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Samaria Ostraca | |
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Material | Clay ostraca |
Writing | Paleo-Hebrew script |
Created | c. 850–750 BC |
Discovered | 1910 |
Present location | Istanbul Archaeology Museums |
The Samaria Ostraca are 102 ostraca found in 1910 in excavations in ancient Samaria (modern-day Sebastia, Nablus) led by George Andrew Reisner of the Harvard Semitic Museum.[1] These ostraca were found in the treasury of the palace of Ahab, king of Israel, and probably date about his period, 850–750 BC. Authored by royal scribes, the ostraca primarily record food deliveries, serving an archival function.[2]
The ostraca are written in the paleo-Hebrew alphabet,[3] which very closely resemble those of the Siloam Inscription, but show a slight development of the cursive script.[4] The language is typically seen as a northern Hebrew dialect.[2]
Of the 102 ostraca found, only 63 are legible.[1] The primary inscriptions are known as KAI 183–188. They are currently held in the collection of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.[5]