Book excerpt: Echoes from the Past: Hebrew and Cognate Inscriptions from the Biblical Period by Shmuel Ahituv is a collection of inscriptions dating to the First Temple period. Translated from the Hebrew into English by the renowned scholar Anson F. Rainey, this book has been revised and expanded to include over 220 inscriptions. They originate from kingdoms on both sides of the River Jordan: Judah and Israel, Philistia, Edom, Ammon, and Moab. The inscriptions from Judah and Israel are in Hebrew, while the others are written in languages close enough to make them accessible to any reader of Hebrew. This book contains a photograph and/or facsimile of each inscription, with transcriptions in both pointed and unpointed Hebrew, as well as English translation and commentary. Every item, or group of items, is preceded by introductory remarks and followed by translations, interpretations and references. A new appendix on the Aramaic Tel Dan inscription is included in Echoes from the Past, along with a glossary of proper names and indices.