Archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and South Adventist University in the US have discovered an unusual Canaanite inscription on a 3,700-year-old ivory comb found in southern Israel. In the message, the Canaanites leave a “talisman” for the comb to be used to destroy lice. The information was released today, according to the AFP news agency.
In a statement from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the 17 written letters formed seven words that could be translated as “Let this prey remove the lice in the hair and beard”.
The comb was found at the Tel Lachish excavation in 2017, but the letters were not identified until this year after further analysis. According to archeology professor Yosef Garfinkel, the object provides “direct evidence” of the use of the Canaanite script in everyday life.
“This is the first Canaanite expression found in Israel,” Garfinkel said. Said. Lachish, about 40 kilometers southwest of Jerusalem, was an important Canaanite city. Archaeologists have found 10 inscriptions there, but the inscription on the comb is the first “full verb phrase” ever found there.
The comb in question is small and was probably made with elephant ivory imported from Egypt, as there were no elephants in the area. It measures approximately 3.66 x 2.51 centimeters, according to research published in the Jerusalem Archaeological Journal.
Since it was produced in ancient times, it has teeth on both sides. “The center of the comb is slightly worn, possibly from the pressure of the fingers holding the comb during hair care or head lice or beard removal,” the text states.
The research team analyzed the comb under a microscope for the presence of lice, and lice inclusions measuring 0.5 to 0.6 millimeters were observed on the second tooth. The study is based on climatic conditions Tel Lachis don’t let all the lice be spared. Lice have been reported by archaeologists since about 10,000 years ago, and human remains have been found by archaeologists in Brazil.
The study fills in the gaps regarding many aspects of Canaanite culture in the Bronze Age, revealing the first inscription of this people in an archaeological excavation and thus new aspects of the civilization’s daily life. “This is the first Canaanite expression found in Israel,” the researchers wrote. “There are Canaanites in Ugarit in Syria, but they write in a different alphabet – not the alphabet used today.”
*with information from AFP
source: Noticias
