Ashmolean Aram. O.1

General Notes

Lemaire dates the inscription to the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 4th century BCE based on his paleographic assessment (citing Naveh's dubious study). The historically viable options are 2 Arta I = 463 BCE or 2 Arta III = 403 BCE, and Lemaire favors the latter. Given that Naveh's paleographic assessments are erroneous, either date is viable (Moore). Below the inscription are a bird and a boat. From my inexperienced view they seem to be of the Egyptian type, the boat in particular resembles the model barges found throughout Egypt. It is noteworthy that a Persian sealing, fragments of Persian scale armour (iron and bronze), and a Persian period figure of Tahuti were also found at the site along with objects of Persian style such as terra-cotta heads and a silver ring of a galloping bull with an otherwise mixed assemblage.