A Byzantine-Period Monastery At Ḥura,
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Byzantine-Period Monastery At Ḥura, Daniel Varga, Rina Talgam
'Atiqot
A building identified as a monastery, probably associated with the nearby Byzantine settlement at Ḥorbat Ḥur, was paved with four mosaic pavements containing four Greek inscriptions and one bilingual inscription in Greek and local Syriac. The inscription in the prayer hall indicates that the building was a monastery, probably founded in 575 CE. The monastery’s cemetery, located to its southwest, was well-preserved including four sealed graves of adult males, possibly monks. The mosaic art in the monastery deviates from the period’s trends, depicting figurative images and implicit crosses. This, and the location of the monastery, suggest that the monastery served …
A Greek Inscription From The Villa At Herẓliyya Bet,
2024
The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
A Greek Inscription From The Villa At Herẓliyya Bet, Leah Di Segni
'Atiqot
A Greek dedicatory inscription uncovered in the mosaic floor of a triclinium in a villa at Herẓliyya was dated based on the shape of its letters to the Byzantine period, in the fifth century CE. The inscription seems to have been written by the mosaicists, who ask for the mercy of a certain sovereign power, herein identified as God.
A Byzantine-Period Villa At Herẓliyya Bet, In The Southern Sharon Plain,
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Byzantine-Period Villa At Herẓliyya Bet, In The Southern Sharon Plain, Itai Elad
'Atiqot
A unique Byzantine-period villa unearthed in Herẓliyya was identified as a luxurious country residential complex. Based on the inscription set in the mosaic floor of the triclinium, and the small finds, it is suggested to date the villa to the fifth century CE. The architectural style indicates that it belonged to a wealthy owner, perhaps a Samaritan, due to the presence of a miqweh and the absence of figurative images in the mosaic.
Fifteenth To Seventeenth-Century Ce Hebrew Epitaphs From The Jewish Cemetery At Ẓefat (Safed),
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
Fifteenth To Seventeenth-Century Ce Hebrew Epitaphs From The Jewish Cemetery At Ẓefat (Safed), Yosef Stepansky
'Atiqot
More than 100 previously undocumented Hebrew epitaphs (many of them fragmentary) dating from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century were uncovered in the ancient Jewish cemetery of Ẓefat (Safed) through the initiative of the Safed Religious Council. This is by far the largest corpus of ancient Hebrew inscriptions found in one site in Israel. Information gleaned from the engraved names of the deceased attests to a diverse and vibrant Jewish community that existed in the city during these centuries, according with accounts in other historical sources. The study of the epitaphs enriches our knowledge concerning,for example, the existence of certified …
Christian Graffiti On A Reused Lintel From Mamluk-Period Ramla: A Glimpse From The East Into Western Medieval Society,
2024
University of Poitiers, France
Christian Graffiti On A Reused Lintel From Mamluk-Period Ramla: A Glimpse From The East Into Western Medieval Society, Clément Dussart
'Atiqot
The subject of this paper is an inconspicuous stone lintel kept in the Rockefeller Museum, Jerusalem, heavily marked with graffiti and writing. The stone exhibits various kinds of markings: drawings of coats of arms, pilgrim names and ad hoc inscriptions, clearly carved by Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land during the Mamluk period. The scribbles allude to the inner way of thinking of the pilgrims, offering unique information as to the personal motives for undertaking the arduous travel and insights into the making of Western Christian societies in the European late medieval period. Most of the markings on the stone …
A Medieval Book Fitting(?) From The ‘Atlit Castle,
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Medieval Book Fitting(?) From The ‘Atlit Castle, Vardit Shotten-Hallel, Dana Ashkenazi
'Atiqot
A metal object found on the surface at the ‘Atlit Castle was identified as a book fitting. Although such mounts could have served other functions, such as inlays, belt or girdle mounts, this artifact was probably an anchor-plate, part of a book clasp for a medieval codex, possibly of religious content, bound in a leather cover. Visual testing inspection and SEM-EDS analysis of the book fitting have shown that the item was made of a heterogeneous composition of copper alloy. This book fitting joins a growing corpus of metal artifacts from the Latin East, establishing a metallurgical database for future …
French Inscriptions In The Latin Kingdom Of Jerusalem: From The Written Word To The Museum,
2024
Centre de recherche français à Jérusa-lem (CRFJ)
French Inscriptions In The Latin Kingdom Of Jerusalem: From The Written Word To The Museum, Estelle Ingrand-Varenne
'Atiqot
Epigraphic transition to writing in the vernacular languages was one of the most striking phenomena in the sociocultural history of medieval Europe from the twelfth century onward, affecting all domains of written culture and progressing at different paces in different places. This transition took place in the Crusader states, as in France, in the mid-thirteenth century, but here with a radical turn from medieval Latin to Outremer French—an Old French dialect used in the Latin East. This paper examines isolated French words (names) in the extant inscriptions from the Kingdom of Jerusalem, tracing the transitional stages and identifying the actors …
A Unique Crusader-Period Lead Seal From The Old City Of Jerusalem,
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Unique Crusader-Period Lead Seal From The Old City Of Jerusalem, Robert Kool, Annette Landes-Nagar
'Atiqot
A unique lead seal of the Byzantine Patriarch of Jerusalem, Leontios II (1176–1184/85), was discovered in a salvage excavation in Jerusalem’s Old City. This is the first seal of this patriarch to have been found, confirming the sojourn of Leontios II to the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1177–1178. It also sheds new light on the attempts of the Byzantine emperor, Manuel I Komnenos, to maintain his influence over the reigning Jerusalem dynasty.
A Terracotta Pen-And-Inkwell Case From Jerusalem,
2024
The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
A Terracotta Pen-And-Inkwell Case From Jerusalem, Nitzan Amitai-Preiss, Peter Gendelman, Ortal Chalaf, Anastasia Shapiro
'Atiqot
Excavations in the Strauss Building, located next to the Western Wall Plaza in the Old City of Jerusalem, yielded a unique ornamental two-level terracotta pen-and-inkwell case, comprising an upper level with a rectangular pencase and a bowl-shaped inkwell holder, and a lower level with two compartments. The sides of the pencase have incised decorations depicting a throne and a throne room, and the base bears an Arabic inscription composed of a paraphrase of two verses from a maqāma poem by Badī‘ al-Zamān, and the name of the poet or/and the owner, Mūsā. The dating of the pencase to the Fatimid …
An Abbasid-Period Stone Mold With An Engraved Kufic Arabic Inscription From The Giv‘Ati Parking Lot Excavations, Jerusalem,
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
An Abbasid-Period Stone Mold With An Engraved Kufic Arabic Inscription From The Giv‘Ati Parking Lot Excavations, Jerusalem, Michael Chernin, Oscar Bejarano, Yuval Gadot, Yiftah Shalev
'Atiqot
Excavations in the Giv‘ati Parking Lot in Jerusalem uncovered extensive architectural remains dating from the Iron Age to the Early Islamic period, the latest dating to the Abbasid period. The remains from the Abbasid period comprise a large commercial area where a metal industry operated. This paper presents an Abbasid-period stone mold for casting metal artifacts engraved with an Arabic inscription, whose purpose and meaning are discussed by the authors based on parallels from material finds and written sources.
A Greek Inscribed Early Islamic-Period Oil Lamp From Jerusalem,
2024
The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
A Greek Inscribed Early Islamic-Period Oil Lamp From Jerusalem, Leah Di Segni, Benyamin Storchan, Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah
'Atiqot
A unique mold-made oil lamp dating from the Early Islamic period was found in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was inscribed in Greek on the upper and lower parts of its body, including the shoulder and the base. The lamp is of the Jerash type, produced between the late sixth and mid-eighth centuries CE. The lamp owner was most likely a Greek-speaking Christian—a resident of the city or a visitor from across the Jordan—on pilgrimage or on a commercial or social journey, attesting to a continuous presence of Christian visitors in the Holy City in the Early Islamic period.
A Bilingual Greek-Georgian Inscription From Mount Zion, Jerusalem, And The Location Of The “Monastery Of The Iberians”,
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Bilingual Greek-Georgian Inscription From Mount Zion, Jerusalem, And The Location Of The “Monastery Of The Iberians”, Michael Chernin
'Atiqot
A salvage excavation on the southern part of Mount Zion uncovered building remains dating from the Byzantine period. A bilingual Greek-Georgian mosaic inscription was discovered in one of the rooms of the building complex. Based on this finding, and in light of the early written sources, the author proposes to identify the building with the Monastery of the Iberians.
Two Greek Inscriptions On Mosaics From The Theater At Shuni,
2024
The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Two Greek Inscriptions On Mosaics From The Theater At Shuni, Leah Di Segni
'Atiqot
Two Greek inscriptions, set in a mosaic pavement in the pool adjoining the eastern side of the theater of Shuni, celebrate the foundation of this structure by the otherwise unknown governor of First Palestine Flavius Marcianus Antipater, whose term of office can be dated by his titulature to the second half of the fifth or the early sixth century CE. One of the inscriptions, though fragmentary, can be recognized as an epigram. Both inscriptions exhibit a high level of sophistication, fitting the site where they were found, the location of a renowned Maiumas festival known for its cultural refinement.
A Boundary Stone From Kafr Nafaḥ And The Preservation Of Ancient Place Names In The Northern And Central Golan Heights,
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
A Boundary Stone From Kafr Nafaḥ And The Preservation Of Ancient Place Names In The Northern And Central Golan Heights, Danny Syon, Chaim Ben David
'Atiqot
A Roman imperial boundary stone, erected under Diocletian in c. 300 CE, was reused as a covering stone of a fourth-century CE grave. It bears the Greek names of the villages Ramathana and Kapharnapha, identified as the late Ottoman villages Ramtaniyye and Kafr Nafaḥ. This is the first instance where ancient names were preserved by the modern ones in the central Golan Heights, overturning previous assumptions in this regard. Archaeological evidence from both sites confirms their existence in the Roman and Byzantine periods. It seems that the preservation of the name of Kafr Nafaḥ is due to its location along …
A Milestone Without A Road: A Distance Marker Below An Arch Of The High Aqueduct To Caesarea,
2024
Bar Ilan University
A Milestone Without A Road: A Distance Marker Below An Arch Of The High Aqueduct To Caesarea, Avner Ecker, Yotam Tepper, Avshalom Karasik
'Atiqot
A milestone located in Bet Ḥananya, below one of the arches of the Hadrianic High Aqueduct to Caesarea (Canal B), was subjected to a 3D scan. This technique enabled the reading of the inscription on the milestone and thereby, to date the stone to the period of the dual reign of Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus (161–169 CE). It also became apparent that the stone marked the fourth mile station from Caesarea. This paper suggests that the milestone is in situ and marked a segment of the Roman imperial road between Caesarea and the legionary base at Legio. The …
A Nabataean Inscription Near ‘Avedat,
2024
Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv
A Nabataean Inscription Near ‘Avedat, Ohad Abudraham, Alexander Wiegmann
'Atiqot
The corpus of surviving Nabataean inscriptions consists of thousands of graffiti written on rock faces and bedrock from Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Egypt, while a few such inscriptions are known from the Negev. The Nabataean inscription presented here was incised in the dark-brown patina of a limestone bedrock outcrop near ‘Avedat, a region dotted with many petroglyphs and inscriptions. The inscription is written in a typical Nabataean signature-type formula, comprising the name of the author preceded by a blessing and ending with the general greeting of well-being. The isolated location of the inscription should probably be connected with the historic …
Analyzing The Organic And Mineral Composition Of Inkwell Residues As Preparation For Characterizing The Ink Of The Dead Sea Scrolls,
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
Analyzing The Organic And Mineral Composition Of Inkwell Residues As Preparation For Characterizing The Ink Of The Dead Sea Scrolls, Ilit Cohen Ofri, Yotam Asscher, Yonah Maor, Roi Porat, Beatriz Riestra, Pnina Shor
'Atiqot
This paper focuses on the study of the contents of inkwells dating to the Early Roman period, using an array of analytical techniques: portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF), Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Our goal was to shed light on the chemical composition of the inks used for writing in the late Second Temple period in Israel, particularly those which may have been similar to that used in the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS). An understanding of the ancient ink’s chemistry has important implications …
Not A “Signet Ring” Of Pontius Pilatus,
2024
History Department, University of Cologne
Not A “Signet Ring” Of Pontius Pilatus, Werner Eck, Avner Ecker
'Atiqot
Gideon Foerster’s excavations at Herodium in 1968/69 yielded a simple ring, which was published only in 2018. The inscription on the ring was read as Πιλάτο(υ), i.e., ‘of Pilate.’ Various interpretations were offered for the inscription, all generally linking the ring directly or indirectly to Pilate. This paper shows that, apart from the problematic reading, everything we know about the Roman administration in the provinces speaks against such an assumption, especially the use of the Greek language in an administrative context in the first half of the first century. Alternative readings for the letters and other ways to understand them …
A Second Temple Period Inscription On A Stone Ossuary Lid From The City Of David, Jerusalem,
2024
Bar Ilan University
A Second Temple Period Inscription On A Stone Ossuary Lid From The City Of David, Jerusalem, Esther Eshel, Nahshon Szanton
'Atiqot
A stone fragment bearing a Hebrew or Aramaic inscription was discovered in the debris piled up along the Early Roman period Stepped Street in the Tyropoeon Valley, on the west slope of the City of David hill. The inscription preserves part of a list mentioning proper names and sums of money. Similar lists are known from the Second Temple period, commonly interpreted as payment received or rendered from individuals. This is the first inscription to be found inside the city. It is unclear whether the inscription was connected to the ossuary on which it was inscribed, perhaps by the ossuary …
Sidonians At Marisa (Maresha),
2024
Israel Antiquities Authority
Sidonians At Marisa (Maresha), Dalit Regev
'Atiqot
One of the most important epigraphical finds of ancient Idumea, which has led scholars to believe that a Sidonian/Phoenician community was present in Marisa during the Hellenistic period (fourth–second centuries BCE), is the well-known inscription uncovered at the site in 1905, reading “Apollophanes son of Sesmaios, Chief of the Sidonians at Marisa.” This inscription was discovered in a large, lavishly painted tomb in the city’s necropolis, allegedly supporting a presence of a Sidonian/Phoenician community in Marisa. Following a comprehensive examination of the material culture from Marisa vis-à-vis that of other Phoenician sites, this commonly-held assumption is put to question. Phoenician …
