Page 17 - Archaeology - October 2017

READING INVISIBLE MESSAGES

Pottery sherd,
esearchers in Israel are using a technology called Tel Arad, Israel
multispectral imaging to reveal biblical-era texts
R that are invisible to the naked eye. The team stud-
ied a collection of pottery sherds with ink inscriptions
from the fortress at Tel Arad about 40 miles south of Infrared
Jerusalem in the former kingdom of Judah. The sherds image of
date to the period just before Judah was conquered by sherd
the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar in 586 b.c. Using
a modified consumer digital SLR camera, they photo-
graphed both sides of each sherd at 10 different wave-
lengths of light covering the infrared and visual parts of the spectrum.
The images captured traces of the deteriorated ink, helping to fill in
letters and words. Writing on pottery sherds was used to send informal
messages and conduct business, so it provides a glimpse of what daily
life was like in ancient Judah. One sherd contained a message from the
fortress’s quartermaster requesting oil, silver, and wine from a colleague at Beer-
sheba. Says Anat Mendel-Geberovich of Tel Aviv University, “The system that we
developed offers a new, highly accessible method for multispectral photography
Text, revealed
that can be used by archaeologists in the field.”
–ZAcH ZoricH

TECHNOLOGY SIMPLIFIED Ð BIGGER AND BETTER
Wow! A Simple to Use Computer Designed Especially for Seniors!

Easy to read. Easy to see. Easy to use. Just plug it in!

worth the trouble. With all and your high-speed Internet
of the “pointing and clicking” connection. Call today to find out
and “dragging and dropping” more about the WOW Computer!
you’re lucky if you can figure
• Send & Receive Emails
out where you are. Plus, you
• Have video chats with family
are constantly worrying about
and friends
viruses and freeze-ups. If this • Surf the Internet: Get current
sounds familiar, we have great weather and news
news for you. There is finally a • Play games Online:
“I love this computer! It is easy to read and to computer that’s designed for Hundreds to choose from!
use! I get photo updates from my children and simplicity and ease of use. It’s the Call now toll free and find
grandchildren all the time.” WOW Computer, and it was
– Janet F. designed with you in mind. This out how you can get the new
WOW! Computer.
Have you ever said to yourself “I’d computer is easy-to-use, worry-
Mention promotional code 107108
love to get a computer, if only I free and literally puts the world at for special introductory pricing.
could figure out how to use it.” your fingertips. From the moment
Well, you’re not alone. Computers you open the box, you’ll realize how 1-877-793-4294
were supposed to make our lives different the WOW Computer is.
simpler, but they’ve gotten so The components are all connected;
complicated that they are not all you do is plug it into an outlet 81059
© 2017 first STREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.