Ostraca, the plural form of the Greek word "ostracon," refers to pottery shards or pieces of broken ceramic material that were used as writing surfaces in ancient times. These fragments were commonly employed for everyday writing purposes, such as receipts, letters, and lists, due to their availability and low cost compared to papyrus or parchment. Ostraca have been discovered in various archaeological sites throughout the ancient Near East, including Egypt, Israel, and Mesopotamia, providing valuable insights into the daily life, language, and culture of biblical times.

Biblical Context and Significance

While the Bible does not explicitly mention ostraca, the use of pottery shards as writing materials is consistent with the historical and cultural context of the biblical world. The practice of inscribing messages on ostraca aligns with the broader use of pottery in ancient societies, where ceramics served not only as containers and tools but also as a medium for communication.

In the context of the Old Testament, the use of ostraca can be associated with the broader theme of God's communication with His people. The prophets, for instance, often conveyed divine messages using various means, including written records. Although the primary medium for biblical texts was likely scrolls, the existence of ostraca demonstrates the diverse methods of recording and transmitting information in the ancient world.

Archaeological Discoveries

Several significant discoveries of ostraca have been made in regions relevant to biblical history. One notable find is the Lachish Letters, a collection of ostraca unearthed at the site of ancient Lachish in Israel. These letters, dating to the late 7th century BC, provide a glimpse into the political and military situation during the Babylonian siege of Judah. The Lachish Letters contain correspondence between military officials, offering insights into the challenges faced by the Kingdom of Judah during this tumultuous period.

Another important discovery is the Samaria Ostraca, a group of inscribed pottery fragments found in the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. These ostraca, dating to the 8th century BC, primarily record administrative transactions, such as the delivery of goods and the collection of taxes. The Samaria Ostraca shed light on the economic and administrative practices of the Northern Kingdom, contributing to our understanding of its societal structure.

Cultural and Linguistic Insights

Ostraca provide valuable linguistic data, as they often contain inscriptions in various ancient languages, including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. These inscriptions offer evidence of the languages spoken and written in the biblical world, as well as the evolution of scripts and dialects over time. The study of ostraca has enhanced our understanding of the development of the Hebrew language and its use in everyday contexts.

Moreover, ostraca reveal aspects of daily life that are not always captured in the biblical narrative. They document mundane activities such as trade, agriculture, and governance, providing a fuller picture of the socio-economic conditions in which biblical events unfolded. Through these artifacts, scholars gain a deeper appreciation for the lived experiences of the people who inhabited the lands of the Bible.

Theological Reflections

From a theological perspective, the existence of ostraca underscores the accessibility and practicality of God's communication with humanity. Just as ostraca served as a humble yet effective medium for conveying messages, the Scriptures themselves are a testament to God's desire to reach people in their everyday lives. The use of common materials for divine purposes reflects the biblical theme of God working through ordinary means to accomplish His extraordinary plans.

In summary, while ostraca are not directly mentioned in the Bible, their presence in the archaeological record enriches our understanding of the historical and cultural backdrop of the biblical narrative. These artifacts illuminate the ways in which ancient peoples recorded and shared information, offering a tangible connection to the world in which the events of the Bible took place.OSTRACA

os'-tra-ka: The word ostracon ("potsherd," Hebrew cheres) occurs in Job 2:8 (Septuagint), kai elaben ostrakon, "and he took him a potsherd." Earthen vessels were in universal use in antiquity (they are twice mentioned in the New Testament: skeue ostrakina (2 Corinthians 4:7 2 Timothy 2:20)), and the broken fragments of them, which could be picked up almost anywhere, were made to serve various purposes. Upon the smoothest of these pieces of unglazed pottery the poorest might write in ink his memoranda, receipts, letters or texts.

1. Hebrew Ostraca:

A fortunate discovery at Samaria (1910), made among the ruins of Ahab's palace, has brought to light 75 Hebrew ostraca inscribed with ink, in the Phoenician character, with accounts and memoranda relating to private matters and dating probably from the time of Ahab. Their historical contribution, aside from the mention of many names of persons and places, is slender, but for ancient Hebrew writing and to a less extent for Hebrew words and forms they are of value, while the fact that in them we possess documents actually penned in Israel in the 9th century B.C. gives them extraordinary interest. The nature of ostraca tends to their preservation under conditions which would quickly destroy parchment, skin or papyrus, and this discovery in Palestine encourages the hope of further and more significant finds.

2. Greek Ostraca:

Greek ostraca in large quantities have been found in Egypt, preserving documents of many kinds, chiefly tax receipts. The texts of some 2,000 of these have been published, principally by Wilcken (Griechische Ostraka, 2 volumes, 1899), and serve to illustrate in unexpected ways the everyday Greek speech of the common people of Egypt through the Ptolemaic, Roman and Byzantine periods. Like the papyri, they help to throw light on New Testament syntax and lexicography, as well as on ancient life in general.

3. New Testament Ostraca:

It is said that Cleanthes the Stoic, being too poor to buy papyrus, used to write on ostraca, but no remains of classical literature have been found on the ostraca thus far discovered. In some instances, however, Christian literary texts are preserved upon ostraca. Some years ago Bouriant bought in Upper Egypt 20 ostraca, probably of the 7th century, inscribed with the Greek text of parts of the Gospels. The ostraca are of different sizes, and preserve among others one long continuous passage (Luke 22:40-71), which runs over 10 of the pieces. The ostraca contain from 2 to 9 verses each, and cover Matthew 27:31, 32 Mark 5:40, 41 (9:3); 9:17, 18, 22; 15:21; Luke 12:13-16; Luke 22:40-71 John 1:1-9; John 1:14-17; 18:19-25; John 19:15-17. The texts are in 3 different hands, and attest the interest of the poor in the gospel in the century of the Arab conquest. Another late ostracon has a rough drawing labeled "St. Peter the evangelist," perhaps in allusion to the Gospel of Peter.

4. Coptic Ostraca:

Coptic ostraca, too, are numerous, especially from the Byzantine period, and of even more interest for Christian history than the Greek. A Sa`idic ostracon preserves the pericope on the woman taken in adultery (John 7:53-8:11), which is otherwise unattested in the Sa`idic New Testament. A Christian hymn to Mary, akin to the canticles of Luke, and some Christian letters have been found. The work of W.E. Crum on the Coptic ostraca is of especial importance. See , further, Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, 1910; Lyon, Harvard Theol. Review, January, 1911.

Edgar J. Goodspeed

3749. ostrakinos -- earthen
... earthen. 3749 (the root of the English term, "ostraca," ie baked-clay shaped
into pottery, etc.) -- properly, made of clay (earth). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3749.htm - 7k

The Close of the Theban Empire --(Continued)
... least.**. * The discovery of quantities of ostraca in the ruins of these
chambers shows that they served partly for cellars. ** I ...
/.../chapter ithe close of the.htm

Additional Notes.
... Fragments in Coptic, chiefly of Pss., have also been found on ostraca: see WE Crum,
Coptic Ostraca from the collections of the Egypt Exploration Fund, etc. ...
/.../additional notes.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... the women's pavilion is represented in the tomb of Rakhmiri That the dead were supposed
to read tales is proved from the fact that broken ostraca bearing long ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm

Ostraca
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia OSTRACA. os'-tra-ka: The word ostracon
("potsherd," Hebrew cheres) occurs in Job 2:8 (Septuagint ...
/o/ostraca.htm - 10k

Ahab (85 Occurrences)
... These ostraca seem to be labels attached to jars kept in a room adjoining Ahab's
palace. One of them reads, "In the ninth year. From Shaphtan. For Ba`al-zamar. ...
/a/ahab.htm - 52k

Ahio (6 Occurrences)
... brotherly," "brother of Yahweh," "my brother is Yah"): Proper names containing a
similar form of the name of Yahweh are found on the ostraca recently exhumed ...
/a/ahio.htm - 10k

Shiloah (1 Occurrence)
... inscription of the nature of a graffito; the flowing nature of the writing is fully
explained by Dr. Reissner's recent discovery of ostraca at Samaria written ...
/s/shiloah.htm - 17k

Siloah (1 Occurrence)
... inscription of the nature of a graffito; the flowing nature of the writing is fully
explained by Dr. Reissner's recent discovery of ostraca at Samaria written ...
/s/siloah.htm - 17k

Shelah (18 Occurrences)
... inscription of the nature of a graffito; the flowing nature of the writing is fully
explained by Dr. Reissner's recent discovery of ostraca at Samaria written ...
/s/shelah.htm - 24k

Siloam (4 Occurrences)
... inscription of the nature of a graffito; the flowing nature of the writing is fully
explained by Dr. Reissner's recent discovery of ostraca at Samaria written ...
/s/siloam.htm - 21k

Alphabet (2 Occurrences)
... (circa 800 BC); (3) Baal-Lebanon inscription (circa 750 BC); (4) Siloam inscription
(circa 700 BC); (5) Harvard Samaritan ostraca (time of Ahab?); (6) Gezer ...
/a/alphabet.htm - 24k

Messenger (235 Occurrences)
... Ulrich Wilcken published Griechische Ostraka aus Aegypten und Nubien, and in 1902
WE Crum produced his book of Christian ostraka called Coptic Ostraca from the ...
/m/messenger.htm - 101k

Ostracize (1 Occurrence)

/o/ostracize.htm - 6k

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