Studies in West-Semitic Epigraphy

Epigraphy deals with ancient inscriptions and manuscripts revealed by archaeology; it is an auxiliary study to that of history. It studies the texts, languages and scripts from diachronic and synchronic points of view, and thus yields additional data on the cultural background of the people who produced the written sources. This book contains a selection of articles by the author on West-Semitic scripts and inscriptions published during almost forty years.

Table of Contents:
Preface; The Scripts in Palestine & Transjordan in the Iron Age; A Palaeographic Note on the Distribution of the Hebrew Script; Writing & Scripts in Seventh Century B C E Philistia; Scripts & Inscriptions in Ancient Samaria; The Inscriptions from Failaka & the Lapidary Aramaic Script; An Aramaic Inscription from El-Mal -- A Survival of 'Seleucid Aramaic' Script; The North-Mesopotamian Script-Type in the Late Parthian Period; The Origin of the Mandaic Script; Some Semitic Epigraphical Considerations on the Antiquity of the Greek Alphabet; Proto-Canaanite, Archaic Greek & the Script of the Aramaic Text on the Tell Fakhariyah Statue; Semitic Epigraphy & the Antiquity of the Greek Alphabet; Published & Unpublished Aramaic Ostraca; Dated Coins of Alexander Janneus; An Aramaic Tomb Inscriptions Written in Paleo-Hebrew Script; An Aramaic Consolatory Burial Inscription; A Recently Discovered Palestinian Jewish Aramaic Amulet; Fragments of an Aramaic Magic Book from Qumran; Varia Epigraphica Judaica; The Palaeography of the Hermopolis Papyri; Another Mandaic Lead Roll; The Date of the Deir 'Alla Inscrtiption in Aramaic Script; A Nabatean Incantation Text; The Aramaic Inscriptions on Boundary Stones from Armenia; Remarks on Two East Aramaic Inscriptions; Syriac Miscellanea; A Syriac Amulet on Leather; A Bilingual Greek-Aramaic Inscription from H Qastra: The Aramaic Inscription; Hazael's Booty Inscriptions (with I Eph'al); The Tel Dan Inscription: A New Fragment (with A Biran); A North Mesopotamian Aramaic Inscription on a Relief in the Tigris Gorge (with C S Lightfoot); Epigraphic Miscellanea; The Scripts of Two Ostraca from Elath; The Ostracon from Nimrud: An Ammonite Name-List; Unpublished Phoenician Inscriptions from Palestine; Phoenician Seal Impressions from Akko; Gleanings of Some Pottery Inscriptions; Hebrew Graffiti of the First Temple Period; A Royal Dedicatory Inscription from Ekron (with S Gitin & T Dothan); Achish -- Ikausu in the Light of the Ekron Dedication; A Sixth Century Edomite Seal from 'En-Hazeva; The Phoenician Hundred-Sign; The Numbers of Bat in the Arad Ostraca; Graffiti & Dedications; Word Division in West Semitic Writing; Lamp Inscriptions & Inverted Writing; Nameless People; On Formal & Informal Spelling of Unpronounced Gutturals; A Medical Document or a Writing Exercise? The So-Called 4Q Therapeia; The Jar of the Gate (with I Eph'al); A Greek Dedication in Samaritan Letters; A 'Knot' & a 'Break': Terms for a Receipt in Antiquity (with S Shaked); Aramaica Dubiosa; Some Recently Forged Inscriptions; Remarks on the Recently Published Moussaief Ostraca (with I Eph'al); Publications in Hebrew; Indices.

About the Author :
Joseph Naveh is professor emeritus of Ancient West Semitic Epigraphy & Palaeography at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.