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Life in Bible Times



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Beduin children learning in the traditional way, seated round their teacher, writing on slates. An early photograph.

Teacher
Beduin children learning in the traditional way, seated round their teacher, writing on slates. An early photograph..

The stylus was pressed into the clay to make the cuneiform indentations.

Cuneiform
The stylus was pressed into the clay to make the cuneiform indentations..

Cuneiform Script. Clay tablets, after inscription, were baked. This example is a temple account.

Cuneiform
Cuneiform Script. Clay tablets, after inscription, were baked. This example is a temple account..

Fragment of the first tablet of the creation series. Cuneiform writing, 7th C BC Assyria. This series tells the Babylonian version of the creation story.

Cuneiform
Fragment of the first tablet of the creation series. Cuneiform writing, 7th C BC Assyria. This series tells the Babylonian version of the creation story..

Clay cylinder of Nabonidus, King of Babylon mentioning his son Belshazzar.

Cylinder
Clay cylinder of Nabonidus, King of Babylon mentioning his son Belshazzar..

Cylinder containing the account of Sennacherib`s invasion of Judah.

Cylinder
Cylinder containing the account of Sennacherib`s invasion of Judah..

Metal ink-pot and pen.

Inkpot
Metal ink-pot and pen..

Isaiah Scroll from Qumran, open at Is.38.9-40.28.

Isaiah Scroll
Isaiah Scroll from Qumran, open at Is.38.9-40.28..

Egyptian map drawn on papyrus (from the 13th century BC) showing the gold-mines in Waddi Hammamat, in the desert east of the Nile.

Map
Egyptian map drawn on papyrus (from the 13th century BC) showing the gold-mines in Waddi Hammamat, in the desert east of the Nile..

Egyptian scribe, Fifth Dynasty. From Sakkarah, Egypt. (Louvre, Paris).By the time of Moses, every well-to-do child in Egypt was taught to write in hieroglyphics. The profession of scribe was a highly-honoured one.

Scribe
Egyptian scribe, Fifth Dynasty. From Sakkarah, Egypt. (Louvre, Paris).By the time of Moses, every well-to-do child in Egypt was taught to write in hieroglyphics. The profession of scribe was a highly-honoured one..

A Jerusalem scribe writes out one of the five Holy Books of Moses in Hebrew. An early photograph.

Scribe
A Jerusalem scribe writes out one of the five Holy Books of Moses in Hebrew. An early photograph..
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A gold signet ring from Persepolis (above) and the impression of the seal of Xerxes. 5th century BC (below). (Oriental Institute, Chicago).

Seal
A gold signet ring from Persepolis (above) and the impression of the seal of Xerxes. 5th century BC (below). (Oriental Institute, Chicago)..

The epitaph on the coffin of Ahiram, King of Byblus, c. 1250 B.C. Being Semitic it is vowelless and runs from right to left - a left to right version in Roman characters with vowels inserted is given below the lines.

Semitic
The epitaph on the coffin of Ahiram, King of Byblus, c. 1250 B.C. Being Semitic it is vowelless and runs from right to left - a left to right version in Roman characters with vowels inserted is given below the lines.. Translation: first line: This coffin made (I)thoba`al (?) son of Ahiram, King of Byblus, for Ahiram his father to be an abiding place for ever. This inscription dates a century or two after Moses, who probably used the same ancient Semitic alphabet.

Proto-Sinaitic writing. 15th century BC.

Sinaitic
Proto-Sinaitic writing. 15th century BC..

A traditional rabbi reading a Torah scroll

Rabbi
A traditional rabbi reading a Torah scroll.

Comparative alphabets:

Alphabet
Comparative alphabets:. Hebrew square script - as used in the Old Testament texts. Kufic - an older form of Arabic. Samaritan - as used in the Samaritan Old Testament. Aramaic - as used in some Aramaic documents. Syriac - as used in the Syriac New Testament. Estrangelo - an older form of Syriac. Phoenician - used by the sea people called Philistines. Palmyrene. Etruscan, used in much of Italy, before the Roman empire. Greek - as used in the New Testament. Arabic - as used in the Kuran. Ethiopic, Amharic, Coptic - the liturgical languages of Egypt.

Alphabets of Hieroglyphics, Hieratic, Phoenician (as used on the Moabite stone and Siloam inscription), with Hebrew

Alphabet
Alphabets of Hieroglyphics, Hieratic, Phoenician (as used on the Moabite stone and Siloam inscription), with Hebrew.

Rock of Behistun, showing Persian scultures with writing in Persian, Nabylonian and Scythic.

Alphabt
Rock of Behistun, showing Persian scultures with writing in Persian, Nabylonian and Scythic..

Papyrus plant, used in Egypt to make paper, baskets and even boats. Heb. GoMeA, often translated `bulrush` (Ex.2.3, Job.8.2, Is.18.2, 35.7)

Paper
Papyrus plant, used in Egypt to make paper, baskets and even boats. Heb. GoMeA, often translated `bulrush` (Ex.2.3, Job.8.2, Is.18.2, 35.7).

Quill, ink and parchment.

Quill
Quill, ink and parchment..

Scribe taking accounts

Scribe
Scribe taking accounts.

Assyrian scribes writing notes of prisoners, spoil etc after war

Scribe
Assyrian scribes writing notes of prisoners, spoil etc after war.

Egyptian scribes

Scribe
Egyptian scribes.

Egyptian scribes

Scribe
Egyptian scribes.

Scroll opened for reading, and scrolls rolled up, stored in a container.

Scrolls
Scroll opened for reading, and scrolls rolled up, stored in a container..

Assyrian and Babylonian seals cf Dan.6.17

Seals
Assyrian and Babylonian seals cf Dan.6.17.

Specimens of ancient writing on sticks - cf Ezek.37.16, Num.17.2

Sticks
Specimens of ancient writing on sticks - cf Ezek.37.16, Num.17.2.

Egyptian palette of a scribe

Stylus
Egyptian palette of a scribe.

Egyptian writing case with stylus and ink.

Stylus
Egyptian writing case with stylus and ink..

Tablets with soft wax and styluses for scratching temporary notes. Used especially in schools.

Tablets
Tablets with soft wax and styluses for scratching temporary notes. Used especially in schools..