3,700-year-old ivory comb is discovered in Israel, inscribed with a plea to eradicate BEARD LICE

One of many earliest sentences written utilizing an alphabet was a spell in opposition to lice, a discovery has revealed.

Almost 4,000 years in the past a inhabitants often known as the Canaanites turned, so far as is thought, the primary to make use of an alphabet.

This group of individuals lived in an space often known as the Southern Levant – which is now recognised as Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Lebanon, Jordan and elements of Syria.

Whereas variations of this alphabet have been later used all over the world, Hebrew is the one residing true Canaanite language immediately.

Till just lately, no significant inscriptions have been discovered that date again to the start of the alphabet.

However now specialists have uncovered a whole sentence which was inscribed round 3,700 years in the past – round 100 years after the alphabet was first invented.

One of many earliest sentences written utilizing an alphabet was a spell in opposition to lice, a discovery has revealed

Written on a small ivory comb measuring 3.5 by 2.5cm, it reads: ‘Might this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.’

The comb was excavated from Tel Lachish in Israel in 2017 however the letters have been solely seen earlier this yr by an archaeologist.

The small comb has one aspect with thick enamel to untangle knots within the hair, whereas the opposite aspect has fantastic enamel to take away lice and their eggs – very similar to the current-day two-sided lice combs bought in shops.

The comb was excavated from Tel Lachish in Israel in 2017 however the letters have been solely seen earlier this yr by an archaeologist

All 17 Canaanite letters on the comb are in archaic kind, from the primary stage of the invention of the alphabet.

As there have been no elephants in Canaan throughout that point interval, it’s probably the ivory comb was an imported luxurious object from close by Egypt – indicating that even folks of excessive social standing suffered from lice.

Professor Yosef Garkinkel, from the Hebrew College of Jerusalem, mentioned: ‘That is the primary sentence ever discovered within the Canaanite language in Israel.

‘The comb inscription is direct proof for the usage of the alphabet in day by day actions some 3,700 years in the past.

‘It is a landmark within the historical past of the human means to put in writing.’

The findings have been revealed within the Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology.

WHAT WAS THE CITY OF LACHISH AND WHAT HAPPENED TO IT?

Town of Lachish was the second most vital stronghold for the Canaanites within the southern kingdom of Judah throughout the late Bronze Age. 

It’s located southwest of Jerusalem and is now represented by a nationwide park referred to as Tel Lachish – that includes a particular mound of Earth.

What was the traditional metropolis of Lachish is now represented by a mound of Earth within the nationwide park – Tel Lachish 

Town was closely fortified throughout the Center Bronze Age by a sloping financial institution and a fosse – it performed an vital position within the historical past of the area.

In the course of the Late Bronze Age it was a big Canaanite city-state.

Lachish had an intense and really bloody historical past, identical to many of the cities and cities situated within the area.

It first started to rise as a serious Canaanite metropolis round 1800 BC and lasted about 400 years earlier than it was destroyed – for the primary time – in 1550 BC.

This was on the hand of the Egyptians beneath Pharaoh Thutmose III as they moved over the realm throughout the 18th Dynasty growth.

The Canaanites rebuilt the town however it was destroyed once more in 1300 BC – they rebuilt it once more for a second time. 

About 60 years later the town was destroyed once more – about 1150 BC.

The positioning of Lachish was first discovered by William Foxwell Albright in 1929. He’s thought of the founding father of Biblical archaeology.