Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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Images

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Location

JERU0179

Judaea. Jerusalem. 20 BCE to 135 CE. Soft limestone ossuary with finely incised ornamentation. Funerary.
Transcription

ידית בת נדב

Translation

Judith, daughter of Nadav

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
Broken and reconstructed ossuary has red wash and low feet. Height describes that of chest plus that of vaulted lid with fingergrips at edges. Ornamentation, on the chest's front side, consists of two metopes in line frames and a triglyph replaced by small, six-petalled rosettes within concentric line circles at top and base. Each metope contains similar encircled rosettes in its outer corners, and a six-petalled rosette within concentric zigzag circles in its center, with zigzags overlaying petals. The rosettes replacing the triglyph represent a stage in the disintegration of the metope scheme. Name is inscribed on the rim of the chest's left side. ידית is a contraction of יהודית, derived from the transliteration יודית for the Graecized Ἰουδιθ. נדב is a contraction of one of the Biblical names עמינדב ,יהונדב ,אבינדב, et cetera, which occur up to the early-second century CE.

Languages

Aramaic, Hebrew

Dimensions

H: 30+4 cm; W: 57.5 cm; D: 25.5 cm

Date

20 BCE to 135 CE

Current location

No provenance provided.

Figures

  • line frames front of chest

  • encircled rosettes in outer corners and centers of metopes, and top and bottom of triglyph

  • metopes within frames

  • zigzags overlaying central rosettes' petals

  • concentric line circles encircling other rosettes

  • concentric zigzag circles encircling central 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
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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," JERU0179, 14 November 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89