Canaanite and Aramaic inscriptions

(Redirected from Phoenician inscriptions)

The Canaanite and Aramaic inscriptions, also known as Northwest Semitic inscriptions,[3] are the primary extra-Biblical source for understanding of the society and history of the ancient Phoenicians, Hebrews and Arameans. Semitic inscriptions may occur on stone slabs, pottery ostraca, ornaments, and range from simple names to full texts.[4][5][6][7] The older inscriptions form a CanaaniteAramaic dialect continuum, exemplified by writings which scholars have struggled to fit into either category, such as the Stele of Zakkur and the Deir Alla Inscription.[8][9][10][11]

The Sarcophagus of Eshmunazar II was the first of this type of inscription found anywhere in the Levant (modern Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and Syria).[1][2]

The Northwest Semitic languages are a language group that contains the Aramaic language, as well as the Canaanite languages including Phoenician and Hebrew.

Languages

This article lists the notable inscriptions written in Canaanite (previously known as "Phoenician" and today split into Phoenician-proper, paleo-Hebrew, Punic etc.), as well as Old Aramaic. These inscriptions share an alphabet, as shown in these 1903 comparison tables.

The old Aramaic period (850 to 612 BC) saw the production and dispersal of inscriptions due to the rise of the Arameans as a major force in Ancient Near East. Their language was adopted as an international language of diplomacy, particularly during the late stages of the Neo-Assyrian Empire as well as the spread of Aramaic speakers from Egypt to Mesopotamia.[12] The first known Aramaic inscription was the Carpentras Stela, found in southern France in 1704; it was considered to be Phoenician text at the time.[13][14]

Only 10,000 inscriptions in Phoenician-Punic, a Canaanite language, are known,[7][15] such that "Phoenician probably remains the worst transmitted and least known of all Semitic languages."[16] The only other substantial source for Phoenician-Punic are the excerpts in Poenulus, a play written by the Roman writer Plautus (see Punic language § Example for an analysis).[7] Within the corpus of inscriptions only 668 words have been attested, including 321 hapax legomena (words only attested a single time), per Wolfgang Röllig's analysis in 1983.[17] This compares to the Bible's 7,000–8,000 words and 1,500 hapax legomena, in Biblical Hebrew.[17][18] The first published Phoenician-Punic inscription was from the Cippi of Melqart, found in 1694 in Malta;[19] the first published such inscription from the Phoenician "homeland" was the Sarcophagus of Eshmunazar II published in 1855.[1][2]

Fewer than 2,000 inscriptions in Ancient Hebrew, another Canaanite language, are known, of which the vast majority comprise just a single letter or word.[20][21] The first detailed Ancient Hebrew inscription published was the Royal Steward inscription, found in 1870.[22][23]

List of notable inscriptions

The inscriptions written in ancient Northwest Semitic script (Canaanite and Aramaic) have been catalogued into multiple corpora (i.e., lists) over the last two centuries. The primary corpora to have been produced are as follows:

The inscriptions listed below include those which are mentioned in multiple editions of the corpora above (the numbers in the concordance column cross-refer to the works above), as well as newer inscriptions which have been published since the corpora above were published (references provided individually).

NameImageNo.DiscoveredDateLocation foundCurrent LocationConcordance
KAICIS / RÉSNEKINSITSSIRef.
Ahiram Sarcophagus 11923c.1000 BCEByblosNational Museum of Beirut1III 4
Byblos Necropolis graffito 11923c.1000 BCEByblosin situ2III 5
Byblos bronze spatulas 11926–19321000–900 BCEByblosNational Museum of Beirut3III 1
Byblos clay cone inscriptions 219501100–1000 BCEByblosNational Museum of BeirutIII 2,3
Yehimilk inscription 11930c.960/950 BCEByblosByblos Castle4III 6
Abiba’l inscription 11895c.940/930 BCEByblosVorderasiatisches Museum Berlin5R 505III 7
Osorkon Bust 11881c.920 BCByblosLouvre6III 8
Safatba'al inscription 11936c.900 BCEByblosNational Museum of Beirut7III 9
Abda sherd 11926–1932c.900 BCEByblos8III 10
Son of Safatba'al inscription 11926–1932c.500/475 BCEByblosNational Museum of Beirut9
Yehawmilk Stele 11869c.450/425 BCEByblosLouvre10I 141653III 25
Batnoam sarcophagus 11926–1932c.450–425 BCEByblosNational Museum of Beirut11III 26
Byblos altar inscription 11923200–100 BCEByblosNational Museum of Beirut12
Byblos marble inscription 11957500 BCEByblosNational Museum of Beirut280
Tabnit sarcophagus 11887500 BCSidonMuseum of the Ancient Orient13R 1202417,164III 27
Sarcophagus of Eshmunazar II 11855c. 525 BCSidonLouvre14I 3, R 1506417,275III 28
Bodashtart inscriptions 22-241858, 1900-2300s BCSidonLouvre and Museum of the Ancient Orient15–16I 4, R 766, 7678–106, Appendix I
Abdmiskar cippus 11890300 BCESidonLouvre282R 930418,3117
Eshmun inscription 11901SidonMuseum of the Ancient OrientR 297
KAI 283Sidon283[29]
Tyre Cistern inscription 11885TyreLouvre418,c8
Throne of Astarte 11907TyreLouvre and National Museum of Beirut17R 800III 30
Abdbaal the centurion inscription 1near TyreLouvre[30]
KAI 284Tyre284[31]
Baalshamin inscription 11861132 BCUmm al-AmadLouvre18I 7418,d129[32]
Phoenician sun dial 11860–1945Umm al-AmadNational Museum of BeirutI 9
Umm al-Amad votive inscription 11861Umm al-Amad, LebanonLouvreI 8419,213
Phoenician Adoration steles 11900Umm al-Amad, LebanonNy Carlsberg Glyptotek, LouvreR 250, R 30714–15
Phoenician Sphinx inscription 11962Umm al-AmadNational Museum of BeirutIII 32
El-Osiris inscriptionUmm al-AmadLouvreR 504
Masub inscription 11885222 BCMasubLouvre19R 1205419e1610III 31
Arwad bilingual 11916ArwadLouvre
Tortosa bomos inscription 1Tortosa, SyriaLouvreR 56
Phoenician arrowheads c. 701926 onwards11th century BCEvariousvarious20–22III p. 6
Hasanbeyli inscription 11894HasanbeyliVorderasiatisches Museum Berlin23
Kilamuwa Stela 11893c. 850/825 BCESam'alVorderasiatisches Museum Berlin24III 13
Kilamuwa scepter 11943Sam'al25III 14
Karatepe bilingual 11946c. 750 BCEKaratepeKaratepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum26III 15
İvriz inscription198675 meter upstream from the İvriz relief[33]unpublished[34]
Arslan Tash amulets 21933Arslan TashNational Museum of Aleppo27III 23–24
Carchemish Phoenician inscription 11950CarchemishBritish Museum28
Ur Box inscription 11927UrBritish Museum29III 20
Honeyman inscription 11939900 BCECyprusCyprus Museum30III 12
Baal Lebanon inscription 11877700s BCCyprusCabinet des Médailles31I 54191711III 17
Phoenician metal bowls c. 5-101849 onwards700s BCNimrud, Cyprus, Italy and othersvariousI 164, II 46–49III 19
Kition Resheph pillars 21860341 BCCyprusLouvre32I 10, 88420,118, 3012, 23
Pococke Kition inscriptions 311738300s BCCyprusAshmolean Museum33, 35I 11, 46, 57–85420,419, 23, 27, 2813, 16, 18, 19III 35
Kition Necropolis Phoenician inscriptions 41894300s BCCyprusBritish Museum, Cyprus Museum, Ashmolean Museum34R 1206420,32221-22
Pierides Kition inscriptions 71881CyprusLouvre12, 13, 14, 50–5320, 25–2614
Eshmun obelisk 11881CyprusBritish MuseumI 44420,22115
Kellia inscription 11844Cyprus36I 47420,52417
Kition Tariffs 21879300s BCCyprusBritish Museum37I 86A–B, 872920III 33
Pumayyaton and Pnytarion's inscriptions 11950sc. 327 BCnear Dromolaxia, CyprusLarnaca District Archaeological Museum (n. 1425)[35]
Idalion bilingual and Idalion Temple inscriptions 61869391–254 BCIdalion, CyprusBritish Museum38–40I 89–94421,1–331–3324–27III 34
Tamassos bilinguals 21885363 BCTamassos, CyprusBritish Museum41R 1212–1213421c3430
Anat Athena bilingual 11850312 BCECyprusin situ42I 95, R 1515422,13528
Larnakas tis Lapithou pedestal inscription 11893275 BCECyprusLouvre43R 1211422,23629III 36
Rhodes Phoenician-Greek bilingual inscriptions 31914–68300–200 BCERhodesArchaeological Museum of Rhodes44–45III 39
Nora Stone 11773SardiniaMuseo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari46I 144427c6041III 11[36]
Cippi of Melqart 11694100s BCMaltaLouvre and National Museum of Archaeology, Malta47I 122425f5336[36]
Banobal stele 11900MemphisEgyptian Museum48R 1, 23537
Abydos graffiti 1868Abydosin situ49I 99–110, R 1302ff.423a38-4231
Abu Simbel Phoenician graffiti 1842Abu Simbelin situI 111-113423b43
Phoenician papyrus letters 21937–1940Cairo and SaqqaraEgyptian Museum50–51
Phoenician Harpocrates statues 21770, 1963unknownNational Archaeological Museum (Madrid) and British Museum52R 150742444III 37, 38
Athenian Greek-Phoenician inscriptions 181795 etc.Athens, PiraeusBritish Museum, Louvre, National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Archaeological Museum of Piraeus53–60I 115–120, R 388, 1215424,1–3, 425,1–545–5232–35III 40–41
Mdina steles 21816MaltaNational Museum of Archaeology, Malta61I 123A–B426,25437III 21,22[36]
Benhisa inscription 11761MaltaCabinet des MédaillesI 124426,355[36]
Gozo stele 11855MaltaGozo Museum of Archaeology62I 132426,45638[36]
Lilybaeum stele 11882SicilyRegional Archeological Museum Antonio Salinas63I 13857[36]
Bashamem inscription 11877200 BCSardiniaMuseo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari64I 139427a5839[36]
Giardino Birocchi inscription 11912SardiniaMuseo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari65[36]
Pauli Gerrei trilingual inscription 11861SardiniaTurin Archaeology Museum66I 143427b5940[36]
Tharros Punic inscriptions 141870SardiniaMuseo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari, Museo nazionale archeologico ed etnografico G. A. Sanna67I 15862[36]
Olbia pedestal 11911Sardinia68R 1216[36]
Marseille Tariff 11845300s BCMarseilleMusée d'archéologie méditerranéenne69I 1654286342[36]
Avignon Punic inscription 11897AvignonMusée d'archéologie méditerranéenne70R 36064III 18[36]
Douïmès medallion 11894700 BCECarthageCarthage National Museum73I 6057, R 5429,170
Carthage Tariff 11858300 BCCarthageBritish Museum74I 167429b6643
1920Carthage75I 3916
Carthage Festival Offering inscription 11872300 BCCarthageTurin Archaeology Museum76I 166430,36744[37]
1906Carthage77I 3921
Mitsri genealogy inscription 11922300s BCECarthage78I 3778
KNMY's child sacrifice(?) inscription 11922Carthage79I 3785
1871CarthageBritish Museum80I 175430,46846
1898200 BCCarthageCarthage National Museum81I 39146945
Persephone Punic stele 11881CarthageTurin Archaeology Museum82I 17671[37]
1873Carthage83I 177430,67247
Son of Baalshillek marble base 11858CarthageBritish Museum84I 178430,773
Carthaginian tombstones 1817 onwardsCarthageCarthage National Museum, others85various74
Pricot de Sainte-Marie steles >2,0001874–75CarthageBibliothèque nationale de France, Louvre86–88I 264, 221, 188576, 80, 83
Punic Tabella Defixionis 1899200 BCCarthageCarthage National Museum89I 6068, R 18, 15908550
1904CarthageCarthage National Museum90I 5953, R 53787
1899CarthageCarthage National Museum91I 5991, R 122788
Sibbolet funeral inscription 11902CarthageCarthage National Museum92I 5948, R 76889
1905CarthageCarthage National Museum93I 5950, R 55390
1907Carthage94I 2992[38]
1906Carthage95R 786, 1854
1901Carthage96I 5988, R 183, 1600
Hadrumetum Punic inscriptions 121867, 1946SousseSousse Archaeological Museum, the Louvre and the Maison méditerranéenne des Sciences de l'homme97–99432,1–391–92
Punic-Libyan bilinguals 21631DouggaBritish Museum100–101433,c9352
Cirta steles c. 1,0001857–61, 1875, 1950300-100BCEConstantineMusée national Cirta102–116, 162–164R 327, 334, 339, 1544433,1–9 and 434,10–1294–9951
Quintus Markius trilingual inscription1middle of 1st century BCHenchir-Alouin (near Uthina)[39]
El Amrouni mausoleum 11894Remada117435b101
Bourgade inscriptions c. 401852Carthage and wider Tunisia133–135436,3–12
Thinissut sanctuary inscription 11908Bir BouregbaNabeul Museum137R 942, 1858
1900Bou Arada140R 679
Maktar and Mididi inscriptions >1501890sMaktar and Mididi145–158R 161–181, 2221436,1159a-c
Wilmanns Neopunic inscriptions 51873-74TunisiaLouvre and Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin139, 142, 159435,2, 437a53, 55
Cherchell Neopunic inscriptions 21875, 1882CherchellLouvre161439,256–57
Ain Nechma inscriptions 401843GuelmaLouvre166–16943758
Sant'Antioco bilingual 11881SardiniaMuseo archeologico comunale Ferruccio Barreca172I 149434,1100[36]
Mesha Stele 11868DhibanLouvre18141511I 16
Gezer calendar 11908GezerMuseum of the Ancient Orient182R 1201I 1
Samaria Ostraca 1021910SebastiaMuseum of the Ancient Orient183–188I 2–3
Nimrud ivory inscriptions 1845, 1961NimrudBritish MuseumI 6
Siloam inscription 11880JerusalemMuseum of the Ancient Orient18932I 7
Ophel ostracon 11924JerusalemRockefeller Museum190I 9
Royal Steward inscription 11870JerusalemBritish Museum191I 8
Lachish letters 11935Tel LachishBritish Museum and Israel Museum192–199I 12
Yavne-Yam ostracon 11960Mesad HashavyahuIsrael Museum200I 10
Tel Qasile ostraca 21945–1946Tel QasileIsrael MuseumI 4
Hazor inscriptions1956800s BCTel HazorI 5
Wadi Murabba'at papyrus1952600s BCWadi Murabba'atI 11
Arad ostraca >2001960sc.600 BCTel AradBible Lands MuseumI 13, II 31
Al Jib jar handles >601956–1959700s BCAl JibJordan Archaeological Museum and the Penn MuseumI 14
Khirbet Beit Lei graffiti 71961400s BCKhirbet Beit LeiIsrael MuseumI 15
Melqart stele 11939BureijNational Museum of Aleppo201II 1
Stele of Zakkur 11903Tell AfisLouvre202II 5
Hama graffiti1931–38Hama203–213II 6 I–V
Hadad Statue 11890700s BCSam'alVorderasiatisches Museum Berlin214440-261II 13
Panamuwa II inscription 11888730s BCSam'alVorderasiatisches Museum Berlin21544262II 14
Bar-Rakib inscriptions 81891730s BCSam'alVorderasiatisches Museum Berlin and Museum of the Ancient Orient216–221443, 44463II 15–17
Sefire steles 31930–1956As-SafiraNational Museum of Damascus and National Museum of Beirut222–224, 227II 8–9, 22
Neirab steles 21891600s BCAl-NayrabLouvre225–22644564–65II 18–19
Tayma stones 211878–1884300s–400s BCTaymaLouvre228–230II 113–115447,1–369–70II 30
Tell Halaf inscription 11933Tell Halafdestroyed231II 10
Arslan Tash ivory inscription 11931Arslan TashLouvre232II 2
Assur ostracon and tablets 101903–1913AssurVorderasiatisches Museum Berlin233-6II 20
Kesecek Köyü inscription 11915Kesecek KöyüPeabody Museum of Natural History258II 33
Gözne Boundary Stone 11907Gözne259II 34
Sardis bilingual inscription 11912394 BCSardisİzmir Archaeological Museum260
Sarıaydın inscription 11892400 BCSarıaydınin situ261446a68II 35
Limyra bilingual 11840Limyra262II 109446b
Assyrian lion weights 1845–1860800–500 BCNimrud, Abydos (Hellespont)British Museum, Louvre263II 1–14, 108446c66-67
Farasa bilingual inscription 11900In situ265
Adon Papyrus 11942SaqqaraEgyptian Museum266II 21
Saqqara Aramaic Stele 11877482 BCSaqqaradestroyed267II 122448a171II 23
Serapeum Offering Table 11855400 BCSaqqaraLouvre268II 123448a272
Carpentras Stela 11704CarpentrasBibliothèque Inguimbertine269II 141448b175II 24
Elephantine papyri and ostraca 1815–1945300s BCElephantinevarious270–271II 137–139, 154–15573–74II 26, 28
Hermopolis Aramaic papyri 81936400s BCHermopolisCairo University Archaeological MuseumII 27
Abydos Aramaic papyrus 11964400s BCunknownNational Archaeological Museum of MadridII 29
Blacas papyrus 11825SaqqaraBritish LibraryII 14576
Turin Aramaic Papyrus 11823–24Museo EgizioII 144
Ankh-Hapy stele 11860525–404 BCEunknownVatican Museums272II 142448b2II 7
Aramaic Inscription of Taxila 11915TaxilaTaxila Museum273
Stele of Serapeitis 11940ArmaziGeorgian National Museum276
Pyrgi Tablets 31964PyrgiNational Etruscan Museum277III 42
Bahadırlı278II 36
Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription 11958Chil ZenaNational Museum of Afghanistan279
Baalshillem Temple Boy 11963–1964SidonNational Museum of Beirut281III 29
Sarepta Tanit Inscription Sarafand285[40]
Ekron Royal Dedicatory Inscription 11996Tel MiqneIsrael Museum286
Çebel Ires Daǧı inscription 11980Çebel Ires DaǧıAlanya Archaeological Museum287
Kition KAI 288–290Kition288–290
Tekke Bowl Inscription (Knossos)1,000s BCECreteHeraklion Archaeological Museum (Χ4346)291[41][42]
Hellenistic Greek-Phoenician bilingualKos292[43]
Demetrias inscriptionDemetrias293
Seville statue of Astarte 11960–1962700 BCESevilleArcheological Museum of Seville294III 16
Grotta Regina Punic inscriptionsSicily295[44][36]
Mozia Punic inscriptionsSicily296–298[45][36][46]
Temple of Antas Punic inscriptionsSardinia299–301[36][47]
Agrigentum inscription 11934406 BCECarthage302I 5510[48]
Carthage Administration Inscription 11964CarthageCarthage National Museum303
El-Kerak Inscription 11958Al-KarakJordan Archaeological Museum306I 17
Amman Citadel Inscription 11961AmmanJordan Archaeological Museum307
Tel Siran inscription 11972AmmanJordan Archaeological Museum308
Hadad-yith'i bilingual inscription 11979Tell FekheriyeNational Museum of Damascus309
Tel Dan Stele 11993Tel DanIsrael Museum310
Deir Alla Inscription 11967Deir AllaJordan Archaeological Museum312
Tell Sheikh Hamad inscriptions313–314[49]
Tell Shiukh Fawqani inscription1996315[50]
KAI 316316[51][52][53][54]
Aramaic Fugitive Decree1971Unknown317[55][56]
Daskyleion steles 1965DascyliumMuseum of the Ancient Orient318II 37
Letoon trilingual 11973XanthosFethiye Museum319
Bukan inscription1985Bukan320[57][58]
Çineköy inscription 11997Çine, YüreğirAdana Archaeology Museum[59][60]
Kuttamuwa stele 12008Sam'alGaziantep Archaeology Museum[61]
Nebi Yunis ostraca 1960sNebi Yunis (Ashdod)II 32
Tel el Maskhuta silver bowls1950sTel el MaskhutaII 25
Luristan Aramaic inscriptions1964LuristanII 11–12
Tel Dan bowl1960sTel DanII 4
Ein Gev jar1961Ein GevII 3
Ataruz altar inscriptions2010c. 800 BCEKhirbat Ataruz[62]
Ishbaal Inscription 20121020–980 BCEKhirbet Qeiyafa[63]
Khirbet Qeiyafa ostracon 12009c. 1000 BCEKhirbet QeiyafaIsrael Museum[64]
Hashub Inscription 1957400s BCETel ZetonOld Jaffa Museum of Antiquities[65]
Cadiz Phoenician gold ring inscription1961Instituto Valencia of Don Juan71[66]
Ibiza Phoenician inscriptions1923Archaeological Museum of Alicante72[67]
Tripolitania Punic inscriptions 1806Leptis Magna, Breviglieri, other118–132R 662434, B-a
Bithia inscription1933Sardinia173
Sirte inscription1928Sirte180
Hatran Aramaic inscriptions 1951Hatra237–257[68][69]
Arebsun inscription1895AfşinMuseum of the Ancient Orient264[70]
Lake Sivan inscriptions1906Armenia274–275
KAI 136 (Neopunic)1955Tunisia136
Bur Tlelsa Neopunic inscription1914Tunisia138
Jebel Massoudj Neopunic inscription1940Tunisia141[71][72]
Henchir Guergour Neopunic inscriptions 1882Tunisia143–144
Guelaât Bou Sbaâ Neopunic inscriptions 1884Algeria165
Djinet Neopunic inscriptions1952Algeria170
Zattara Neopunic inscriptions1916Algeria171
Hazael horse frontlet 11984800 BCESamosArchaeological Museum of Vathi311
Bactria Aramaic documents 1993–2002353–324 BCEBactriaKhalili Collections
Pul-i-Darunteh Aramaic inscription 11932c.260 BCEAfghanistanin situ
Aramaic inscription of Laghman 11970c.260 BCEAfghanistanin situ
Palmyra Tariff 11881100s CEPalmyraHermitage Museum
Tablet De Geest12000200s CESocotrain situ

Bibliography

See also

References