Very interesting examples of Israelite written inscriptions on potsherds, dating from the 9th century B.C. and probably from the reign of Ahab, were found that are of great palaeographical importance.
This was Lumby's revised date, but the progress of palaeographical studies has made it possible to demonstrate that MSS.
So far back as it can be traced it is, therefore, an Alexandrian MS., and palaeographical arguments point in the same direction.
It is usually said that this MS., like A, came originally from Egypt, but this is merely a palaeographical guess, for which there is no real evidence.
After completing his studies at the Collegium Romanum, he lived for some time at Orvieto, where he was engaged in teaching and palaeographical studies.