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Re: orion Copper Scroll
In a message dated 98-08-09 23:02:04 EDT, you write:
<< In a recent lecture on the value of the Copper Scroll treasures, the
speaker
referred to the Persian weight KARSH (?) in relation to talents.
Unfortunately he did not explain these terms. I do not have ready access to
the Lefkovitz study. A simple explanation would be helpful.
Frank Rosenthal
Institute For Jew. STudies
Portland, Oregon
>>
Please excuse this slow response to your question. I have been unable to pick
up my mail until this weekend.
I am sorry that I did not explain the term "karsh" adequately. According to
Judah K. Lefkovits, "The Copper Scroll-3Q15, a New Reading, Translation and
Commentary," pp. 1082-3, "In the Elephantine documents, various weights, such
as shekel (Hebrew omitted here and later), the Persian karsh, same as "ten
[shekels]", and hallur are mentioned. Often the weights are mentioned by
their initials only....These measurements are related to one another. One
karsh is equal to 10 shekels, one shekel is equal to 4 reva's (i.e. 4 quarters
of a shekel), and one reva' is equal to 10 hallurs. It should be added that
numerical symbols found in the Elephantine documents are practically the same
as those used in the Copper Scroll..."
Levkovits makes an argument in favor of karsh based on emendations of "kaf kaf
" to "kikorin" that could have been made but were not, and the presence of
both terms in a single treasure description. My study focussed on actual
recovered treasures of silver coins concealed prior to the fall of Masada, and
found that a typical large coin hoard of this period was about the same size
as many of the Copper Scroll treasures, if "kaf kaf" means karsh. In fact,
several of the Copper Scroll trasures are similar in size (and one in place of
recovery also) to recovered coin hoards. In my opinion this finding lends
additional support to Dr. Lefkovits's suggestion.
Best regards,
Robert D. Leonard
Winnetka, Illinois
U.S.A.