Thursday, April 17, 2008

Shema transliterated into Greek alphabet in Austria inscription

From the University of Vienna, via NTResources.com, via e.t.c.:

Archaeologists from the Institute of Prehistory and Early History of the University of Vienna have found an amulet inscribed with a Jewish prayer in a Roman child’s grave dating back to the 3rd century CE at a burial ground in the Austrian town of Halbturn. The 2.2-centimeter-long gold scroll represents the earliest sign of Jewish inhabitants in present-day Austria.


Curiously, the prayer is Hebrew--the Shema from Deuteronomy 6--but is transliterated into the Greek alphabet:

ΣΥΜΑ ΙΣΤΡΑΗΛ ΑΔΩNΕ ΕΛΩΗ ΑΔΩN Α

[SHEMA IS[T]RAEL ADONE ELOE ADON A]

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

• comments at e.t.c.

More about the Shema from Hebrew4Christians.com

Heb
שמע ישראל יהוה
אלהינו יהוה אחד׃


Heb(ptd)
שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה׀ אֶחָֽד׃

Heb(xlit)
šəma‘ yiśərā’ēl yəhwâ ’ĕlōhênû yəhwâ| ’eḥāḏ:

Targum
photo of inscription

LXX
ακουε Ισραηλ κυριος ο θεος ημων κυριος εις εστιν

Vulg
Audi, Israël: Dominus Deus noster, Dominus unus est

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