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THE BIBLE UNEARTHED: THE MAKING OF A RELIGION -- ILLUSTRATED SCREENPLAY & SCREENCAP GALLERY |
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[Narrator] THE BIBLE sets out Josiah's declaration to THE ELDERS of Judah and of Jerusalem. We will now turn to one element of THE STORY which is based on A BOOK!
[Thomas Romer, University of Lausanne] The fact that THEY SAID a book had been found, which means that it was AN ANCIENT BOOK THAT WAS LOST somewhere in the temple, OBVIOUSLY IT LEGITIMATED the reform. But at the same time, it also shows that the re-definition of the Judaic religion was now going to be based on a book. THE BOOK WAS GOING TO BECOME THE BASIS of a new religion. So it's not just the fact that a book was found, but there is the whole issue of THE STATUS AND IMPORTANCE of that book WHICH IT DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
[Narrator] In order to pursue OUR INVESTIGATION,
we have to examine a central question: that of writing.
What do we know about the beginnings of writing in this region? In which circumstances did writing become important in the society of ancient Israel [?]? Did the Israelites [?] know how to read and write in the 7th century B.C.? Here again, we have to look to archaeology for the answers.
Megiddo. In the 7th century sites, we have discovered many seals and ostraka -- fragments of pottery that contain inscriptions.
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