An international team of archaeologists, led by Dr. Scott Stripling, claims to have found a lead tablet with a Hebrew inscription that could completely change what is known about the earliest biblical texts. The discovery would not only be thousands of years old, but would also contain one of the earliest written mentions of the name of God.
The piece, tiny (just 2.5 centimeters [0.98 inches]), was located during the review of materials extracted from ancient excavations. However, its size contrasts with its significance: it could be the oldest Hebrew text discovered to date, according to the researchers.
Where the tablet appeared and why it is key
The inscription was identified among the sediments at the site known as the "Joshua's altar", located on Mount Ebal, north of Nablus. That structure had been excavated in the 1980s by archaeologist Adam Zertal, and is mentioned in Deuteronomy as a place of sacrifices and cursing.
The site, revered by Jews and Christians, is associated with the earliest Israelite settlements in Canaan, around the 11th or 12th century BCE.
