925 Sterling silver
Size: 0.4" X 1.5" / 1 X 3.8 cm
The excavations at Ketef Hinom, overlooking the walls of the Old City, revealed part of the cemetery which served Jerusalem during the time of the First Temple. In one of the burial caves cut into the bedrock were discovered two tiny silver scrolls. When unrolled in the Israel Museum labaratories, they were found to be plaques incised with tiny letters in ancient Hebrew script.
Each Plaque bears a slightly different version of the same text. The smaller one reads: 'The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee and give thee peace'. This version is almost identical to the Priestly Benediction in Numbers 6:24-26.
These plaques date back 2600 years, to the time of last kings of Judah. As such, they are the earliest known fragment of a biblical text, antedating the scrolls from Qumran by some four hundred years.
The pendant is a handmade adaptation of the small plaque.
Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
This item comes with a lovely sterling silver snake chain in your choice of length.
This item comes with a certificate of authenticity of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem together with a description of its historical background in English and Hebrew.