Ancient Jews more literate than previously thought

[rogue06]

To be kept in mind the next time someone drones on about the Bible being composed by "illiterate Bronze Age goat herders"

Source: New Evidence on When Bible Was Written: Ancient Shopping Lists

Source

© Copyright Original Source

I had long heard that the Jews were regarded as being among the most, if not the most, literate people in the Mediterranean region.

The abstract from the paper itself:

[rogue06]

According to the experts this finding could well push the dating of the earliest Biblical texts back at least 200 years from what is generally assumed.

[Raphael]

[rogue06]

I wonder what the story is around this particular one: "And a full homer of wine

tumblr_mvtjrcQ6ds1somw7ho1_500.jpg

[Sparko]

[Carrikature]

The true story behind "ET phone home".

[shunyadragon]

To be kept in mind the next time someone drones on about the Bible being composed by "illiterate Bronze Age goat herders"

I had long heard that the Jews were regarded as being among the most, if not the most, literate people in the Mediterranean region.

This is clearly an over statement, particularly concerning the origins of the Bible. The Evidence overwhelmingly indicate that the Egyptians, Babylonians, Ugarites, and Sumarians clearly have a longer history of literacy than the Hebrew tribes. Definitely NOT the most literate people of the Mediterranean.

Yes, the Bible was originally composed, edited and redacted, and added to 'after' the dates of this discovery.

[One Bad Pig]

I had long heard that the Jews were regarded as being among the most, if not the most, literate people in the Mediterranean region.

This is clearly an over statement, particularly concerning the origins of the Bible. The Evidence overwhelmingly indicate that the Egyptians, Babylonians, Ugarites, and Sumarians clearly have a longer history of literacy than the Hebrew tribes. Definitely NOT the most literate people of the Mediterranean.

You're confusing two different concepts here. One is how long a society has had writing. The other is what portion of a particular society is literate. The second is what is in view here; you're arguing regarding the first.

[rogue06]

I had long heard that the Jews were regarded as being among the most, if not the most, literate people in the Mediterranean region.

This is clearly an over statement, particularly concerning the origins of the Bible. The Evidence overwhelmingly indicate that the Egyptians, Babylonians, Ugarites, and Sumarians clearly have a longer history of literacy than the Hebrew tribes. Definitely NOT the most literate people of the Mediterranean.

Yes, the Bible was originally composed, edited and redacted, and added to 'after' the dates of this discovery.

Having a longer history of being literate is not the same as being more literate. As this discovery verifies, literacy was not exclusively found among the most educated as it was in other societies. It appears to be much more widespread in ancient Israel (or Judah) as even low ranked soldiers in an isolated location were able to read and write

[shunyadragon]

Having a longer history of being literate is not the same as being more literate. As this discovery verifies, literacy was not exclusively found among the most educated as it was in other societies. It appears to be much more widespread in ancient Israel (or Judah) as even low ranked soldiers in an isolated location were able to read and write

Your over emphasizing one find to justify an agenda. Many examples dating far older in the other cultures have found writing used in every day commerce, which directly translates to people working in commerce would be literate far older than any thing found ancient Judaism.

It is shear unrealistic speculation to justify more ancient Biblical scripture older than the present finds based on this find. Nothing has been found so far concerning Biblical text older than the silver scrolls.

[rogue06]

Your over emphasizing one find to justify an agenda. Many examples dating far older in the other cultures have found writing used in every day commerce, which directly translates to people working in commerce would be literate far older than any thing found ancient Judaism.

It is shear unrealistic speculation to justify more ancient Biblical scripture older than the present finds based on this find. Nothing has been found so far concerning Biblical text older than the silver scrolls.

Again you are confusing how long a people were literate with the percentage of the populace that is literate. By your reasoning England in the Middle Ages (with a literacy rate well under 10%) were more literate than the US is today (with a literacy rate over 90%).

We're not talking about something written by one person but by half a dozen different people among a small group including low ranking soldiers (historically speaking a group where high levels of reading and writing are not found) at an isolated fort (not a commerce or cultural center where higher levels of literacy would normally be found) that are remarkably free of errors.

[shunyadragon]

Again you are confusing how long a people were literate with the percentage of the populace that is literate. By your reasoning England in the Middle Ages (with a literacy rate well under 10%) were more literate than the US is today (with a literacy rate over 90%).

We're not talking about something written by one person but by half a dozen different people among a small group including low ranking soldiers (historically speaking a group where high levels of reading and writing are not found) at an isolated fort (not a commerce or cultural center where higher levels of literacy would normally be found) that are remarkably free of errors.

No problem, you are still far over reaching your conclusions concerning the differences in the history of literacy of cultures with just one discovery. It is a matter of fact that writing existed throughout the commercial world over at least a thousand years before any known writing in the Hebrew pastoral tribes, and labels on containers and trade tablets would would require workers to be able to read them. If you have writing for over a thousand years as tool of communication you will have wide spread literacy for commercial purposes.

I have no problem with the ramifications of this discover among the Hebrews, but you are neglecting the prrior over a thousand years of writing in the other cultures surrounding the Hebrew pastoral tribes that only had rudimentary Canaanite and Ugarite writing if that prior to ~800-1000 BCE. Still is is unsubstantiated conjecture the Hebrew Torah writings prior to this time. The only evidence of Biblical writings prior to this perriod is Ugarite, Canaanite and pre-Babylonian cuneiform tablets.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Your over emphasizing one find to justify an agenda. Many examples dating far older in the other cultures have found writing used in every day commerce, which directly translates to people working in commerce would be literate far older than any thing found ancient Judaism.

It is shear unrealistic speculation to justify more ancient Biblical scripture older than the present finds based on this find. Nothing has been found so far concerning Biblical text older than the silver scrolls.

Finding this thread via a link from rogue06 I must agree. Where is the ancient Hebrew library of the seventh century BCE on a par with that Assurbanipal [668-627 BCE] one might ask?

In their contemporary world the ancient Israelites were a minor people of little importance. It is only from later history that their significance is given undue emphasis.

[rogue06]

Finding this thread via a link from rogue06 I must agree. Where is the ancient Hebrew library of the seventh century BCE on a par with that Assurbanipal [668-627 BCE] one might ask?

In their contemporary world the ancient Israelites were a minor people of little importance. It is only from later history that their significance is given undue emphasis.

None which addresses whether or not a people as a whole were more literate than most others in the Mediterranean region. Not that this would be a high bar to try to exceed.

Overall, Scripture itself attests that it was expected for the average person to at the lest be semi-literate. For instance, in Deuteronomy 6, it says that when Moses led Israel out of Egypt, they were told to write the laws (mezuzot) upon their door posts, use tefilin, and learn and teach the Torah to their children.


Anywho... Here is the entire paper that I only could provide access to the abstract to back in the OP: Algorithmic handwriting analysis of Judah’s military correspondence sheds light on composition of biblical texts to which I can include some more current research Forensic document examination and algorithmic handwriting analysis of Judahite biblical period inscriptions reveal significant literacy level

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

None which addresses whether or not a people as a whole were more literate than most others in the Mediterranean region.

Most probably not.

The paper by Finkelstein et al is interesting but still speculative in its conclusions.

However, I am aware of the dangers of presuming ancient Israelite exceptionalism premised on much later views as well as the development of Judaic exclusivity.

In the seventh century BCE these were simply one group of peoples among many others, and within that contemporary context, not an overly important or significant one.