Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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Location

JERI0003

Judaea. Jericho. 5 CE to 70 CE. Soft limestone ossuary with finely incised ornamentation. Funerary.
Transcription

Σίμωνος Lἔτους ΜΑ

Translation

of Simon, aged 41

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
Broken and badly battered, reconstructed and slightly restored ossuary has low feet, some damaged, and a vaulted, decorated lid. Height describes that of chest plus that of lid. Ornamentation, on the chest's front side, consists of three metopes in zigzag frames and triglyphs replaced by trunkless palm-tree motifs, which consist of zigzag semi-cricles at top and base. Each metope contains a twelve-petalled rosette of different size within a zigzag circle, with zigzags overlaying petals and linking outer circles to the corners of the frame. Ornamentation on the left and right sides is similar, a zigzag frame containing a six-petalled rosette within a zigzag circle, with a zigzag semi-circle linking the outer circles to the base of the frame. Five metopes in zigzag frames are on the chest's back side, and the lid has a zigzag frame with a zigzag line along the length of the apex. Inscription is superimposed on the chest's front side. A pottery bowl found nearby bears the name "Yishma'el, son of Shim'on, son of Palta, (from) Jerusalem"; perhaps it refers to this Shim'on. Age of the deceased is rarely found on ossuaries; on this one and another from Jericho the sign L, standing for ἐτῶν, is used to signal age (see inscription "jeri0003"). Locally, the sign was used to indicate dates at Maresha and later on coins of the Herodian dynasty and the Roman procurators. It occurs in Jewish tomb inscriptions in Egypt and Cyrenaica, and its use on ossuaries from Israel/Palestine may indicate the scribe's foreign origin.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 27+3 cm; W: 54 cm; D: 23 cm

Date

5 CE to 70 CE

Current location

No provenance provided.

Figures

  • encircled twelve-petalled rosettes in metopes on front

  • zigzag circles encircling all rosettes

  • metopes within frames on front and back

  • palm-tree motif triglyphs on front

  • encircled six-petalled rosettes on left and right sides of chest

  • zigzag semi-circles linking circle to frame on left and right sides

  • zigzag frames all sides of chest and on lid

  • zigzag line along apex of lid

  • zigzags overlaying petals on chest's front side, linking circles to frame

  • zigzag circles encircling rosettes

Bibliography

Source of diplomatic

No bibliography available for diplomatic transcription.

Source of transcription

No bibliography available for transcription.

Source of translation

No bibliography available for translation.

Other sources

  • Rahmani, L.Y. A Catalogue of Jewish Ossuaries in the Collections of the State of Israel. Edited by Ayala Sussmann. Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority: Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 1994.
    Zotero
  • Rahmani, L.Y. A Catalogue of Jewish Ossuaries in the Collections of the State of Israel. Edited by Ayala Sussmann. Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority: Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 1994.
    Zotero
  • Rahmani, L.Y. A Catalogue of Jewish Ossuaries in the Collections of the State of Israel. Edited by Ayala Sussmann. Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority: Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 1994.
    Zotero
  • Rahmani, L.Y. A Catalogue of Jewish Ossuaries in the Collections of the State of Israel. Edited by Ayala Sussmann. Jerusalem: Israel Antiquities Authority: Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 1994.
    Zotero
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The project can be cited as:

Satlow, Michael L., ed. 2002 - . “Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine.” Brown University. https://doi.org/10.26300/PZ1D-ST89

This inscription can be cited as:

"Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine," JERI0003, 7 June 2026. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89