Type: Pottery from Samaria

Age: 835-722 BC

Culture: Samarian/Israelite

These pottery pieces came from the ancient city of Samaria (capital of the northern kingdom of Israel). There is writing n the piece of handle. Most of these pieces where handed to Pastor Terry by children on the dig site. Samaria had an excellent hilltop location (300 feet high) forty miles north of Jerusalem and 25 miles from the Mediterranean sea. The city withstood several sieges by the Syrians, and a 3-year siege by the Assyrians before it fell (2 Kings 17:5). This is especially interesting in view of the fact that the city’s spring was a mile away and the inhabitants had to rely on cisterns (underground reservoirs of collected rain water). The city of Samaria is referred to over 100 times in the Old Testament although it was not built until about 50 years after the death of Solomon. It was founded in 845 BC by Omri, who died before completing the new city. It was finished by his son Ahab.

Regarding the handle, to the best of our limited ability, we believe that the letters come from a middle semitic script which typically dates from 1200 BC until 400 BC. It is believed that the top register reads Yad, Hey, Ayin, Doled in Hebrew. The English equivalent would be YH-D, the Ayin being a silent letter. There are three letters that are clear on the bottom register, Pey, Shin, Nun. The meaning of this word is uncertain. Note, that this is conjecture and needs further study.