Ancient Inscribed Stone Found at Tel Gezer Reveals Early Hebrew Alphabet and Agricultural Calendar

In 1908, during the Macalister excavations at Tel Gezer in Israel, a worker uncovered a small hand-sized stone inscribed with eight lines of ancient script. Scholars debate whether the writing is early Hebrew or Phoenician, but agree it is an early alphabetic script written from right to left, considered a precursor to the Hebrew alphabet. Initially unrecognized by the diggers, researchers later identified the artifact as one of the most significant archaeological finds in Israel.

The inscription details an agricultural calendar of ancient Israel, outlining the year month by month as experienced by farmers. It mentions periods such as "months of harvest," "months of sowing," and "months of pruning," reflecting the seasonal cycles of crops like wheat, barley, grapes, figs, and flax. The term "yerach" in the text refers to two months, indicating paired months in the calendar.

This artifact is not a royal decree but likely a farmer’s calendar, possibly created by a child learning to write, a tax collector, or a folk song. Notably, the name "Aviyah," meaning "The Lord is my father," appears at the bottom, representing one of the earliest references to the name of God found in excavations. The inscription dates to the 10th century BCE, the era of King Solomon.

The original stone is preserved at the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul, with a large replica displayed at the Tel Gezer site. Additionally, in 1902, Macalister’s team discovered a scarab seal bearing the name of Pharaoh Merenptah, son of Ramses II, linking Tel Gezer to Egypt during the 13th century BCE, the traditional period of the Israelite Exodus. This seal confirms the city’s historical ties to Egypt and the recognition of the site by the pharaoh.

These findings highlight Tel Gezer’s importance in understanding ancient Israel’s history and culture, with further discoveries anticipated.