700409 Hebrew letter, Lachish (ink on ceramic) by Iron Age, (6th century BC); 16.5x10 cm; The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel; (add.info.: Lachish was an ancient Near East town located at the site of modern Tel Lachish or Tell ed-Duweir in the Shephelah, a region between Mount Hebron and the maritime Mediterranean coast. The town was first mentioned in the Amarna letters as Lakisha-Laki禳a (EA 287, 288, 328, 329, 335). According to the Bible, the Israelites captured and destroyed Lachish for joining the league against the Gibeonites (Joshua 10:31-33), but its territory was later assigned to the tribe of Judah (15:39) and became a part of the Kingdom of Israel. Inscription: ???o my lord Yaush. May Yahweh make this time a good one for you. Who is your servant (but) a dog that my lord should have sent (him) the king\'s letter and those of the officials asking me to read them? The [officials??? statements are not good ??(they are of a kind) to slacken your courage and to weaken that of the men [?因. Won\'t you write to [them] as follows: ???Why] are you acting thus???[?因 As Yahweh your God lives, ever since your servant read the letters he has not had [a moment\'s peace].??; 穢 Israel Museum, Jerusalem ; The Ridgefield Foundation, New York, in memory of Henry J. and Erna D. Leir ; out of copyright.