Sartah Iron Age I, 12th century BCE	“Mattan. An offering to my Lady Elat,” dedication to a goddess on a jug Lachish Late Canaanite period, 13th century BCE	Hebrew correspondence(?) in Proto-Canaanite script Horvat Qeiyafa Iron Age II, 10th century BCE	“[ ]RN[ ],” inscription on a dagger Lachish Middle Canaanite period, 16th century BCE
“Arrow of Abdlabit,” inscription on an arrowhead El-Khadr Iron Age I, 12th century BCE	“… ZHTYKL …, ” abecedary on a potsherd Shiqmona, Israel Persian period, 5th-4th century BCE	“KLB,” part of an inscription, perhaps from a cult vessel Gezer Middle Canaanite period, 17th Century BCE	“(Belonging) to [Si]lliba‘al, so[n o]f Pulsiba‘al,” inscription on a knife blade Nahal Tabor Late Canaanite period, 13th-12th century BCE	“ALWT WLT” two non-Semitic personal names on a potsherd Tel Zafit Iron Age II, 10th century BCE
Seal of Amoz the scribe Moab Iron Age II, 8th-7th century BCE	Seal of Chemosham (son of) Chemoshel the scribe Moab Iron Age II, 8th-7th century BCE	Pen case for writing implements (reeds) bearing the name of Ramesses III Megiddo Iron Age I, 12th century BCE	Reusable writing tablet Nessana Byzantine period, 5th century CE	Inkwell Kibbutz Ein Gedi Late Byzantine period to Early Islamic period, 6th–8th century CE
Inkwell Unprovenanced Roman period, 1st–2nd century CE	Inkwell Qumran 1st century BCE – 1st century CE	Inkwell Qumran Roman period, 1st century BCE – 1st century CE	Stylus for writing Provenance unknown Roman period	Stylus for writing Provenance unknown Roman period
Inscribed bone Massada 1st century CE	Inscribed potsherd (ostracon) Horvat Uza Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	Inscribed potsherd (ostracon) Horvat Uza Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	“(Belonging) to Zadoq,” Hebrew inscription on a jug Arad Iron Age II, 7th-6th century BCE	“(Belonging) to Shalmay,” Phoenician inscription on a jar Azor Iron Age II, 6th century BCE
Seal impression (bulla) that sealed an Aramaic papyrus document Wadi ed-Daliyeh Persian period, 4th century BCE	Aramaic administrative document Arad Persian period, 4th century BCE	Fragment of a Hebrew inscription apparently dealing with a water system Jerusalem Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	“ASR”, fragment of a monumental Hebrew inscription Samaria Iron Age II, 8th century BCE	Fragment of a Hebrew inscription apparently praising a king who accumulated a great amount of wealth Jerusalem Iron Age II, late 8th century BCE
“2 cups we offer to the marzeah of Shamash,” inscription on a drinking bowl Phoenicia (?) Persian period, 4th century BCE	“God, creator of the earth,” fragment of a jar, inscribed in Hebrew, that may have contained offerings for the Temple Jerusalem Iron Age II, late 8th century BCE	“Cup of Pesah ben Shema,” inscription on a drinking bowl (cup) Kfar Vradim Iron Age II, 9th century BCE	“(Belonging) to Baal and Padi,” inscription on a potsherd Ekron Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	Hebrew letter Lachish Iron Age II, 6th century BCE
A reaper's plea Mezad Hashavyahu Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	“Dried figs,” inscription on a jar fragment Ekron Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	“Oil,” inscription on a jar fragment Ekron Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	“(Belonging) to Eliyahu,” Hebrew inscription on a jug Jerusalem Iron Age II, late 8th century BCE	“(From the) vineyard of Zebadiah h(alf) a d(emi-storage jar),” Aramaic inscription on a jar fragment Ashdod Persian period, 5th century BCE
“Ben Matton. 25 royal (measures). [W]ine of Gath Carmel. (royal emblem),” Phoenician inscription on a jar Shiqmona, Israel Persian period, 4th century BCE	“(Belonging) to Yoram,” inscription on a jug Tel Sera Iron Age II, late 7th - early 6th century BCE	“(Belonging) to Yehumal,” Hebrew inscription on a jug Hebron area Iron Age II, 8th-7th century BCE	Hebrew inscription on a jug: "ABGD" Lachish Iron Age II, early 6th century BCE	“(Belonging) to Neriyahu, (belonging) to Amariyahu” Hebrew inscription on a jug Tel Beersheba Iron Age II, 8th century BCE
“Half (a measure – belonging) to the King,” Hebrew inscription on a jug Tel Beersheba Iron Age II, 8th century BCE	Seal: "(Belonging) to Eprah so[n of] Semakyahu" Provenance unknown Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	Seal: "(Belonging) to M(?) SH(?) L M" Provenance unknown Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	Seal: "(Belonging) to Yehoezer (son of) Yigdalyahu" Provenance unknown Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	Seal: "(Belonging) to Hilqiyahu son of Adayahu" Provenance unknown Iron Age II, 7th century BCE
Seal: "(Belonging to) Derashyahu son of AZ[ ]" Arad Iron Age II, 8th century BCE	Seal impression (bulla) that sealed an Aramaic papyrus document Wadi ed-Daliyeh Persian period, 4th century BCE	Seal impression (bulla) that sealed an Aramaic papyrus document Wadi ed-Daliyeh Persian period, 4th century BCE	Seal impression (bulla) that sealed an Aramaic papyrus document Wadi ed-Daliyeh Persian period, 4th century BCE	Seal impression (bulla) that sealed an Aramaic papyrus document Wadi ed-Daliyeh Persian period, 4th century BCE
Seal impression (bulla) that sealed an Aramaic papyrus document Wadi ed-Daliyeh Persian period, 4th century BCE	Seal impression (bulla) that sealed an Aramaic papyrus document Wadi ed-Daliyeh Persian period, 4th century BCE	Burial inscription: “(Belonging) to Ophai son of Nathanyahu (is) this chamber” Khirbet el-Qom Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	Burial inscription Khirbet el-Qom Iron Age II, 7th century BCE	Aramaic administrative document Arad Persian period, 4th century BCE
Aramaic administrative document Arad Persian period, 4th century BCE	Aramaic administrative document Tel Beersheva Persian period, 4th century BCE	Aramaic administrative document Arad Persian period, 4th century BCE	Aramaic administrative document Beersheba Persian period, 4th century BCE