There is considerably more evidence for literacy in the late preexilic period.43 In spite of Ian Young’s insistence that a literate few composing large amounts of material does not constitute literacy,44 percentages of literate individuals remained low even in China and Japan, with their great production of literature.45 There are three pieces of evidence for Israelite literacy in the late preexilic period: numerous administrative seals (e.g., LMLK seals), vulgar script, and writings by military