LMLK Museum--Seal Types

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Welcome to the LMLK Hall-of-Fame lobby!

Here in the lobby of the LMLK Museum are the best-of-the-best seal impressions!

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4000 YEARS OF WRITING HISTORY
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Other wings of the philatelic museum:

	G2T Jerusalem, City of David (Kenyon's 1961 Reg. No. 190); present location unknown Initially published in "Eretz-Israel vol. 15" by Andre Lemaire (Plate VIII:XII) Photo: credit unknown; courtesy of Joseph Aviram at The Israel Exploration Society
	H2T Gibeon field # 145; stamp # 47; inscription # 925; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-81; excavated 8-18-1956 from "pottery dump" Initially published in "Hebrew Inscriptions and Stamps from Gibeon" by James B. Pritchard (Fig. 9:145) Detailed publication on the LMLK Research website on May 31, 2004 Photo: G.M. Grena
	M2T Jerusalem Area M, locus 1587 (Reg. No. 11878); present location unknown (presumably the Hebrew University of Jerusalem) Initially published in "Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem Conducted by Nahman Avigad, 1969-1982: Vol. I" by Nahman Avigad, Hillel Geva, & Gabriel Barkay (p. 260, #17) Photo: no one specific at Hebrew University's Institute of Archaeology; courtesy of Joseph Aviram at The Israel Exploration Society
	S2DR Gibeon field # 146; stamp # 48; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-93 (on permanent display); excavated 8-18-1956 from "pottery dump" Initially published in "Hebrew Inscriptions and Stamps from Gibeon" by James B. Pritchard (Fig. 9:146) Detailed publication on the LMLK Research website on May 31, 2004 Photo: G.M. Grena
	Z2T Unknown provenance; currently in the Redondo Beach collection Initial publication on the LMLK Research website on February 22, 2003 Photo: G.M. Grena
	H2D Unknown provenance; currently in the Redondo Beach collection Initial publication on the LMLK Research website on February 22, 2003 Redundant publication in the English Wikipedia entry for "LMLK seal" on February 6, 2005 Photo: G.M. Grena
	M2D Lachish; 1930s surface find--exact locus unknown; British Museum ("BM 132072" & "BM 1956-04-16, 14"); RAEL #273 Initially published in "On Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions Discovered at Tell Ed-Duweir (Lachish)--II" by David Diringer; PEQ vol. 73, July 1941 (Plate VII, fig. 15) Detailed publication on the LMLK Research website on February 21, 2005; redundant publication in "Lachish III (Tel ed-Duweir): The Iron Age (Plates)" by Olga Tufnell; "L'Epigrafia Ebraica Antica 1935-1950" by Sabatino Moscati; "The Lion Encyclopedia of the Bible" by Pat Alexander & Alan Millard Photo: no one specific at The British Museum; courtesy of Jonathan Tubb
	S2DW Gibeon field # 454; stamp # 167; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-95; excavated 8-5-1957 at pool depth of 6.6-7.3m Sole publication on the LMLK Research website on June 5, 2004 Photo: G.M. Grena
	Z2D Gibeon field # 480; stamp # 183; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-99 (on permanent display); excavated 8-6-1957 at pool depth 7.3-7.6m Initially published in "The Ancient Near East" by James B. Pritchard (Fig. 79) Detailed publication on the LMLK Research website on June 5, 2004; redundant publication in "Hebrew Inscriptions and Stamps from Gibeon" by James B. Pritchard; "Gibeon, Where the Sun Stood Still" by James B. Pritchard; "The Ancient Near East in Pictures Relating to the Old Testament (2nd ed. w/ supplement)" by James B. Pritchard Photo: G.M. Grena
	H2U Lachish locus 4343; Tel Aviv University #38207; RAEL #404-68 Initially published in "The Conquest of Lachish by Sennacherib" by David Ussishkin (p. 48, Fig. 35) Redundant publication in "The Archaeology of Ancient Israel" by Amnon Ben-Tor & Gabriel Barkay; "The Renewed Archaeological Excavations at Lachish (1973-1994) Volume IV" by David Ussishkin Photo: no one specific at Tel Aviv University's Institute of Archaeology; courtesy of David Ussishkin
	M2U Unknown provenance; present location unknown Initially published in "No Trained Epigraphist Would Confuse the Two" by P. Kyle McCarter Jr.; BAR vol. 23 #2, Mar/Apr 1997 (p. 46) Redundant publication in BAR vol. 23 #5 & vol. 33 #2 Photo: Zev Radovan (ID# 448-1)
	S2U Unknown provenance; currently in the Michael Welch collection (previously owned by Gil Chaya) Sole publication on the LMLK Research website on July 10, 2004 Photo: G.M. Grena
	Z2U Unknown provenance; present location unknown Sole publication in Archaeological Center's Auction 38 catalog (October 10, 2006; lot #249) Photo: Robert Deutsch

	H4L Azekah; present location unknown (presumably at the IAA; IDAM P-1497) Initially described & illustrated in "Second Report on the Excavations at Tell Zakariya" by F.J. Bliss; PEQ vol. 31, April 1899 This is the most widely published LMLK handle of all! It's the first one that could be read "Hebron" (though at least one other fragmentary "HBRN" had unknowingly been found decades earlier), & its discovery persuaded nearly all scholars to begin reading & interpreting the inscriptions as place-names rather than personal-names or votive slogans. Redundant publication in "Excavations in Palestine During the Years 1898-1900" by Frederick Jones Bliss & R.A. Stewart Macalister; "Ancient Hebrew Arts" by A. Reifenberg; BA vol. 30 #2 by H. Darrell Lance; BA vol. 35 #5 by A.R. Millard; BA vol. 38 #2 by Ephraim Stern; Bible & Spade vol. 2 #3 by A.R. Millard; "Bible Side-Lights from the Mound of Gezer" by R.A. Stewart Macalister; "Canaan d'Apres l'Exploration Recente" by Hugues Vincent; "Der Alt Orient 30. Band" by Peter Thomsen; "Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land vol. 3 (Ji-N)" by Michael Avi-Yonah, Ephraim Stern, & M. Broshi; "Eretz-Israel vol. 15" by Andre Lemaire; "Handbook of Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions" by Shmuel Ahituv; "Inscriptions Reveal" by Efrat Carmon & Ruth Hestrin; "Israel Pocket Library: Archaeology" by Michael Avi-Yonah; "Le Iscrizioni Antico-Ebraiche Palestinesi" by David Diringer; "LMLK--A Mystery Belonging to the King vol. 1" by G.M. Grena; "The Hebrew Scripts, Part Two, The Plates, 1954-1957" by Solomon A. Birnbaum; "The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land vol. 3 (Jo-Pel)" by Ephraim Stern & Magen Broshi; "Archaeology in the Land of the Bible" by Avraham Negev Photo: R. A. Stewart Macalister
	M4L Unknown provenance; currently in the Redondo Beach collection Initial publication on the LMLK Research website on February 22, 2003 Redundant publication in BAR vol. 30 #1 (book ad on p. 62); the English Wikipedia entry for "MMST" on February 9, 2005 Photo: G.M. Grena
	S4L Unknown provenance (IDAM P-568); reportedly on permanent display in 1972 at the Rockefeller Museum, Jerusalem Initially published in "Inscriptions Reveal" by Efrat Carmon & Ruth Hestrin (#84, p. 98) Redundant publication in "Biblical Archaeology" by Shalom M. Paul & William G. Dever; "Eretz-Israel vol. 15" by Andre Lemaire; "Archaeology of the Land of the Bible" by Amihai Mazar; "Handbook of Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions" by Shmuel Ahituv Photo: credit unknown (possibly Photo Emka, H. Burger, N. Bareket, A. Glick, D. Harris, R. Milon, R. Kneller, Z. Radovan, S.J. Schweig, or no one specific at IDAM)
	Z4L Lachish; exact excavation locus unknown; present location unknown (presumably the British Museum) Initially published in "On Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions Discovered at Tell Ed-Duweir (Lachish)--II" by David Diringer; PEQ vol. 73, July 1941 (Plate VI, fig. 13) Redundant publication in "L'Epigrafia Ebraica Antica 1935-1950" by Sabatino Moscati; "Lachish III (Tel ed-Duweir): The Iron Age (Plates)" by Olga Tufnell; "The Alphabet Volume 2" by David Diringer; "Eretz-Israel vol. 15" by Andre Lemaire Photo: no one specific at The Palestine Exploration Fund; courtesy of Felicity Cobbing
	H4C Lachish; exact excavation locus unknown; present location unknown (presumably the British Museum) Initially published in "On Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions Discovered at Tell Ed-Duweir (Lachish)--II" by David Diringer; PEQ vol. 73, July 1941 (Plate VI, fig. 6) Redundant publication in "L'Epigrafia Ebraica Antica 1935-1950" by Sabatino Moscati; "Lachish III (Tel ed-Duweir): The Iron Age (Plates)" by Olga Tufnell; "The Alphabet Volume 2" by David Diringer Photo: no one specific at The Palestine Exploration Fund; courtesy of Felicity Cobbing
	M4C Gibeon field # 523; stamp # 213; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-74 (on permanent display); excavated 8-12-1957 at pool depth 9.0-9.8m Initially published in "The Ancient Near East" by James B. Pritchard (Fig. 78) Detailed publication on the LMLK Research website on June 5, 2004; redundant publication in "Hebrew Inscriptions and Stamps from Gibeon" by James B. Pritchard; "Gibeon, Where the Sun Stood Still" by James B. Pritchard; "Eretz-Israel vol. 15" by Andre Lemaire Photo: G.M. Grena
	Z4CI Unknown provenance; present location unknown Initially published in "The Jewish Royal Pottery Stamps" by E.J. Pilcher; PSBA vol. 32 #238, March 1910 (Plate VIII, Fig. 1) Probably from Bliss/Macalister's famous Shephelah excavations, 1899-1900 Photo: E.J. Pilcher via plaster cast supplied by the Committee of The Palestine Exploration Fund
	Z4CY Unknown provenance; currently in the Redondo Beach collection (previously owned by Robert Deutsch) Initially published in "Theology, History, and Archaeology in the Chronicler's Account of Hezekiah" by Andrew G. Vaughn (p. 197) Detailed publication on the LMLK Research website on August 18, 2002 Photo: G.M. Grena

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This page was created on April 1, 2008, & last updated on April 1, 2008; visits

Jerusalem, City of David (Kenyon's 1961 Reg. No. 190); present location unknown

Initially published in "Eretz-Israel vol. 15" by Andre Lemaire (Plate VIII:XII)

Photo: credit unknown; courtesy of Joseph Aviram at The Israel Exploration Society

Gibeon field # 145; stamp # 47; inscription # 925; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-81; excavated 8-18-1956 from "pottery dump"

Initially published in "Hebrew Inscriptions and Stamps from Gibeon" by James B. Pritchard (Fig. 9:145)

Photo: G.M. Grena

Jerusalem Area M, locus 1587 (Reg. No. 11878); present location unknown (presumably the Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

Initially published in "Jewish Quarter Excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem Conducted by Nahman Avigad, 1969-1982: Vol. I" by Nahman Avigad, Hillel Geva, & Gabriel Barkay (p. 260, #17)

Photo: no one specific at Hebrew University's Institute of Archaeology; courtesy of Joseph Aviram at The Israel Exploration Society

Gibeon field # 146; stamp # 48; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-93 (on permanent display); excavated 8-18-1956 from "pottery dump"

Initially published in "Hebrew Inscriptions and Stamps from Gibeon" by James B. Pritchard (Fig. 9:146)

Photo: G.M. Grena

Unknown provenance; currently in the Redondo Beach collection

Initial publication on the LMLK Research website on February 22, 2003

Photo: G.M. Grena

Unknown provenance; currently in the Redondo Beach collection

Initial publication on the LMLK Research website on February 22, 2003

Photo: G.M. Grena

Lachish; 1930s surface find--exact locus unknown; British Museum ("BM 132072" & "BM 1956-04-16, 14"); RAEL #273

Initially published in "On Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions Discovered at Tell Ed-Duweir (Lachish)--II" by David Diringer; PEQ vol. 73, July 1941 (Plate VII, fig. 15)

Photo: no one specific at The British Museum; courtesy of Jonathan Tubb

Gibeon field # 454; stamp # 167; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-95; excavated 8-5-1957 at pool depth of 6.6-7.3m

Sole publication on the LMLK Research website on June 5, 2004

Photo: G.M. Grena

Gibeon field # 480; stamp # 183; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-99 (on permanent display); excavated 8-6-1957 at pool depth 7.3-7.6m

Initially published in "The Ancient Near East" by James B. Pritchard (Fig. 79)

Photo: G.M. Grena

Lachish locus 4343; Tel Aviv University #38207; RAEL #404-68

Initially published in "The Conquest of Lachish by Sennacherib" by David Ussishkin (p. 48, Fig. 35)

Photo: no one specific at Tel Aviv University's Institute of Archaeology; courtesy of David Ussishkin

Unknown provenance; present location unknown

Initially published in "No Trained Epigraphist Would Confuse the Two" by P. Kyle McCarter Jr.; BAR vol. 23 #2, Mar/Apr 1997 (p. 46)

Photo: Zev Radovan (ID# 448-1)

Unknown provenance; currently in the Michael Welch collection (previously owned by Gil Chaya)

Sole publication on the LMLK Research website on July 10, 2004

Photo: G.M. Grena

Unknown provenance; present location unknown

Sole publication in Archaeological Center's Auction 38 catalog (October 10, 2006; lot #249)

Photo: Robert Deutsch

Azekah; present location unknown (presumably at the IAA; IDAM P-1497)

Initially described & illustrated in "Second Report on the Excavations at Tell Zakariya" by F.J. Bliss; PEQ vol. 31, April 1899

Photo: R. A. Stewart Macalister

Unknown provenance; currently in the Redondo Beach collection

Initial publication on the LMLK Research website on February 22, 2003

Photo: G.M. Grena

Unknown provenance (IDAM P-568); reportedly on permanent display in 1972 at the Rockefeller Museum, Jerusalem

Initially published in "Inscriptions Reveal" by Efrat Carmon & Ruth Hestrin (#84, p. 98)

Photo: credit unknown (possibly Photo Emka, H. Burger, N. Bareket, A. Glick, D. Harris, R. Milon, R. Kneller, Z. Radovan, S.J. Schweig, or no one specific at IDAM)

Lachish; exact excavation locus unknown; present location unknown (presumably the British Museum)

Initially published in "On Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions Discovered at Tell Ed-Duweir (Lachish)--II" by David Diringer; PEQ vol. 73, July 1941 (Plate VI, fig. 13)

Photo: no one specific at The Palestine Exploration Fund; courtesy of Felicity Cobbing

Lachish; exact excavation locus unknown; present location unknown (presumably the British Museum)

Initially published in "On Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions Discovered at Tell Ed-Duweir (Lachish)--II" by David Diringer; PEQ vol. 73, July 1941 (Plate VI, fig. 6)

Photo: no one specific at The Palestine Exploration Fund; courtesy of Felicity Cobbing

Gibeon field # 523; stamp # 213; University of Pennsylvania Museum ID# 60-13-74 (on permanent display); excavated 8-12-1957 at pool depth 9.0-9.8m

Initially published in "The Ancient Near East" by James B. Pritchard (Fig. 78)

Photo: G.M. Grena

Unknown provenance; present location unknown

Initially published in "The Jewish Royal Pottery Stamps" by E.J. Pilcher; PSBA vol. 32 #238, March 1910 (Plate VIII, Fig. 1)

Photo: E.J. Pilcher via plaster cast supplied by the Committee of The Palestine Exploration Fund

Unknown provenance; currently in the Redondo Beach collection (previously owned by Robert Deutsch)

Initially published in "Theology, History, and Archaeology in the Chronicler's Account of Hezekiah" by Andrew G. Vaughn (p. 197)

Photo: G.M. Grena