Comments on Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament: The Status of Women in Israelite Society

Dr. Mariotti,Thanks for posting on this topic. I w...

2008-10-07T21:32:00.000-05:00

Dr. Mariotti,

Thanks for posting on this topic. I was wondering if you're going to reflect on the status of women in light of Pauline teaching. Is there a continuity?

You wrote "Because of the social limitations imposed upon women, most women in Israel found their sense of worth, fulfillment, and personhood in being a mother and a wife."

In other words, you're arguing that women's function as mother and wife respectively are not rooted in the created order as many complementarians propose, rather, it is a social construction (?).

I look forward for a response at your convenience and Part II.

Blessings,
Lou

According to Reich, Ronny and Sass, only about 2% ...

2008-10-07T16:50:00.000-05:00

According to Reich, Ronny and Sass, only about 2% of all known Hebrew seals, bullae and impressions indicate that the owner was a woman

You might look at Reich, Ronny and Benjamin Sass, "Three Hebrew Seals from the Iron Age Tombs at Mamillah, Jerusalem," Amit, Yarah, et al, eds, Essays on Ancient Israel in Its Near Eastern Context, A Tribute to Nadav Na'aman, Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns, 2006, 313-320

Reifenbert, Adolf, Ancient Hebrew Seals, London: Horovitz Publishing Company, 1950

Vattioni, Francesco, "I segilli ebraici," Biblica, 50, 1969, 357-388

Or you might checkout my old post "The Seal of Women of Authority in Ancient Times" at http://www.telecomtally.com/blog/2006/12/the_seal_women_of_authority_in.html and the post, "The Seal of a Woman," to which it links. I think the seal of "yhwhħn , daughter of pq‛t" (I use ħ for het) is of special interest. Not only was she a woman but she as likely not of the governing class. Her seal was found in an Iron Age II burial site at Mamillah near Jaffa gate. As Reich, Ronny and Sass tell us, "The interred at Mamillah probably tended more to agriculture and the crafts than serving in the administration, hence, the scant number of seals."

Duane,Thank you for this information. I was not a...

2008-10-07T09:25:00.000-05:00

Duane,

Thank you for this information. I was not aware that we had found seals bearing the names of women. Do you know where I can read more about this?

Claude Mariottini

Evidence that I think contributes to this discussi...

2008-10-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

Evidence that I think contributes to this discussion is the growing collection of those Hebrew bulla and seals that bear the name of a woman. That there are any tells one story. That they are a relatively small percentage of the known bulla and seals tells another related story.