Administrative Receipts From the Northern Kingdom
The Samaria Ostraca are ink inscriptions on pottery sherds from ancient Samaria, typically dated to the 8th century BCE, recording deliveries of commodities—primarily oil and wine—into the central administration.
What the Ostraca Reveal About Economy and Administration
They show a structured system of collection and record‑keeping: named localities, standardized measures, and references to officials suggest an organized fiscal apparatus supporting urban centers.
Value for Historical Reconstruction and Limits
As routine administrative records, the ostraca are indispensable for reconstructing economic life, place‑names, and bureaucratic practice in the northern kingdom, though their local scope and fragmentary preservation limit broader generalizations.
Sources
Samaria excavation reports; ostraca editions
Samaria ostraca publications (Samaria reports)
Other Information About Samaria Ostraca
Mazar A.; Millard A. R.; Finkelstein I. (1996). The Archaeology of the Israelite Settlement.