Ancient Hebrew Artifact Found On Jerusalem's Mount Of Olives

JERUSALEM — Archaeologists digging on Jerusalem's Mount of Olives have discovered a nearly 3,000-year-old jar handle bearing ancient Hebrew script, a find significantly older than most inscribed artifacts unearthed in the ancient city, an archaeologist said. The Iron Age handle is inscribed with the Hebrew name Menachem, which was the name of an Israelite king and is still common among Jews.

The inscription also includes a partly intact letter, the Hebrew character "lamed," meaning "to." That suggests the jar was a gift to someone named Menachem, said Ron Beeri, who directed the excavation for the Israel Antiquities Authority. There is no indication the inscription refers to the king himself.

The name and similar variants have been found on Egyptian pottery dating back 3,500 years, and the Bible lists Menachem Ben Gadi as an ancient king of Israel. But this is the first time an artifact bearing the name has been unearthed in Jerusalem, Beeri said.

"It's important because it shows that they actually used the name Menachem during that period," Beeri said. "It's not just from the Bible, but it's also in the archaeological record."

Based on the style of the inscription, he dated the handle to around 900 B.C., the time of the first Jewish Temple in Jerusalem as recounted in the Bible.

The vessel the handle was attached to did not survive, so it is impossible to tell what it was used for, Beeri said. Similar vessels were known to have held products like oil or wheat.

Construction workers uncovered the archaeological site while digging the foundation for a girl's school being built in the area, Beeri said.

Excavators also uncovered storage vessels and implements from two earlier nomadic settlements, both dating to around 2,000 B.C., he said, as well as artifacts dating from the time of the Roman Empire around 2,000 years ago.

Archaeologists have completed their dig, and construction workers building the school are back on the job, Beeri said.

The Mount of Olives is just outside Jerusalem's Old City. The hill is important to Jews because of its proximity to the destroyed Temple and to Christians, who believe it is the site where Jesus ascended to heaven.

Comments

[petera63]

Just before signing the Oslo accord, Rabin told the following story to Arafat:
"One summer day David, the future king of Israel, went for a swim in the Jordan river. He left his clothing on the sand and jumped into the water. A Palestinian sheppard stole his clothes, and poor David had to go home naked."
"This is a blatant insinuation", Arafat objected. "There were no Palestinians then on those lands."
"That's exactly the point, Mr. Arafat", Rabin said.

[newworldman777]

And what, exactly, is your point? Are you saying that if a people occupy a land first, then they are the rightful owners of that land and should therefore have the right to expel others who have subsequently moved into that land? Ha! Pure absurdity. Try tellng all of these European Americans, African Americans, Oriental Americans, etc. that they have no right to live in America, because it rightfully belongs to the first people who occupied this land, the Native Americans. You can't apply such an absurd argument to one people while ignoring another people in exactly the same situation.

[H I McDonough]

3000 years? Why that's half an existence ago!! Not many things older than that, you betcha, and also.

[TammyKnowsBest]

Israel will demolish 80 more houses just to dig up a bottle cap from 3,000 years ago.

Palestinian and Islamic and Christian artifacts are everywhere, why dont we hear about them?

More propaganda to claim this land purely Jewish.

[Spiritof1982]

If Tammy knew best, Tammy would just stop typing in cases like this. Your interpretation of the story is not gospel.

[wwoody]

Is there a part two ?

[goodog]

"Based on the style of the inscription, he dated the handle to around 900 B.C."

It's dated based on its style?

No way.

It should be dated based on how old it is. Radiocarbon dating, not style, is how you date an artifact.

From the Shroud of Turin, found to have been painted with pigments from the 13th century, to this undated piece of hooey, religious zealots have been trying to foist fake representations of their mythology into the historic record for centuries.

Nothing short of scientific proof of authenticity and age should count as official evidence.

Style can be counterfeited and, among these religious fanatics, it frequently is.

[3dtrix]

Radiocarbon dating is only for organic materials - bone, wood, leather, etc. Other techniques, such as thermoluminesence (TL) are more suitable for pottery. On the whole, style analysis is generally very accurate for dating purposes if the data base is sufficient - seldom are mere fragments worth counterfeiting. In the realm of artifacts with purported religious significance, of course, all bets are off...

[goodog]

Thermoluminesence it IS then!

[newworldman777]

Unfortunately, ulterior motives -- either for religious reasons or for financial gain -- often overshadow such "archaeological finds." One only needs to examine the alleged stone ossuary of "James, the brother of Jesus," which dominated the archaeological and religious news a few years ago. After having been proven that it was a hoax (big surprise there), that fiasco really did wonders for the effort to prove one of the myths of the Bible. Ultimately, it discredited the religious freaks, doing them more harm than good.

[Spiritof1982]

Radiocarbon dating wouldn't be as precise. Comparative anthropological methods are entirely valid and acceptable everywhere else in the world when dating artifacts. Your demand for radiocarbon dating is misguided and bizarre.

[Daniel Torluemke]

The Palistinains came to Israel after the Jew's made the place nice after WW II. They are Syrians.

[H I McDonough]

Funny how that happened. It was the worst house on the block and those giving it snickered behind their hands. A little spiffing up and now it's Charlie Brown's Christmas tree and all the locals think they wouldn't mind taking it back cause it really is a swell tree, after all.

[Coyote777 7]

Millions of acres of land claimed by Christian, Hindu and M.uslim states and peoples, yet no-one is willing to grant the J.ewish state a tiny handful of land. Regret of the creation of the J.ewish state is closeted a.ntisemitism.

And yes, we also turned away shiploads of J.ewish refugees as did all other nations in the world, so we equally share the responsibilities of European v.irulent a.ntisemitism during and leading up to WW2. But it is interesting how Europe now rejects their responsibilities by closeting their continuing antisemitism as anti-Zionism.

SHAME!

[deluk]

I believe you're refering to German 'virulent ant-semitism' not European. We elected a Jewish Prime Minister (Disraeli) in the 19th century and England provided refuge for Jews long bfore the US. Please do not generalise so indiscriminately.

[rf dude]

Goodness, it's from

the Dawn of Time!!!

(BTW - "Menachem Lamed " was a then-popular brand of beer, known for
containing less sand and gravel than other beers of the time. "Less Filling" had a
MUCH different meaning back then...)
--

[paixa3]

I have read the new testament and do not recall anything about the mount of olives and the ascention.

I have never even heard that assumption before.

Are there any true biblical scholars on this thread?

[Elaine Jenkins]

The story of the Ascention is in the Book of Acts, Chapter 1: 1-11.

This excerpt includes verses 8 to 11.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

[Goliadkin]

Be grateful for any fresh vegetable!

[rf dude]

Soak it in water, it's just dehydrated...
--

[Goliadkin]

Maybe a little brine?

[JerseyTodd]

Has anyone checked in with Mel Brooks or Carl Reiner on this one?

[Goliadkin]

Of course! Menachem was the great sage who laid down the first law of medicine, "Lie there til you get better!"

He was also the first grafitti artist. He used to etch his name on shards in a wild, flamboyant script...all the time with the shards, so you couldn't find a plain shard anywhere. Just "Menachem," everywhere you look. He made us CRAZY!

So they found one of Menachem's shard on the Mount of Olives? Keep digging! That whole Mount is nothing but shards. That Menachem, he was nothing if not prolific!

[wadenelson1]

lmao

[haval2]

Big day for ignorance...surely a lack of Middle Eastern history thrives with all the anti semitism reflected in today's comments. Anybody here really go to school? or should i say ...finish school?

[H I McDonough]

Is being anti organized religion being anti Semitic? Really, I'm asking.

[squander123]

I'm sure I watched a TV documentary about 6 months ago detailing the giant frauds perpetrated by dealers who 'discover' exactly these kind of items in Jerusalem...

...I don't know if it's triggered by this story, but I've just noticed that the ad appearing on the bottom of my screen says "2008: God's Last Warning. The downfall of the US has begun with economic collapse being first. www.the-end.com". Are others getting this? Hilarious stuff, I'm off to click on it...

[squander123]

Ooh, it's a fabulous website. Apparently one Ronald Weinland has been sent by God to the people of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, to warn of the end times (which curiously are going to start in the US and within the coming year. Consider yourselves warned). And God's mysterious moves are mainly taking the form of PDF downloads these days, it appears. You can't say He doesn't move with the times. I don't think I'll be taking up the invitation of that download though...

[MosheDayanHero]

you now comment on your own posts?

[totaldisbelief]

isn't there a small industry in Israel manufacturing these "artifacts" ?

[MosheDayanHero]

Yes, of course. The entire Jewish history is manufactured by them Zionists: the Bible, monotheism, First and Second Temples, King Herod's buildings, Jerusalem,Nazareth, Alexander the Great's negotiations with State of Israel, Israel as a Roman protectorate etc. All illusion.
Let you in on a secret. Shhhh..... Wailing Wall was built in China and transported there. Really.

[PCMinistry]

Dude relax. He wasn't getting all antisemitic on you. Someones sensitive huh??

[PaceSetter]

Don't get all ADL on us - I bought a very nice little 3rd century Buddha when I was in India and an excellent ancient Mayan carving at Chichen Itza too - there is a small industry creating artifacts at EVERY tourist destination.

[nuclearmonkeys]

lol. Conspiracy theorize much? The history is there and valid, though it does not justify what is done to the Palestinians. Both sides need to learn to share the land that both have claims to.

[PCMinistry]

I don't think thats what he was saying. Just about anywhere you go where there are artifacts to be found you will find lots of folks creating good phonies just to make money. That doesn't mean there aren't real artifacts! Sheesh!

[useyourbrain]

Actually, they are made by Palestinian slave workers in Kuwait.

[steamboat]

3000 years old ! You mean the jews were there before the Palestinians?

[Steamboater]

We're on the same boat with that one.

[Macready]

no .. . the people who became the jews were part of the different peoples living in the region -- so were the palestinians . . they were definitely there . . . the only place where the jews have a prominent place in history is in the bible . . . and the OT does not stand up to historical or archaeological facts . .what this means . . is that this piece was written in hebrew . . . there is other evidence in hebrew that in the 8th century yahweh had a wife . . . and that is later than than this fragment . . .

[Absolon]

And her name was? Do tell!

[timetorevolt]

so, the Indians were here before Europeans. Do you spport returning this country back to the control of original inhabitants?

[AZ AF VET]

At the rate the Europeans are destroying it, won't be much to give back to the original inhabitants.

[steamboat]

If you set the example by GIVING your house to a Native-American (Indian) since they were the original owners.

[KHAAANNN]

Tell that to the Caananites.

[Anode]

actually, the closest forefathers of the modern P.s ruled Jerusalem way before this find of a jug handle (dated to ca. 900BC). For example, The King of Jerusalem, Abdi-Heba wrote to the Pharaoh of Egypt several letters in the mid-1330s BC which were discovered among the Amarna Letters. These letters are very well preserved writings from a sophisticated and very advanced culture. Nothing of the h.e.b.r.e.w writings date that far back, at least beyonond a few scribbles on a pottery shards

[pkafin]

Of course other people were there even before the Israelites. However, to make the leap and assume that they are "the closest forefathers to the modern P.s" is a leap made on nothing.

You have to assert some connection to consider them to be forefathers. What connection are you suggesting? Is it genetic; are there DNA samples (or genetic tracking studies) from the folks you are referring to? Is it a cultural connection; Did they share an uninterrupted belief system, language, or rules pertaining to diet, family, or agriculture? Is there a national/political identity that ties these ancient folks you refer to to modern Palestinians?

Many aspects of Judaism are directly tied, in the ways described above, to the Jewish state/soci­ety/cultur­e that existed in that land several thousand years ago. This fact doesn't mean that the modern state of Israel shouldn't be negotiating a political solution to today's situation. It doesn't over rule the rights of modern Palestinian peoples. But, it does illuminate the perspective that modern Jewish Israelis are bringing to the table.

I don't think the Palestinians can point to Abdi-Heba as a reason for their current national aspirations and then expect to be taken seriously.

What is the connection?