BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Answer to What is it? Facebook discussion posted 2/29/12

In last week’s What Is It? Facebook discussion this artifact was presented with multiple choices. After a week’s facebook discussion, we are happy to be able to provide more detailed information on the artifact. A new What Is It? will be posted to Facebook in the middle of the week– in the mean time, explore the site for more content on Biblical archaeology!

Answer: B. Netting Bobbin

Made of bone, this netting bobbin comes from Israel (the exact location is unknown) and dates to the mid-to-late Iron Age II (900–586 B.C.E.). According to the Jewish Museum, where it is now housed:

Bone objects with center-dot decoration were frequent finds in the Iron Age tombs at Lachish and in many sites in Israel. Originally called pendants, archaeologists now interpret them as netting bobbins. The thread would have passed through the perforation and been wound around the bobbin. The net weaver would then use the bobbin as a needle, unwinding the thread as he or she wove.