Turns out the thirst was just as real over 2,500 years ago, specifically for a soldier named Hananyahu. According to the New York Times, an inscription written on an unearthed piece of pottery discovered in 1965 has finally been decoded. The message? Send more wine.
The note was apparently sent to the solider’s friend, Elyashiv, in the year 600 B.C. The note, written in Hebrew, wasn’t deciphered until recently, when scientists realized that the message written on the back of the ostracon (pottery piece) was actually inscribed with invisible ink.
Thanks to modern day technology, studiers of the piece were finally able to unveil the hidden message. As the New York Times reports, “more than 17 words, composed of 50 characters, are on the back side of the ostracon.” A following message below the wine request was later deciphered, which discussed the exchange of other commodities, including silver and oil.
The stray piece of pottery was found near what used to be a “military outpost” within the Kingdom of Judah. Around 15 years after the message was written, the kingdom was obliterated by Babylonians.
Whether the wine was received or not remains unclear… though here at VinePair, we like to remain positive.
