Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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Location

JERI0015

Judaea. Jericho. 5 CE to 70 CE. Ossuary. Funerary.
Transcription

Σελαμσιοῦς μητρὸς Ἰωέζρου Γολιάθου שלמשיון המא די יהועזר גלית Σελαμσιοῦς μητρὸς Ἰοέζρου Γολιάθου

Translation

of Selamsio, mother of Yoezer, of Goliath. Shlamshion, (his) mother of Yeho'ezer, of Goliath. Of Selamsio, mother of Yoezer, of Goliath

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
Ossuary has red wash and low feet. Height describes that of chest plus that of vaulted lid with fingergrips. Ornamentation on the chest's front side consists of two metopes in zigzag frames, each containing a six-petalled rosette within a zigzag circle. Ornamentation on the chest's left and right sides is similar; a zigzag frame contains a six-petalled rosette within a zigzag circle. First line appears above the rosette on the chest's right side; second line below it, and last line on the lid's front side (see inscription "jeri0013" for identical positioning and language of inscriptions). Σελαμσιοῦς is the genitive form of Σελαμσιώ, one of many variants of the female name שלומציון. The word μητρὸς is also in the genitive here; such reference to a deceased woman as "X, mother of Y" occurs occasionally. The spelling Ἰωέζρος is consistent throughout the tomb group, with the exception of this and one other instance of Ἰοέζρος; both differ considerably from spellings Ἰωζάαρ and Ἰωζάρα in the Septuagint and Ἰώζαρος, Ἰόζαρος and Ἰωάζαρος in Josephus, but all represent יועזר, a contraction of יהועזר. The plene form is not recorded at all in Talmudic literature and the contraction appears only once. The name יהועזר is spelled with two ligatures, of heh and vav and of ῾ayin and zayin, and גלית has ligature of gimmel and lamed. Two men in this family bore the name "Goliath," which has negative connotations among Jews; such derogatory nicknames, often alluding to a physical characteristic, may have originated as terms of abuse but become accepted family names. The word המא represents a local dialectal pronunciation of the expected אמא. This variation is attested elsewhere, including in local contemporary transcriptions of Greek words, with spiritus lenis replaced by spiritus asper. Repetition of the name of the deceased may express grief of the mourner(s) or improve upon an unsatisfactory first inscription.

Languages

Greek, Hebrew

Dimensions

H: 28.5+5 cm; W: 57 cm; D: 24.5 cm

Date

5 CE to 70 CE

Current location

No provenance provided.

Figures

  • metopes within frames on front side

  • zigzag circles encircling rosettes

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

  • zigzag frames front, left and right sides of chest

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
  • Hachlili, Rachel. “The Goliath Family in Jericho: Funerary Inscriptions from a First-Century A.D. Jewish Monumental Tomb.” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 235, no. Summer (1979): 31–66.
    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," JERI0015, 12 June 2026. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89