Pittsburgh archeologist discovers ancient alphabet in Israel
Find will add fuel to biblical debate
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
By Anya Sostek, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A "spectacular find" unearthed this past summer by a Pittsburgh archeologist is the most concrete evidence of written education in Israel in the 10th century B.C.

The discovery -- an inscription of a complete alphabet on a tablet dated to the 10th century B.C. -- is expected to feed a hot debate between biblical skeptics and proponents, who disagree on the extent to which the Bible represents historical truth.

"This could be one of the more important discoveries in the last decade in Israel because it plays into a continuing controversy," said William Dever, a professor emeritus at the University of Arizona who is now living in Bedford Hills, N.Y., upon hearing a description of the discovery.

The archeological find will be officially announced at a news conference this morning at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in East Liberty. Seminary professor Ron E. Tappy conducted the archeological dig.
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