LMLK Vol. 1 Anniversary Update

[This post is from an archive; the original message was sent Fri 4/1/2005 9:14 PM.]

Contents:
*) New Ramat Rahel Handles
*) New Old Lachish Handle
*) Hebron Inauguration
*) Shop Till Ya Drop: Stamps & Siloam Inscription
*) V1 vs. V2

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Exciting news from Ramat Rachel! Dr. Oded Lipschits informed me of 2 LMLK handles his Tel Aviv University students found on March 23 while surveying the site in preparation for their first season of digging this summer! One is a severely fragmented S2DW (left side remaining due to broken jar; visible letters are capitalized here: sukE lmLK). He & I disagree on the identification of the other stamp, which is a deeply impressed x2x, but the handle is severely eroded. He has tentatively classified it as a rare S2DR. The icon's Head is elongated matching the H2D, so that's my assessment. He plans to publish them in a 2006 volume that catalogs all work at Ramat Rahel subsequent to Yohanan Aharoni's landmark 1962 season. Meanwhile, I encourage everyone to support the new activity with your prayers, money (contact Sharon at excavation at ramat-rachel dot org dot il), & sweat (if possible) since it may help determine what happened at the site during the 8th century leading up to Hezekiah's reign & Sennacherib's invasion:
www.ramatrachel.co.il/archeology/

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Thanks to Jonathan Tubb for contributing an enlarged & expanded photo of an M2D with Circles found at Lachish (#273 in the list compiled by Barkay & Vaughn in Vol. 4 of Ussishkin's "Renewed Archaeological Excavations at Lachish"), first published by David Diringer in his 1941 PEQ article where it was cropped sans Circles. Pat Alexander & Alan Millard published a larger, color version of it in "The Lion Encyclopedia of the Bible" back in 1978 showing a snippet of the Circles, but now we can see them clearly at:
www.lmlk.com/research/lmlk_rael-273.htm

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The inauguration of the Tel Hebron Archaeological Site will take place on the second day of Chol HaMoed Pesach (Tuesday, 17 Nissan, 5765; April 26, 2005) at 1:00 PM. For details or reservations, phone the Jewish Community of Hebron at 02-9965333 extension 0. I have still not been able to obtain a videotape of the TV report showing the anomalous Z2D & rare H2T found during the recent excavations there, nor have I been able to obtain better photos for use on the website.

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I've expanded the page format of the commercial website at www.lmlk.com & expanded the Shop into 6 Department pages featuring LMLK philately (including a really neat Herzl cover I deliberately priced high because I want to keep it, but still wanted to list it so others could see it). Vol. 2 book will probably be the first book to formally connect the ancient LMLK seals to the 1948 LMLK postage, & I'm planning to include a set of 5 real stamps tipped/hinged into each copy in a clear plastic holder like the CD-ROM.

But the most spectacular addition to the LMLK Shop is in the Replicas dept.--a full-size replica of the famous Siloam Tunnel inscription commemorating this remarkable feat of engineering attributed in the Bible to King Hezekiah! Special thanks to Herb Stearns for arranging the loan of his replica, coordinated by George Sparks at the Museum of Archaeology & Biblical History in Albuquerque, & made by artist extraordinaire, Kris Udd. Unlike the replicas made of solid plaster in the past, which were very heavy to ship (>10 pounds), large/awkward to carry around to conferences, & subject to chips/damage, Kris crafted this one of lightweight fiberglass in 2 pieces (<5 pounds total). They're sturdy, easy to assemble & mount on your wall, & can be easily disassembled to take to your classroom or place of worship for educational purposes. Mine is hanging above the entrance to my bedroom to remind me when I retire each night of this remarkable treasure preserved through the centuries to complement the Biblical record!
www.lmlk.com/shop/replicas.htm

Biblical archaeology anecdotes by Herb Stearns were added back in February--don't miss 'em!
www.lmlk.com/research/lmlk_hbs.htm

*****

One year after I submitted my Vol. 1 manuscript to the printing press, I am pleased that more than half of the copies in my print run have found homes! I spent the past year getting the website caught up & getting myself caught up on material for Vol. 2 content. I'm allocating the upcoming year to drafting the content (text & illustrations), knowing that an additional year may be necessary, then I'm planning to allow 1 more year for revisions hoping to eliminate all the minor mistakes that I missed in Vol. 1. So all in all, I'm pleased to report that I'm on schedule & all is going well. I've transferred about half of the notes I've taken during the past year into the Vol. 2 template, & it already consumes 183 pages. Thanks to those of you who complimented me on Vol. 1, & you're all welcome to peruse the content of Vol. 2 as it develops:
www.lmlk.com/lamb2king/v2-book.htm

G.M. Grena