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HOME :
Biblical Antiquities :
Masterpieces of Biblical Art : Bronze Mahta Incense Shovel
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Bronze Mahta Incense Shovel - FZ.218
Origin: En Gedi, Israel
Circa: 1
st
Century CE
to 2
nd
Century CE
Dimensions:
11.5" (29.2cm) high
Catalogue: V12
Collection: Biblical
Medium: Bronze
Location: United States
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| Description |
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In the Temple of Jerusalem and in synagogues
throughout the ancient world, the fragrant
smoke of incense filled the air. The high priest
burned this aromatic blend of spices and gums
on a special altar before the Holy of Holies. The
smoke was intended to purify the air of the
sanctuary and to please the deity. A costly
offering, incense was considered the worthy gift
of princes and heads of state. It also carried great
spiritual significance hence the saying, ‘Let my
prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and
the lifting up of my hands as the evening
sacrifice,’ (Psalms 141:2). The mahta, or incense
shovel, was employed in the ritual of burning
and for removing the ashes afterwards. This
splendid example, free from graven images, was
almost certainly used in a synagogue of the
Roman Period. The handle is of column-form,
decorated with a Corinthian capital.
Similar bronze incense shovels were discovered
in the ‘Cave of the Letters’ in the Dead Sea area
in the 1960s. This site was so-named because it
was found to contain a cache of letters from
Simon Bar Kochbar, leader of the Jewish Revolt
against Rome, 132-135 CE. This was one of the
most significant archaeological discoveries of the
last century and is illuminating in this instance
because it has helped scholars to date these
shovels between the 1st-2nd Centuries CE. After
the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE mahtas
acquired great symbolic value. They are
sometimes illustrated in Late Roman and
Byzantine period mosaics.
For a comparable published shovel see, J.
Goodnick Westenholz ed., ‘Three Faces of
Monotheism,’ (Bible Lands Museum, Jerusalem,
2007), pp. 58-59, No. 17.
- (FZ.218)
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