Israeli researchers unveil 'extremely rare' Iron Age papyrus note

A view of a papyrus fragment presented by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) at its Dead Sea conservation lab in Jerusalem; dating to the First Temple-period (late seventh or early sixth century BCE), written in ancient Hebrew script and originally found in the Judean Desert caves following an intelligence operation. Photo: AFP

Israel's Antiquities Authority displayed on Wednesday a rare papyrus note in ancient Hebrew dating back 2,700 years, recently brought back to Jerusalem after its chance discovery in the United States.

The letter fragment, written in the Palaeo-Hebrew used during the First Temple era, constitutes four lines beginning "To Ishmael send", with the rest of the words incomplete.