Description
This course will stress the importance of epigraphic finds in archaeological research and in achieving a reliable understanding of the social, political, and cultural history of the biblical world. After a brief introduction to the history of alphabetic writing, students will engage in a study of selected extra-biblical inscriptions that relate directly to the history of Old Testament Israel. The corpus of inscriptions will include texts such as the Mesha Inscription, the well-known collections of ostraca from Samaria, Lachish, and Arad, as well as other, more recently discovered epigraphic finds. The class will analyze these inscriptions in their original languages (Hebrew and other local, cognate languages) and will investigate the historical circumstances surrounding each inscription. The class shall address issues of historiography as the different genres of texts (private letters; public display inscriptions; etc.) emerge from our study sample.
Replaces OT33 in new curriculum 2