But why are any of these 10 sites with Hey prefixes prefixed? Would be nice to hear someone knowledgeable in Hebrew naming-conventions speculate.

Thanks for sharing that Zorah info, Owen! I’m not sure what to do with it, though, since it hasn’t been formally published yet. Dr. Barkay is well aware of my website & book(s), but has not voluntarily offered me the opportunity to publish it. Nonetheless, can you recall specifically which seal design was on it, & how clear/complete it was? And since I’m not familiar with your personal history, what year were you traveling through the Moat? It’s important to record stuff like this so that if his publication doesn’t appear for many years, someone will be able to cross-check it with the info you provide here, in much the same way you saw me up above cross-checking the recent correspondence about these Kefireh handles (i.e., originally an x4x & x2x; now a blank handle & an x2x).

The preface to the LMLK Corpus page refers the reader to Vaughn’s corpus. Therein, for Qeila he cites a 2-volume work by Evaristus Mader (“Mambre” published in 1957 by Freiburg: E. Wewel; p. 206 n. 30); & for Adullam he cites D. Amit’s (1989?) survey, via Dr. Barkay.

While traveling through the Chalk Moat and examining sites for my masters thesis at Jerusalem University College, we found a LMLK jar handle at Tel Zora biblical Zorah. I believe one of professors (Gabi Barkay) now has it. Also looking at your LMLK map I was wondering where you found evidence of LMLK’s being found at Keilah (perhaps Kochavi’s survey?) and Adullam?

The identification is noted in ABD, although the author (Dorsey) seems unaware of Vriezen’s work there.

10 of 26 place names in Josh 18:21-28 are determined. I doubt it meant anything like “The Chephirah.” This seems to be more common in Benjamin than in other tribes.