JERUSALEM (AP) - An ancient stone with mysterious Hebrew writing and featuring the archangel Gabriel is going on display in Jerusalem as scholars debate the inscription's meaning.

The so-called Gabriel Stone, said to have been found 13 years ago in Jordan, features an unknown prophetic text from the time of the Second Jewish Temple.

The tablet made a splash in 2008 when an Israeli scholar theorised the inscription would revolutionise the understanding of early Christianity, claiming it referenced a messianic resurrection pre-dating Jesus.

Curators at the Israel Museum said on Tuesday that it is the most important inscription found in the area since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Israel Museum exhibit, opening on Wednesday, also features ancient New Testament and Quran texts referencing the archangel Gabriel.