By Jspace Staff
The oldest inscription ever uncovered in Jerusalem has been found, with alphabetical writing dating back to the time of King David.
The inscription was found on a jar fragment near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount last year, but was only announced today following exhaustive studies on the item. The artifact is believed to be 3,000 years old, with writing in a Canaanite language.
The piece was found by Hebrew University archaeologist Eilat Mazar, and Hebrew University says it is the oldest writing ever found in the capital city.
Although the writing is legible, historians are not able to determine what the message means, as it is written in an unknown language. Mazar believes the writing could be the name of the jug’s owner or a label describing what was meant to be stored in the jar.
The jar dates to the 10th century BCE, making it approximately 250 years older than the next oldest inscription found in Jerusalem—an artifact from the King Hezekiah period of 8th century BCE.
When read from left to right, researchers say the inscription spells out the equivalent of m, q, h, n, possibly l, and another n.
The fragment was found during an excavation at the southern wall of the Temple Mount. As the writing represents a language that is otherwise completely lost, Hebrew University says it is an important archaeological find.
