Independent researcher, Michael S. Bar-Ron, reportedly made a discovery by deciphering a 3,800-year-old proto-Sinaitic inscription found in an Egyptian mine near Serabit el-Khadim. He claimed it reads "zot m'Moshe," meaning "this is from Moses." According to GEO France, this deciphering could provide archaeological evidence confirming the existence of the biblical Moses outside the Holy Scriptures, generating interest and debate among scholars and theologians.
The inscriptions were crafted in proto-Sinaitic script, an ancient writing system considered one of the oldest alphabets globally, dating to around 1800 BCE. This script is thought to be a precursor to Phoenician, Greek, and Latin scripts. GEO France reports other findings at the site included references to the deity El, an early name for the God of Israel, alongside inscriptions dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Baalati. These elements suggest cultural and religious conflict between Semitic workers and Egyptians, reflecting possible historical underpinnings of biblical narratives.
Serabit el-Khadim was an ancient turquoise mining location where proto-Sinaitic texts were found in the early 20th century. If Bar-Ron's interpretations are verified, it would amount to a discovery linking archaeological data with biblical texts. Over eight years, Bar-Ron used high-precision photographs and 3D scans of known inscriptions, specifically Sinai 357 and 361, which had been previously considered meaningless symbols, leading to what he attributes to Moses.
Nevertheless, Bar-Ron's claims have faced controversy. Egyptologist Thomas Schneider criticized the work, arguing it is "absolutely devoid of evidence and misleading" and cautioned that "arbitrary identification of letters can distort history." Clarín notes skepticism is compounded by the work not yet undergoing peer review in scientific journals, leading to skepticism about his conclusions. Egyptologists stress that the proto-Sinaitic script is extremely difficult to interpret, urging caution in accepting these claims outright.
Despite the criticism, Bar-Ron's academic supervisor, Dr. Pieter van der Veen from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, supported his interpretation. "He is absolutely right, I read that too. It's not imaginary," said van der Veen. Bar-Ron himself emphasized the consistency of letters, vocabulary, and style, suggesting that a high-ranking Semitic scribe, possibly within the educated caste of officials, might have been involved in creating the inscriptions.
The inscriptions, dated to the reign of Pharaoh Amenemhat III (1843 to 1797 BCE), suggest a religious and possibly social crisis. Some inscriptions mention religious struggles, such as damaged cult symbols and praises to El after symbols in the shape of fish were scratched out. Bar-Ron suggested this marks the "zero point of the theological rebellion," echoing a cultural conflict within the biblical stories.
Bar-Ron theorized about the existence of an educated and literate Jewish elite within Egyptian society, correlating to scriptural descriptions of figures like Joseph, as mentioned in the Book of Genesis. Such a social class might have faced eventual enslavement following a theological or social conflict.
Written with the help of a news-analysis system.