Translation of Mining Texts at Serabit el-Khadim in Sinai During Great Drought (1200-1170 BCE)
These texts are a mix of Minoan and Aegean traditions. At this time Israel was not a political entity but was a group of people devoted to the life powers represented by the god Alu. Hence the name "Israel" which is Akkadian meaning "the righteous of Alu" from išaru.alu. For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts
Expedition to Serabit el-Khadim
This is a brief description of the 1930 Harvard Expedition of Kirsopp Lake and Robert Blake to Serabit el Khadim, a remote site in the Sinai Desert of Egypt. The difficult adventure resulted in the recovery of several examples of an the earliest complete alphabetic script which came to be known as Proto-Sinaitic. Prior to this time alphabetic letters were mixed in with phonetic signs as exemplified by the Minoan texts.
Valleys of Serabit Mining Complex
The temple to Hathor and Sopdu is located in the upper center. Image from: Petrie, W.M.F. (1906) Researches in the Sinai. New York. E.P Dutton and Company
Turquoise Mines at Serabit el-Khadim in the Sinai Desert Were Active Prior to 1831 BCE.
(November 10, 2023) Along with re-opening the mines, Pharaoh Hatshepsut turned two natural side-by-side cave grottos into a temple. One side and grotto was dedicated to the goddess Hathor (equivalent to Mediterranean Ayu) and the other to the god Sopdu.
Egyptian Hathor (Druid crescent moon goddess Ayu) had a grotto there because she was associated with the blue sky which brought the manifested fertility fluids like rain, sun light, and heat. Turquoise was blue like the sky. This was the primary deity of the Minoans.
Sopdu seems to have been a god representing the local people, that is, the Israelites who would have done most of the mining under the organization of the Minoans. It is an Akkadian compound word meaning "Community of the Life-Powers" from Sâpu.Du. From their ancient texts, the Israelites were devoted to the life power class of divine powers more than any other culture. When female Pharaoh Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BCE.) converted the grottos into temples she had one of the columns show her hugging Sopdu.
The pharaohs who came after her kept expanding the walkway to the Hathor temple as shown in figure 2. The steles at the farthest entrance are dedicated to Pharaoh Sethnakht (reigned 1186-1184) and Ramesses II (reigned 1279-1213). The end of building indicates that the mine ceased major organized operations around 1180 BCE during the economic collapse brought about by the great drought which ended the Bronze Age. Yet the last offering tokens to these deities found in the grottos date to the time of Pharaoh Ramesses VI (1143-1136 BCE.) (Petrie 1906: p 149).
The walkway leading to the grottos was mostly lined with numerous stone monuments dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Yet, some of these had other images including those of Egyptian ships and one even had a giraffe. A few of these monuments even had the date of their dedication inscribed on them. One of the earliest such inscriptions predates the temple dating to the 40th year of pharaoh Amenemhat III (1831-1786 BCE) and it reads:
A royal offering to Hathor, Lady of Turquoise, for the ka (life-power) of the chief chamberlain Sebek-her-beh, for the ka of the seal bearer, deputy of the overseer of the seal-bearers, Kemnaa, born of Kahotep (Petrie 1906: p 66).References
Butin, Romain F. (1928) The Seribit Inscriptions: II. The Decipherment and Significance of the Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 21 No. 1 pp. 9-67 Butin, Romain F. (1932) The Proto-Sinaitic Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 25 No. 2 pp. 130-203
Petrie, W.M.F. (1906) Researches in the Sinai. New York. E.P Dutton and Company
Overview Map by William Petrie Showing Location of Serabit el-Khadim
William Petrie started out his career as an electrical engineer and because of this background he was the first person to introduce a methodological standards to archeology (As an engineer you learn you can't fool mother nature so you have to be mentally disciplined). Consequently, he was the one who made archaeology a profession instead of an antiquarian hobby. A similar adoption of standards still needs to be done in the field of ancient linguistics.
Image from: Petrie, W.M.F. (1906) Researches in the Sinai. New York. E.P Dutton and Company
Close-up Map by William Petrie Showing Location of Serabit el-Khadim
Mine L at Serabit el-Khadim Mining Complex
Serabit el-Kahdim Temple Entrance Path Showing it as a Switchback up a Hill
Image from: Petrie, W.M.F. (1906) Researches in the Sinai. New York. E.P Dutton and Company
Model of the Serabit el-Khadim temple on the top of the hill. The temple ends on the upper left where it has small passages into two small natural caves which were the most sacred spaces of the place.
Image from: Petrie, W.M.F. (1906) Researches in the Sinai. New York. E.P Dutton and Company
Image from: Butin, Romain F. (1928) The Seribit Inscriptions: II. The Decipherment and Significance of the Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 21 No. 1 pp. 9-67
Official Texts from Serabit el-Khadim at the Start of the Great Drought (1200-1170 BCE)
Educational Wall Relief from Mine L at Serabit el-Khadim 1200 BCE (Sinai Text 2)
(November 6, 2023, updated February 27, 2025) This tablet carved in bas-relief on the wall near the entrance to mine L contains an image of a supervisor holding a long staff inside a building. This text is simply educational describing what some divine powers are able to do. Hence this was carved just before the arrival of the great drought which ended the Bronze Age.
Text In Akkadian
(starts at top, goes down along the relief, then curves to the left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs are italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)Letter Chart used: Bronze Age Runes
- ETû Di’u Nu Ma Ṣu (Sinai 2.1)
- Zu Du Qu. Tu Du Qu Ṣi (Sinai 2.2) (The Ṣi is Minoan Linear A)
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)
In English
- The boundary-motion-powers of the divine-realm can reveal the fertility-fluid's activity-level
- Emanations are manifesting the life-threads. Astrology-magic is manifesting the life-threads activity-levels.
Drought Wall Relief from Mine L at Serabit el-Khadim (Sinai Text 3) 1177 BCE
(November 6, 2023, updated February 27, 2025) This text blames the astrology magic of the dark new moon god Su. This text was written just at the start of the great drought which ended the Bronze Age.
Text In Akkadian
(read top to bottom and right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs are italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)Letter Chart used: Bronze Age Runes
Right Column
- ETû Dâ Ṣu Nu Mû. ṢaMȗ Ḫu Bā’u LeTû (Sinai Text 3.1)
- INu EŠû Nu Ṣu. A Gȗ U Tu (Gu is Linear A)
- E ITu ŠâMu. ATu Lu Dȗ LâŠu Nu (Sinai Text 3.3)
In English
- The boundary-powers can manifest the activity-levels for revealing the fertility-fluids. The dehydration of Hu is from nesting the splitters (eagle-vultures who trim life network)
- The Moon-eye (Su) is confusing the revelation of activity. That energy (from Su) correlates with astrology-magic
- Nothing is foreshadowing the obligations (of fate). Monitor the lack of the life-manifestations are being influenced by revelations (of fate)
Aegean Sea People Raided Serabit el-Khadim (1170 BCE)
The Aegean Sea Peoples involved in the Battle of the Nile also raided Serabit el-Khadim and apparently did some mining there initially. This is supported by their mixed divine power graffiti and the different letter styles of their texts when compared to the Israelite texts. These texts can be compared using the Iron Age Letter Chart. The Philistines who settled on the coast of the Levant were one of the Sea Peoples.
Collection of Egyptian Illustrations of the Sea Peoples who Attacked Them
Image in public domain. Acquired from Wikimedia Commons at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Champollion%27s_notes_of_the_peoples_named_on_the_base_of_the_Fortified_East_Gate_at_Medinet_Habu.png
Egyptians Battle the Sea Peoples 1170 BCE
This inscription cut on the wall of Mine L was discovered by Rev. A. W. Johnson, of the Harvard Mission; it could not be removed and the writer has had no opportunity to study the original. It was photographed by Professor Lake and copied by Professor Blake. Most of the signs, we are told, are clearly visible, but a few do not show on the photograph. In every case we have given preference to Blake's hand-copy in view (Butin 1932).
Sass B. (1988) The Genesis of the Alphabet and its Development in the Second Millennium B. C. Otto Harrassowitz· Wiesbaden
Graffito Inside Mine L at Serabit el-Khadim Blames Astrological Motion Powers for the Great Drought 1170 BCE
(May 31, 2023, updated February 27, 2025) This graffito blames the astrological motion power and full moon god Su for a drought which is likely the great drought which ended the Bronze Age.
Text in Akkadian (Text Sinai 4)
(read top to bottom and right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs are italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)Letter Chart used: Bronze Age Runes
- ANnu TaṢû INu. ZiKu MūTu ABu. Du Mu Nu. (Sinai 4.1)
- Le’ȗ QaRȗ ARû. Mu A’û. Mu Dû. (Sinai 4.2)
Text in English
- Considerations (focused feelings) are being fooled by the Moon-eye (Su). Purify the sacrificial-place of the priest-parents (integrate life powers with motion powers). Life-Manifestations are revealed by fertility fluids.
- Astrological-powers control the threading/channeling of the eagle-vultures. Fertility-fluids can be emotion-empowered. Fertility-fluids can be manifested. (Corner drawing is of those fertility-fluids falling against the sky dome and turning into rain)
Previously Attempted Hebrew Translations
The two following Hebrew translations by Butin and Rainey fail. Additionally, they are completely different from each other.
Butin's translation is as follows:
- The gang, consisting of nine men, successfully protected the baskets (of turquoise?) for the superior officer (sheik?); (thereupon) R-M and his people (his compatriots [?], or clansmen [?]) made a great celebration'; or: 'The gang, consisting of nine men, successfully protected the huts (camp) of the superior officer (sheik?); (thereupon) R-M and his people (compatriots, clansmen) made a great celebration.' (Butin 1928, page 42)
Butin says this about his letter assignments showing just how tentative he thought they were (differences from my letter assignments in red):
Vertical column. Aleph, nun, waw, shin, gimel, nun, samekh; the eighth letter is a new sign, no. 28 of the alphabet. As has been explained above, this sign may be lamed or kaph, and its doubtful character should not be forgotten. Then comes mem with a point. The next sign (27 of the alphabet) is almost certainly lamed and aleph. Then follow in order: beth, beth, mem, and nun. At the end of the vertical column and slightly to the left are a certain number of lines, evidently a numeral. Blake counted seven; I see nine on the photograph. (Butin 1928, page 40)Butin’s translation fails because of incorrect letter assignments which is not unusual from an early pioneer in the field. It also fails because of the many guessed at word assignments.
In 1975 A.F. Rainey (Rainey 1975) attempted another Hebrew translation His letter assignments for the vertical line are shown below (our differences are in red):
ANT TPN DKM LABB MNK (top to bottom)
Anat tapanu dukkema li’ababa minka
Besides incorrect letter assignments Rainy incorrectly converts an aleph to an ayin in the word “LABB.” He also is claiming the 7 lines are the letter K at the end of the line.
His letter assignments for the Horizontal line are:
SM’A MRA RB NQ _ (left to right)
Sim’a’ mar’u rabba naq [banima(?)]
The letters “B N” do not exist in any form in the text so Rainey seems to added them just to make his translation which is translation fraud. Rainy also ignored the last letter which is an ayin.
These produced his proposed translation:
- You, Thapan, crush (hammer out) for Ababa from you (i.e. from your ore); (signed) Sim’a’, the squire of the chief of the mi [ners?].
This is a failed translation due to:
- Translation fraud (adding letters not in the text)
- Having incorrect letter assignments
- Using names with their arbitrary letter pattersn to substitute for words
References
Butin, Romain F. (1928) The Seribit Inscriptions: II. The Decipherment and Significance of the Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 21 No. 1 pp. 9-67 Butin, Romain F. (1932) The Proto-Sinaitic Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 25 No. 2 pp. 130-203
Aegean Graffiti on Serabit el-Khadim Hathor Statuette Top (1200 BCE) (Sinai Text 5.1)
(November 6, 2023) This red sandstone statuette was found on the floor of the Hathor temple at the turquoise mine at Serabit el-Khadim in the Sinai. It has graffiti inscriptions on top, front, and two sides. It now resides in the Cairo museum in Egypt.
This graffito is pro-magic. It was written before the start of the great drought which ended the Bronze Age.
Right Text in Akkadian
(read from head to front and continues on down the front right side. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs are italic bold)- ELu Zu Gu. Mu Ne'u Tu (letter T on on the front panel)
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)
In English
- The high-life-power's emanations are being energized. Fertility-fluids are being energized by astrology-magic
Left Text in Akkadian (starts at bottom for right to left reading)
(read from bottom to top in image. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs are italic bold)- [rubbed out word] Nu Le’ȗ
In English
- [missing word] is revealing the astrological-powers
Aegean Graffiti on Serabit el-Khadim Hathor Statuette Front (Sinai Text 5.2) 1200 BCE
(November 6, 2023) This graffito is pro-magic. It was written before the start of the great drought which ended the Bronze Age.
Right Text in Akkadian (end indicated by horizontal line)
- (a continuation of the top text)
Left Text in Akkadian
(read top to bottom. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs are italic bold)- MaTu LaBā’u Lu Tu
Left Text in English
- Murder will circle without astrology-magic
Butin’s Attempted Translation
Romain Butin’s 1928 Hebrew translation based upon incorrect letter assignments and assumes that Hebrew existed at this time despite it lack of attestation elsewhere. In contrast, cuneiform Akkadian has been found in Egypt from this same time period. It was being used to write diplomatic letters to neighboring states in a series of texts known as the Amarna Letters (1360-1332 BCE). Butin’s translation is also read in the unlikely order of side, then right column, then left column. This is his translation:
- This (statue is set up) for the withdrawal of the raider, according to the wish of the handmaid (priestess) of Ba'alat, (and) according to the wish of the head stone-setter (engraver). (Butin 1928, page 46)
Aegean Graffiti on Sinai Serabit el-Khadim Hathor Statuette Blames Goddess Selu (Sinai Text 5.3) 1200 BCE
(August 4, 2022) This red sandstone statuette was found on the floor of the Hathor temple at the turquoise mine at Serabit el-Khadim in the Sinai.
This graffito is pro-magic. It was written before the start of the great drought which ended the Bronze Age.
Top Text in Akkadian (right to left reading)
- SeLȗ Mâ’u Mu A
In English
- Selu/Selene is pushing these fertility-fluids
Bottom Text in Akkadian (right to left reading)
- Bu Zu Du
In English
- Nourishments can be emanated by life-powers
Right Side of Serabit el-Khadim Hathor Sphinx Found at Serabit el-Khadim (Sinai Text 6) 1200 BCE
(August 5, 2022, Updated 2024) This graffito is pro-magic. It was written before the start of the great drought which ended the Bronze Age.
Text in Akkadian (Sinai 6.1)
(read right to left)- Ṭu Zu DaḪû AMu
In English
- Thu's emanations can pressure the Reed-Boat (Ayu, Hathor)
Thu is the hermaphrodite connective motion power deity. The elimination of motion power aid tends to inhibit the flow of fertility fluids through the life network thus emotionally pressuring Hathor who is the connective life goddess who edits the network connections. The "Reed-Boat" is an epithet for the crescent moon and represents these connective life goddesses.
Egyptian Hieroglyphs
A Hathor ideogram is located on the statuette’s shoulder. It consists of the falcon of Horus inside a house. The feminine power is represented by a house for a masculine power.
Below the Hathor ideogram is the Egyptian hieroglyphic phrase which reads:
- many honors to her
The Egyptian signs with their letters are:
- reed - yod (I)
- reed - yod (Y)
- plow - mem (M)
- 3 dots (meaning "many"),
- rising and setting sun - teth (Ṭ)
- sling - a different teth (Ṭ)
The root Egyptian word here is IM meaning "to honor" (Faulkner 1962). The letter combination teth, teth is a feminine pronoun suffix meaning "her."
The god Horus was the Egyptian connective life-growth power of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. As such he was represented by the falcon which moved the visible sun as it flew on wings though the region between the earth plane and the watery inner surface of the sky-shell. Spiritual powers ascended into the divine realm by hopping a ride on the sun when on the morning horizon. Horus as the visible sun motion represented good order in contrast to the hidden sun form represented by the chaotic storm bull, Seth.
References
Butin, Romain F. (1928) The Seribit Inscriptions: II. The Decipherment and Significance of the Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 21 No. 1 pp. 9-67 Butin, Romain F. (1932) The Proto-Sinaitic Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 25 No. 2 pp. 130-203
Faulkner, R.O. (1962) A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian. Griffith Institute, Oxford
Left Side of Serabit el-Khadim Hathor Sphinx Found at Serabit el-Khadim 1200 BCE
(August 5, 2022, Updated 2024) This graffito is pro-magic. It was written before the start of the great drought which ended the Bronze Age.
Text in Akkadian (Sinai 6.2)
(read right to left)- Tu Le’ȗ DaLû
- Pu ŠâKu Nâ[Pu]
In English
- Astrology-Magic's astrological-powers bring-water.
- The Openers (life-powers) are making-narrow the fil[ter] (life-network)
Thu is the magical hermaphrodite connective motion power deity of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm.
Line 1 is stating that the motion powers brought to earth by Thu are important for manifesting rain.
Line 2 is stating that some of the blame for a drought lies with the life network thread openers which are restricting the number of threads which reach earth.
References
Butin, Romain F. (1928) The Seribit Inscriptions: II. The Decipherment and Significance of the Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 21 No. 1 pp. 9-67 Butin, Romain F. (1932) The Proto-Sinaitic Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 25 No. 2 pp. 130-203
Faulkner, R.O. (1962) A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian. Griffith Institute, Oxford