10th-Century Biblical Name Discovered in Israel

Archaeologists have discovered a rare 3,000-year-old inscription of a name mentioned in the Bible.

The name “Eshbaal Ben Beda” appeared on a large ceramic jar in excavations conducted in Israel’s Shephelah region. Eshbaal of the Bible is elsewhere known as Ishbosheth, the son of King Saul. Archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel, however, believes the jar belonged to a different Eshbaal, likely the owner of an agricultural estate.

The latest find is one of only four inscriptions discovered from the biblical 10th century, when King David reigned over the kingdom of Israel.