Israeli archaeologist Yossi Garfinkel believes a pottery shard uncovered this past summer contains the oldest known Hebrew inscription, the Associated Press reported last week. The shard was discovered on a hilltop south of Jerusalem in July.

The shard, containing five lines of faded text, bears characters known as “proto-Canaanite.” Some scholars argue that proto-Canaanite was used by various peoples, but Garfinkel identified a word on the shard which he says existed only in the Hebrew language. Hebrew archaeologist Amihai Mazar said the inscription is “very important,” though he thinks it is still too early to conclude whether the text is Hebrew or not. If the script is in fact Hebrew, archaeologist Aren Maier said it would be “one of the most important texts, without a doubt, in the corpus of Hebrew inscriptions.”

Garfinkel says the finding is strong evidence the ancient Israelites were a literate people—able to chronicle events—and indicates that the Bible account is based on written records not just oral tradition.

Besides the shard, the settlement itself may be the most impressive discovery. The fortified town on the hilltop has a 30-foot-wide gate, a central fortress, and a wall running 2,300 feet in circumference. These fortifications are too elaborate to have been constructed by the city’s inhabitants, Garfinkel says. They would have required the resources of an organized kingdom, like that of King David. “[T]he fortified settlement where the writing was found contains indications that a powerful Israelite kingdom existed near Jerusalem in David’s time, says Garfinkel” (Associated Press, October 30).

“The fortification required 200,000 tons of stone and probably 10 years to build,” Garfinkel said.

Another discovery made public last week, as reported here on theTrumpet.com, was a water tunnel Dr. Eilat Mazar found while excavating in the City of David. Mazar believes the tunnel may have been used by David’s army in its conquest of the Jebusite fortress as recorded in 2 Samuel 5.

Archaeological finds in Israel continue to confirm the biblical record of events and conditions during the time of King David.