DAIK / SI O 4961, Fund-Nr. 44703C/f-1

cv 1: The formula is nondescript. Presumably it refers to 30th year of a ruler and not the 30th day of a month since the לכ may be read as either this or a slightly defective ה. The מ could be א. The alternative terms אה or אלכ are not expected here. Interpreting the text as "Herein (are) 30 (measures) belonging to (the) king" is possible, but would be unusual. A date is preferred. The same formula is known in Phoenician on CG no. 209 (On the 16th (year) of the king) and from Idumea (Lemaire, Nouvelles (1996), pp. 121–123 (no. 203)). Lemaire reads the other Elephantine piece as a date formula (Lemaire, “Review,” 181), and suggests it refers to a vintage of wine in that vessel. The 30th year of the king would be either Darius I (522-488) = 492 bce, Artaxerxes I (465-424) = 435 bce or Artaxerxes II (404-358) = 374 bce. What we know of the activity on Elephantine, 435 bce appears the most likely option. All three lines are similar on the two Elephantine pieces. Lozachmeur identifies the other Elephantine piece as an imported jug, rose-orange of the “rose torpedo type”, compare CG no. 248. (For C-G’s acquisition note in Jan. 1909 on that piece see Lozachmeur.) No. 248 has the Phoenician jar label גת, for which compare the Persian Aramaic reference to “winepress”. cv 2: מתתנ is probably here a Gt-stem of יתנ "to give" = given. At least in Heb. ב marks the subject of passive/reflexive forms. In which case one would read "given by (the) king". If understood as a noun מתת from מתנה, defectively (or as a byform) understood as masculine. We should not rule that the second occurrence of מלכ may be the god molek. cv 3: This line is very effaced and difficult to read. Very nice Phoenician piece with nice photos.