Melbourne Royal Show Exhibit 2026
Ancient writing, biblical archaeology and the development of books
Prepared and presented by Jim Finger
Cylinders of Nabonidus
Replica made at the British Museum, c. 1970. One of a set of four. Owned by Prof. Ian Edwards and loaned by his son, Matthew.
These are replicas of the cuneiform inscriptions of King Nabonidus of Babylonia (556–539 BC). The original inscriptions were made on clay cylinders.
The Nabonidus cylinders discovered at Ur are particularly noteworthy because they mention Belshazzar, the eldest son of Nabonidus. Belshazzar is also named in the Book of Daniel. One translation of the relevant inscription reads:
“As for me, Nabonidus, king of Babylon, save me from sinning against your great godhead and grant me as a present a life long of days, and as for Belshazzar, the eldest son, my offspring, instil reverence for your great godhead in his heart and may he not commit any cultic mistake; may he be sated with a life of plenitude.”
The cylinders provide an important ancient historical reference to Nabonidus and Belshazzar, illustrating the intersection between archaeological evidence and people known from biblical literature.
Taylor Prism of Sennacherib
Replica made at the British Museum, c. 1970. Owned by Prof. Ian Edwards and loaned by his son, Matthew.
The Taylor Prism is a six-sided baked-clay artifact from 691 BC that records the first eight military campaigns of Neo-Assyrian King Sennacherib (705-681 BC), including his campaign against the Kingdom of Judah in 701 BC.
The prism is covered in cuneiform script and contains the Annals of Sennacherib. These describe Sennacherib's campaign against Judah and his siege of Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah. In the inscription, Sennacherib describes Hezekiah as being shut up in Jerusalem “like a caged bird.”
The account provides an important Assyrian perspective on events also described in the Hebrew Bible. The Taylor Prism is also significant in the history of the study and decipherment of cuneiform, providing scholars with a substantial example of Neo-Assyrian royal inscription.
Rylands Library Papyrus P52
Also known as the St John’s Fragment, Papyrus Rylands Greek 457, or P52, this small fragment comes from a papyrus codex containing part of the Gospel of John.
The fragment measures approximately 8.9 × 6.4 cm at its widest—roughly the size of a credit card—and is preserved in the John Rylands Library, Manchester, UK. The recto (front) contains portions of seven lines from John 18:31–33, written in Greek. The verso (back) contains portions of seven lines from John 18:37–38. Both sides are represented in this display.
P52 is particularly important because it is an early surviving fragment of a Christian codex, demonstrating the use of the book form for Christian writings. Its precise date has been debated. Earlier estimates commonly placed it in the early to mid-second century AD, although some scholars have argued for an earlier date. The fragment's dating remains a subject of scholarly discussion.
A personal reflection:
This is accepted as the oldest existing fragment of a codex, that is a folded sheet book. It came from a rubbish dump in Egypt which has lead to a controversy as to its age. Initial estimates were for its age between 100AD and 150, however such an early date causes problems for those who don’t think it could possible arrived from Israel to Egypt in that time. Egypt is but a few weeks travel by donkey and for something as revolutionary as Jesus, I think the message would have spread far and wide. An early date causes problems for those who philosophically want to diminish the message of Jesus.
In addition, the oldest codex in the world must have had another cause, a reason for being. Why now, close to 100 AD? Some, myself included, think that because the words of Jesus were, in effect, banned there became a pressure to be able to move the words of Jesus around in a more discrete fashion than a scroll. Scrolls are single sided, and the nature of papyrus is not happy being rolled and unrolled. A scroll is a bulky item, where the same
information written on two sides of a flat folded sheet means a copy can be hidden in ones cloak, where a scroll this is a difficult and risky venture in the Roman world where the message of Jesus was regarded as somewhat inflammatory.
Clay Tablet
Replica made at a Melbourne Bible College training day, c. 1960
This standard-style cuneiform clay tablet was made during a training day at Melbourne Bible College around 1960. It was common for students to experiment with replicas and reconstructions of objects relating to the historical and archaeological background of the Bible. The tablet was given to me when I was a teenager, by a former college student.
Standard trade tablet. Tablets were used extensively for archives of decrees of the rulers , and records of governing programs, and archives of commerce in many Middle Eastern countries. They were made with a wedge shaped stylus on soft clay and then usually sun dried. Often has an impression of the maker's seal to identify the maker.
This model was cast in a mold, rather than a tablet piece made and inscribed one character at a time with a wedge shaped stylus. It allowed students to handle and work with the materials. (I believe the time taken for a full replica like this would mean no time left to study!)
Oracle Bones
Ancient Chinese divination and the origins of Chinese writing.
These pieces were obtained in a market in China, where objects represented as oracle bones occasionally appear. They are presented here as examples of the form and historical significance of oracle bones. Their precise archaeological provenance and authenticity have not been independently established.
Oracle bones were used in ancient China as part of a system of divination associated particularly with the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC). Questions were inscribed on tortoise shells or animal bones, particularly the shoulder blades of large animals. A diviner would then apply heat to the bone, causing it to crack. The resulting cracks were interpreted as answers to questions posed to the spirits or deities.
Questions could concern matters of everyday and royal life, including harvests, warfare, health, childbirth and the success of important undertakings. The inscriptions are particularly significant because they represent some of the earliest known forms of Chinese writing. The characters recorded on oracle bones provide important evidence for the development of the Chinese writing system.
After their use, many inscribed bones were deposited in pits. Their significance was not recognised by modern scholars until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when systematic investigation and excavation began. The study of oracle-bone inscriptions continues to contribute to our understanding of early Chinese history, religion and the development of Chinese writing.
A note about replicas and interpretation: several objects in this cabinet are modern replicas rather than ancient originals. They are displayed because they provide an opportunity to examine the materials, writing systems and historical contexts associated with the ancient world. Where a personal interpretation or provenance is given, it is identified separately from established historical or archaeological information.