Naming names

Archaeology has been in the news again.

I’m thinking of the sensational announcement of the discovery of what is possibly a seal impression bearing the name of the prophet Isaiah. If the identification is correct it would join the list of over 50 Old Testament personalities whose existence is corroborated by sources outside the Bible.

Clay impressions

Personal names are found in a variety of sources from the ancient world. There are jar handles, monumental inscriptions, correspondence on clay tablets or pottery shards, to name a few. Particularly striking are the tiny carved seals which would be used to stamp an impression into wet clay. These impressions were used to authenticate or decorate and could bear the name of an owner. The seals themselves, though durable, are relatively rare, but the clay impressions are often found on archaeological digs. Called ‘bulla’, they are fragile, but if a site had been destroyed by fire they would have been hardened by their accidental baking.