The Elephantine Letters; by Wayne Atchison

The Elephantine Letters

The twenty-one double dated Elephantine letters provide a unique opportunity to precisely establish absolute dates for events occurring during the reigns of some of the kings of Babylon and Persia, including the return of Ezra’s priests to Jerusalem’s Temple.  These letters, most written in Aramaic, were written between individuals in Jerusalem, Babylon, and the Nile island of Elephantine in Egypt.  The letters include dates using both the observed calendar and the Egyptian calendar during the period between 485 BC to 351 BC.  These years are important because they coincide with the rebuilding of the second Temple in Jerusalem.

Because the Egyptian calendar cited by the writers of these letters is a well known fixed-length calendar, each year has exactly 365 days, it is easy to use the Egyptian calendar date to compute the equivalent Julian calendar date for each letter.  The challenge is in matching the known date for each letter to the observed lunar calendar date also specified in each letter.

Modern scholars have failed to reconcile all of the Elephantine letters.  This is because they are using the wrong rules to compute the observed calendar dates.  Thus they fail to match the Egyptian date that is also specified in each document.

At this writing, this author is the only researcher who has succeeded in matching all of the double dated Elephantine letters.  All letters indeed match when using the same observed calendar rules throughout the 134 year period.

This is significant.  By matching all letters, firm evidence is established that the ancient observed calendar was based upon a defined and unwavering set of simple rules, and that the same observed calendar was used by the governing officials of Persia, including Jerusalem's Temple priests, throughout the entire Asia Minor region.

Some may not be aware that Elephantine is historically extremely significant.  The significance of the Elephantine Island in the Nile river is that Israel had a huge and fully functioning Temple of YHWH built on this island.  In this Temple they kept the Mowadahs of YHWH and the sacrificial ceremonies for hundreds of years.  In this Temple the Levitical priests of Israel proclaimed and presided over the Mowadahs during the time when Solomon’s Temple was destroyed, and later they held the Mowadahs in parallel with the Second Temple, until the time Elephantine was destroyed.  As a matter of historical record, the demonstration herein that both Temples of YHWH used the exact same calendar is monumental in its significance.

Following is a list of the Elephantine letters, with the corresponding Julian Dates.  All computations were performed by the software product: "Interactive Astronomy and Historical Calendars Reconstruction", offered by this author through Z2 Computer Solutions, 2254 NE Tucson Way, Bend, OR 97701 (www.z2cs.com).

Some Background Information:

The Egyptian fixed-length calendar always has 365 day years, each month has 30 days, with a 13th "month" having only five days (each day was a holy day).  The correlation between this Egyptian calendar and the Julian Day Numbering system has been verified by thousands of artifacts, and is not in dispute.

The Julian Day = 1448242 + 365Y + 30M + D

where Egyptian date (Y,M,D) = (1,1,1) is Julian date 2/26/-746 00h:00m:00s GMT.

Names of Months Used In Letters:

            Egyptian                             Babylon            Jewish / Syrian

1                            Thoth               Nisanu              Nisan                     1

2                            Phaophi            Aiaru                Iyyar                      2

3                            Athyr                Simanu             Sivan                      3

4                            Choiak             Duzu                Tammus                 4

5                            Tybi                 Abu                  Ab                         5

6          II PRT        Mechir             Ululu                Elul             6

7          III PRT      Phamenoth       Tashritu            Tishri                      7

8                            Pharmuthi         Arahsamnu       Marcheshvan          8

9          I SMW      Pachons           Kislimu             Kislev                     9

10                          Payni                Tebetu              Tebeth                    10

11                          Epiphi               Shabatu            Shebat                    11

12                          Mesore            Addaru             Adar                      12

13                          Epagomense(5 days long)         Adar II                   13

Reigns of Kings:

It is very important to understand how the ancients determined the year of a king's reign.  The Egyptians incremented a king's reign on Thoth 1, which was around the first two weeks of December in the time-frame of these letters.  Another counting used the Egyptian Sothic Calendar, which incremented around July 20 in the time-frame of these letters.  The Persians incremented a king's reign on Nisan 1, which was in March or April.

The Elephantine Letters:

Papyrus     Egyptian            Jewish                    Reign                                                      Matching Julian

No.              Date                    Date                        Of king                                                   Date

C  10       THOT   4                KISL     7                Yr  9 (Egyptian) Artaxerxes III

                01/04/398               9/7                                                           1593545.75             (w=5) 11/22/-350

Written after sunset.

                Letter Ya`uhan to Meshullam b. Zaccur.

Kr 10       CHOI   8 ADAR    20            Yr  3 (Egyptian) Artaxerxes II

                04/08/346               12/20                                                       1574659.75             (w=5) 03/09/-401

                Evidence that they waited for the spring new crescent,

                and did not use the alleged "Spring Passover Rule".

Letter references Anani b. Azariah.

Kr  9        MESO  29              MARC    24           Yr  1 (Persian) Artaxerxes II

                12/29/344               8/24                                                         1574190.75             (w=5) 11/25/-403

Intercalated Adar II, not allowing a Nisan having its first 15 days in the winter.  Written after sunset.

Letter references Anani b. Azariah.

AP 28     ATHY   9               SHEB    24              Yr 14 Egyptian, 13 Persian Darius II

                03/09/338               11/24                                                       1571710.75             (w=3) 02/10/-409

                Written after sunset.

                Letter references Yedoniah and Mehseiah, sons of Nathan, in Egypt.

AP 25     THOT  12               KISL     3                Yr  9 Egyptian, 8 Persian Darius II

                01/12/333               9/03                                                         1569828.75             (w=4) 12/16/-415

A Babylonian Tablet shows 3/25/-415 was an Adar II.  This year was a very close call.  They could have determined the observed spring equinox to be either on the 2nd or the 3rd day of the month in question.  They did intercalate, waiting a full month for Nisan.  Also, notice that the whole region was unified by a single determination.  Written after sunset.

Letter Yedoniah b. Uriah to Yedoniah and Mehseiah, sons of Nathan (whoes mother was Mibtahiah).

Kr  6        PHAR   8                TAMU     8            Yr  3 (Sothic) Darius II

                08/08/328               4/08                                                         1568209.75             (w=2) 07/11/-419

Nothing special about calendar computations.

Letter references Anani b. Azariah.

Kr  5        PHAM   7              SIVA    20              Yr 38 (Persian) Artaxerxes I

                07/07/321               3/20                                                         1565623.75             (w=6) 06/12/-426

Did not intercalate, but allowed observed spring to fall on Nisan 2.

Letter references Meshullam b. Zakkur, Haggai, and Micaiah b. Ahio.

Kr  4        EPIP  25                  TISH    25               Yr 31 (Persian) Artaxerxes I               

                11/25/314               7/25                                                         1563206.75             (w=4) 10/30/-433

Intercalated the crescent seen 14 days in winter, not allowing the alleged "Spring Passover Rule".

Letter references Ananiah b. Azariah and Bagazust.

AP  10    THOTH 4               KISLEV 7               Yr [29] (Egyptian) Artaxerxes I

                01/04/312               09/07                                                       1562155.75             (w=3) 12/13/-436

Intercalated the crescent seen 11 days in winter, not allowing the alleged "Spring Passover Rule".

A proposed alternative reading         Yr [ 9]     has no match.

Kr  3        PAYN   9                ELUL     7               Yr 28 (Persian) Artaxerxes I

                10/09/311               06/07                                                       1562065.75             (w=4) 09/14/-436

Intercalated the crescent seen 11 days in winter, not allowing the alleged "Spring Passover Rule".  Written after sunset.

Letter references Ananiah b. Azariah and Bagazust b. Bzw.

AP 14     PACH  19               AB      14                Yr 25 (Persian) Artaxerxes I               

                09/19/308               5/14                                                         1560950.75             (w=2) 08/26/-439

Intercalated the crescent seen 8 days in winter, not allowing the alleged "Spring Passover Rule".  Written after sunset.

Letter Pi` to Mibtahiah, daughter of Yedoniah.

AP 13     MESO  11              KISL   [ 2]              Yr 19 (Persian) Artaxerxes I

                12/11/302               9/02                                                         1558842.75             (w=1) 11/18/-445

Nothing special about calendar computations. 

Written after sunset.

Letter Mahseiah b. Yedoniah to Miphtahiah, his daughter.

Kr  2        PHAR [ 3]              [TAMU]  18          Yr 16 (Persian) Artaxerxes I

                08/03/299               4/18                                                         1557619.75             (w=3) 07/13/-448

Nothing special about calendar computations.

Letter references Ananiah b. Azariah and Meshulliam b. Zakkur.

Kr  1        PHAM  25             SIVA    20              Yr 14 (Persian) Artaxerxes I               

                07/25/297               03/20                                                       1556881.75             (w=7) 07/06/-450

Intercalated the crescent seen 6 days in winter, not allowing the alleged "Spring Passover Rule".  Written after sunset.

Letter references Mahseiah b. Yedoniah as a witness.

AP  6      THOT [17]             KISL    18               Yr 21 (Persian or Sothic) Xerxes

                                                                                Beginning Artaxerxes I ascension year

                01/17/284               09/18                                                       1551948.75             (w=2) 01/02/-463

Intercalated the crescent seen 3 days in winter, not allowing the alleged "Spring Passover Rule".  Written after sunset.

An Alternative Reading of AP 6:

AP  6      THOT [07]             KISL    18               same letter as above but alternative reading:

                01/07/285               09/18                                                       1552303.75             (w=7) 12/23/-463

December would be Xerxes Year 22 by Egyptian counting.

AP  5      PACH  28               ELUL    18              Yr 15 (Persian or Sothic) Xerxes

                09/28/277               06/18                                                       1549644.75             (w=1) 09/12/-470

Nothing special about calendar computations.

C  17       EPIPHI  30             MARCH    19        Yr 37 (Persian) of “Artaxerxes at the accession of Xerxes”

                11/30/263               08/19                                                       1544596.75             (w=7)  11/16/-484

Nothing special about calendar computations.

Letter proves that “Artaxerxes” is a title, not a specific king’s name, as Darius I, being called Artaxerxes, who is the king at Xerxes accession.

Letter is Zadok to Mahseiah b. Yedoniah.

Elephantine Letters Having Major Problems (according to Horn & Wood, 1954):

AP  8      MESO   1               KISL    21               Yr  6 Artaxerxes I

                12/01                       09/21

                                ("Artaxerxes" is a title, not a name)

                                                                                matches                 1490942.75             (w=5) 12/24/-631

                                                                                matches                 1500067.75             (w=5) 12/18/-606

                                                                                matches                 1509192.75             (w=2) 12/12/-581

                                                                                matches                 1513207.75             (w=6) 12/09/-570

                12/21                       09/01                       matches                 1553378.33             (w=3) 12/01/-460

                [There has to be something wrong with AP8's dates, these matches do not fit the year of reign.]

                But does match if was Marcheshvan, not Kislev, and used Sothic dating, written at night.

                12/01/288               08/21                       matches                 1553723.33             (w=5) 11/11/-459

Letter is Mahseiah b. Yedoniah to Mibtahiah.

KR  8      PAYNI 22              TISHRI 6                Yr  8 (Persian) Darius II

                10/22/332               07/6                                                         (was probably a scribal error)

                10/22/332               06/6                         matches                 1569743.75             (w=3) 09/22/-415

                See AP25, two months later a letter has the correct lunar month.  So the options are:

1.  The scribe provided a totally bogus double date, and therefore KR 8 does not represent a valid data point.  It must be totally thrown out of the list of letters.

2.  The scribe erred in the Egyptian month:  Epiphi 22 and Tishri 6 matches to October 22, 416 BC.  Notice that to obtain this match there was no Spring Passover Rule used.

3.  The scribe erred in the Jewish month:  Payni 22 and Elul 6 matches to September 22, 416 BC.  Notice that to obtain this match there was still no Spring Passover Rule used.

4.  That year there was a close call for when to begin Nisan.  It is possible that this scribe believed it was Tishri, even though other data shows that this year was indeed intercalated.  Even so, option #4 only demonstrates a “close-call” with the new crescent and the spring equinox.  Option #4 does not show a Spring Passover Rule being used either.

Letter references Widrang, commander of Syene and Yedoniah.

KR  7      EPIPHI                   TISHRI                   Yr  4 (Persian) Darius II      

Fits, if allow EPIPHI 1 to equal TISHRI 1, and Elul had 30 days, not 29.  This is very likely as they only had 48.8 minutes to see a 1.11% illuminated crescent, which could be easily missed.

                11/01/328               07/1                                                         1568292.75             (w=1) 10/02/-419

AP  20    PAYNI                   ELUL                      Yr  4 (Egyptian) Darius II   

                Fits, if allow PAYNI 1 to equal ELUL 1.

                10/01/328               06/1                                                         1568262.75             (w=6) 9/02/-419

                Letter references Yedoniah and Mahseiah, sons of Ashor b. Zeho.

The Elephantine letters are charted below.  Notice that all 22 letters are reconciled, even the letters reported to have major problems.  In the following chart, the "problem letters" are enclosed in parenthesis.

Other Double Dated Records:

Ptolomy recorded a lunar eclipse in the seventh year of Cambyses on Phamenoth (Egyptian month 7) 17.  Newton Page 131 lists a Babylonian record of the same eclipse occurring on IV,14 523 BC, which is 7/16/-522 Julian.  This record confirms that the Egyptian Calendar's 365 day year pattern was uninterrupted between Ptolomy's time and 523 BC.

SIGNIFICANCE:

All Babylonian / Egyptian / Jerusalem dates are computed using a consistent set of calendar determination rules.  Because all of the double dated Elephantine letters reconcile using these rules, firm evidence is provided which demonstrates that the greater region of Babylon, Jerusalem, and Egypt were all using the exact same calendar system between 485 to 351 BC.  This evidence demonstrates that two fully functional Temples of YHWH both used the exact same calendar system of rules.  With Ptolomy's record we have evidence that the same rules were used back to 523 BC.

The evidence shows that the ancient calendar scholars did not follow a fixed calendar cycle based on 19 years, nor did they follow an alleged "Spring-Passover" intercalating rule.  The single set of rules employed demonstrates that they did strictly adhere to visual sightings of the new crescent moon, and based their intercalation's on ensuring that the 3rd of Nisan should be in the observed spring, and that the 9th of Tishri (the 10th is the first day of the year for the Jubilee cycle count, which is the Holy Day of Atonement or Yom Kupper) should always be in the observed autumn.

Further evidence of this is also provided by two Jewish Astrology Tablets, MLC 1870 and BM 33667.  These tablets provide astronomical positions of the major planets, tied to a specified month, day, and year of the observed calendar.  These tablets therefore represent precise dates, as only one date can satisfy the specified positions for all of the planets, the sun, and the moon for each specified calendar reference.  These dates are then fixed and verified by astronomical ephemera.

The first tablet dates to Julian April 4, 263 BC and the second gives two dates of Julian March 17 and then December 17, 258 BC.  These dates are significant in that they occur in a year in which intercalation occurred.  The rules for when the ancient astronomers intercalated are thereby further confirmed.  In these years they followed the same calendar determination rules, giving evidence that the regional calendar remained unchanged down to 258 BC.

Still further, Babylonian records (see "Babylonian Chronology, 626 B.C. - A.D. 75" by Richard A. Parker and Waldo H. Dubberstein: Brown University Press) specify intercalated years between 626 B.C. and 75 A.D.  These records also demonstrate that the same determination rules were used as far back as 517 BC.