Queries & Comments
010
Whn Ws Hbrw Wrttn Wtht Vwls?
To the Editor:
1. When was the last time ancient Hebrew was read and written without the vowels?
2. Was there difficulty in reading and pronunciation without the vowels?
Winifred Turimasi
Brooklyn, New York
1. It’s still written that way in Israel. Pick up a Hebrew newspaper.
2. T’s nt dffclt whn y knw th wds. Y cn rd ths, cn’t y?—Ed.
More Solutions to the Mystery Find from Lachish
To the Editor:
In regard to “The Mystery Find at Lachish,” BAR 05:05, pictured in your worthy magazine for September/October 1979, I beg to offer an identification for the puzzling clay Tootsie-Rolls! I am positive that they are hair curlers! The size is just right, the rough exterior would hold the hair securely but not too painfully when removed, the clay roller was to be heated in hot water or over a smokeless fire and its heat would set an excellent, long-lasting curl. The indentation at the end was doubtless to be fitted with a handle at the time of drawing it from the fire so as not to burn the beauty-operator’s fingers.
The fact that they have been found in quantity in several locations means that the “diggers” have found the ancient beauty salons! It was very stylish then to have tight curls on the beard as well as the hair, as seen in the art of that period.
By pure coincidence, I had rolled my hair on similar shaped foam-plastic curlers just before reading the article. Gee, we haven’t changed much over all these centuries, have we?
I surely enjoy your magazine! Only wish it came every month!
Caroline H. Hovey
Berea, Kentucky
To the Editor:
Since the objects are not decorated at all, they must be for some very prosaic, utilitarian purpose, rather than to decorate doors or tombs.
Could they have been used as counters or units of measurement? I also wonder about some kitchen usage. They also remind me of the lengths of clay a potter rolls to make handles for cups.
Sarah de Ris
Sharon, Massachusetts
To the Editor:
It would appear the archaeologists have hit upon a manufactory for weights—counter-balances. The suggestion of a hole punched in the center near the top would support this theory. These might have been used to control a ventilating device of some sort, or aperture cover.
Another idea, though less appealing, is that these were a weapon, attached to cords or thongs of certain lengths and swung in circles.
Victoria Bertling
West Allis, Wisconsin
To the Editor:
May I project a possible use for the 4-inch clay rolls?
I studied weaving and textiles for two years in high school. Could these objects possibly be: Spools onto which special thread was wound or rollers which were dipped in dye and stripe-dyed fabric? (Cut one in half and see if color goes all the way through instead of only on the surface). Or, could they have been for use in narrow looms to hold the warp in place? Bands, sashes, belts, etc., are hand-woven on narrow looms.
In my kitchen I have a dozen similar objects. They are made either of tin or aluminum. They are used when making a fancy pastry called cream rolls. A rich flaky dough is wound around each tubular form and baked. Afterwards these pastries are filled with whipped cream.
The fact that some have a small indentation on each end seems like they were used as some kind of rollers.
Is it possible they were used as hair curlers or beard curlers?
Cora B. Jensen
Dana Point, California
To the Editor:
They look like drapery weights—weights sewn in the bottom hem of curtains—probably sewn in vertically.
M. J. Archer
Urbana, Illinois
012
To Understand Ebla Tablets, Train More Conformists
To the Editor:
Complaining about the rate of publication of the Ebla materials is pointless, accusing the Syrian government of suppressing them is likely to be counter-productive. I find it hard to believe that they really are doing anything of the kind. I have no personal knowledge of the conditions in Syria, since I haven’t been there, but I do know that the U.S. government is advertising for Fulbright scholars to go to Syria, to teach the relevant subjects in Syrian universities. I do not think that this sits well with any contention that they intend to stifle research, but rather that, given time enough, they will see to it that the materials are made available in due course.
If someone is really concerned with the 013correct interpretation and analysis of the Ebla tablets, he would do better to see that there are American cuneiformists of adequate training in our universities. Quite frankly, such training can only be said to be complete if it includes both the study of Sumerian and comparative Semitic linguistics. I can count on the fingers of a single hand all of the American scholars so qualified. Perhaps it would take the digits of my other hand to add those outside of the U.S. Of scholarly centers able to train students in both fields, there are even fewer—if any, and in the present state of contraction of our universities, the situation is deteriorating still further. Students with an eye to the future have the good sense to keep away from such esoterica, and those who do not tend to be of inferior intellectual gifts.
Stephen J. Lieberman
Near Eastern Studies Department
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
Hittite Article Corrected
To the Editor:
Certain errors crept into the captions and text of “Hittites in the Bible—What Does Archaeology Say?” BAR 05:05. Because of the difficulties of communication between Washington and Jerusalem, I did not participate in the writing of these captions, and an editorial change implies a meaning I did not intend. More specifically:
Seal caption: Ishputahshu’s name is written in the outer circle in cuneiform and in the inner circle are Hittite hieroglyphs.
Bulla caption: Arma-Ziti never had any commercial or political contacts with Egypt. The last four lines of the caption should have stated that since Arma-Ziti managed Carchemish’s affairs with Ugarit, he could also have managed its affairs with Egypt.
The documents were preserved in two versions: the ‘Deeds of Suppiluliuma’ and the ‘Plague Prayers’ which were written after the reign of Suppiluliuma I.
The full title of I. Singer’s article is, “A Hittite Hieroglyphic Seal from Aphek,” Tel Aviv 4, pp. 178–190.
The proper title of Emil Forrer’s article is, “The Hittites in Palestine,” Palestine Exploration Quarterly, No. 68, 1936, pp. 190–203; No. 69, 1937, pp. 100–115.
The reference to Uriah the Hittite should, of course, be to Ephron the Hittite.
Aharon Kempinski
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv, Israel
011
BAR Index to Appear in 1980
A five-year, cumulative index to BAR articles will be published early in 1980. The BAR index will be sent to all current BAR subscribers free of charge and will include all articles which have appeared in the magazine since its inception in February, 1975.
The index will contain an alphabetical listing of all articles by title and author, as well as a selective subject index and the letters of most lasting interest from “Queries & Comments.”
The BAR index will be published as part of the first issue of the BAS Newsletter which will also make its appearance in early 1980.
013
Introducing the BAS Newsletter
The Biblical Archaeology Society, publisher of BAR, will inaugurate a newsletter for its members in early 1980.
The Biblical Archaeology Society Newsletter will initially appear three times a year and will be sent to members automatically without additional charge. All BAR subscribers are members of the Biblical Archaeology Society.
The BAS Newsletter, as it will inevitably be called, will report informally on activities of the Society. It will also encourage the formation of local chapters and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and announcement of events.
The BAS Newsletter will also describe some of the people who do the work of the Society and how they go about performing their jobs.
The Biblical Archaeology Society is a non-profit, non-denominational, charitable corporation organized in 1974 to promote interest in and understanding of Biblical archaeology.
Whn Ws Hbrw Wrttn Wtht Vwls?
To the Editor:
1. When was the last time ancient Hebrew was read and written without the vowels?
2. Was there difficulty in reading and pronunciation without the vowels?
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