Ancient Israelite cuisine aside, and the loaves were baked on the heated surface. People also began placing a convex dome, initially earthenware and later metal, over the pit-oven and cooking the flatbreads on the dome instead of on the ash-covered surface; this type of oven is probably what was meant by the biblical "machabat", often translated as “griddle”. The Persians introduced a clay oven called a tanur (similar to the Indian tandoor), which had an opening at the bottom for the fire, and through which the bread was placed to be baked on the inner wall of the upper chamber from the heat
The Oven of Akhnai experience pain, but instead respect one another. The Oven of Akhnai is one of the most well known stories in the Talmud. As a result of the story, the phrase, "Lo Bashamayim Hi," or, "Not in Heaven," is well known among Jews. The phrase and story helps to reflect the Jewish view of law, the feasibility of following the Torah, and the importance of every generation to work to understand the Torah. The story of the Oven of Akhnai is also notable in being one of the stories where a woman is mentioned having learned Torah and expressing her understandings.