Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Dave Washburn <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

It would depend on what it was written on and how it was stored, as well as 
how airtight the chamber for it was.

On Tuesday 02 August 2005 19:20, Kevin Riley wrote:
>  Is it likely that a manuscript would have survived in reasonable condition
> for that long?
>
> Kevin Riley
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
> From: Dave Washburn
> Date: 08/03/05 01:09:03
>
> The recent discussion that included Josiah and the discovery during his day
> triggered a memory of something I read a long time ago, and I want to toss
> it
> out for discussion if nobody minds.
>
> Merrill F. Unger, in his book "Archaeology and the Old Testament" (Grand
> Rapids: Zondervan, 1954) p. 281 says in part that "it was customary in
> ancient times to place documents in the foundations of buildings as is done
> even to the present day [1954, at least]." He suggests that the Book of the
> Law that Josiah's priests discovered had been placed in the cornerstone of
> the Temple by Solomon, and that during the extensive repairs to the Temple
> that Josiah directed, the stone masons and carpenters came across this
> deposit and reported it to the priests. Hence the rediscovery of the Book
> of the Law. Unger also notes that Nabonidus, around the 6th century BC (BCE
> if you prefer) liked to dig into foundations of buildings to see what sorts
> of documents were cached away therein.
>
> I'm wondering what folks here think of this idea as an explanation of the
> discovery during Josiah's reign.
>
> --
> Dave Washburn
>
>
>
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-- 
Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
"Well, if I'd wanted a safe life, I guess I wouldn't have 
married a man who studies rocks." - Betty Armstrong (Fay Masterson)