hagiograph

I recently read about an excavation at Tel Dan in 1993(?) that indicated an extra-biblical mention of the "House of David". Found by Avraham Biran . What is the reliability of this find? When does it actually date to? Is it even marginally contemporary with the early united monarchy?

-h

spin

BYTDWD (note, only one word), if the inscription is bona fide (and there is still doubt, though most accept it), probably indicates a place, such as Beth-El and Beth-Shemesh. These are towns which originally centred around a temple, the House of El, the House of Shemesh (the sun) and the House of the Beloved (DWD), maintained the deity name for whom the temple was dedicated. (And I guess ninth/eighth century BCE.)

The House of David would be two words.


spin

hagiograph

Thanks. I'd heard something about the fact there was no break in the word might indicate some other meaning.

-h

Lugubert

Try this link (w/ a picture of the fragment): http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0150David.php or search the Internet for "Tel Dan Stele"