Abbreviations in Inscriptions: A Guest Post by Gershon Galil
12 inscriptions of only one letter “aleph” (A), inscribed on pithoi were unearthed in Kuntillet ‘Ajrud – about fifty km south of Kadesh Barnea — among other numerous inscriptions dated to the end of the ninth century – beginning of the eighth centuries BC.
In my opinion this single letter is an abbreviation which stands for asham = “guilty” = atonement, a sacrifice atoning for a sin. This proposal has not yet been suggested in research.
These inscriptions may be similar to the second Qieyafa inscription — KPRT ISHBA’AL etc. See Lev 19 21-22: “And he shall bring his trespass offering (his “asham”) unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering (“asham”), And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering (“asham”) before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.”
Furthermore, we also have only a yod in about ten inscriptions.
See, for further instances of such usages
Vreemde letters: Vayikra