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 Canaanite–Aramaic 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 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: Poenulus 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 7000–8000 words and 1500 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 Eshmunazar II sarcophagus 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:
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.: Hamaker's review assessed 13 inscriptions[24]
- Wilhelm Gesenius, Scripturae Linguaeque Phoeniciae. In the 1830s, only approximately 80 inscriptions and 60 coins were known in the entire Phoenicio-Punic corpus[24][25]
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.: The first study of Phoenician grammar, listed 332 texts known at the time[24][26]
- CIS: Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum; the first section is focused on Phoenician-Punic inscriptions (176 "Phoenician" inscriptions and 5982 "Punic" inscriptions)[4]
- KAI: Kanaanäische und Aramäische Inschriften, considered the "gold standard" for the last fifty years[27]
- NSI: George Albert Cooke, 1903: Text-book of North-Semitic Inscriptions: Moabite, Hebrew, Phoenician, Aramaic, Nabataean, Palmyrene, Jewish[28]
- NE: Mark Lidzbarski, 1898: Handbuch der Nordsemitischen Epigraphik, nebst ausgewählten Inschriften: I Text and II Plates[28]
- KI: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- TSSI: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Volume III. Phoenician Inscriptions, Including Inscriptions in the Mixed Dialect of Arslan Tash (Oxford: OUP, 1982; ISBN 978-0-19-813199-1)
- TAD: Bezalel Porten and Ada Yardeni (1986-2000), Textbook of Aramaic Documents from Ancient Egypt
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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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).
Name |
Image |
Discovered |
Date |
Location Found |
Current Location |
Concordance |
KAI |
CIS / RÉS |
NE |
KI |
NSI |
TSSI |
Ref. |
Ahiram Sarcophagus |
100px |
1923 |
c.1000 BCE |
Byblos |
National Museum of Beirut |
1 |
|
|
|
|
III 4 |
|
Byblos Necropolis graffito |
100px |
1923 |
c.1000 BCE |
Byblos |
in situ |
2 |
|
|
|
|
III 5 |
|
Byblos bronze spatulas |
100px |
1926-32 |
1000-900 BCE |
Byblos |
National Museum of Beirut |
3 |
|
|
|
|
III 1 |
|
Byblos clay cone inscriptions |
100px |
1950 |
1100-1000 BCE |
Byblos |
National Museum of Beirut |
|
|
|
|
|
III 2,3 |
|
Yehimilk inscription |
100px |
1930 |
c.960/950 BCE |
Byblos |
Byblos Castle |
4 |
|
|
|
|
III 6 |
|
Abiba’l inscription |
100px |
1895 |
c.940/930 BCE |
Byblos |
Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin |
5 |
R 505 |
|
|
|
III 7 |
|
Osorkon Bust |
100px |
1881 |
c.920 BC |
Byblos |
Louvre |
6 |
|
|
|
|
III 8 |
|
Safatba'al inscription |
100px |
1936 |
c.900 BCE |
Byblos |
National Museum of Beirut |
7 |
|
|
|
|
III 9 |
|
Abda sherd |
100px |
1926–32 |
c.900 BCE |
Byblos |
|
8 |
|
|
|
|
III 10 |
|
Son of Safatba'al inscription |
100px |
1926-32 |
c.500/475 BCE |
Byblos |
National Museum of Beirut |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yehawmilk Stele |
100px |
1869 |
c.450/425 BCE |
Byblos |
Louvre |
10 |
I 1 |
416 |
5 |
3 |
III 25 |
|
Batnoam sarcophagus |
100px |
1926-32 |
c.450-425 BCE |
Byblos |
National Museum of Beirut |
11 |
|
|
|
|
III 26 |
|
Byblos altar inscription |
100px |
1923 |
200-100 BCE |
Byblos |
National Museum of Beirut |
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Byblos marble inscription |
100px |
1957 |
500 BCE |
Byblos |
National Museum of Beirut |
280 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tabnit sarcophagus |
|
1887 |
500 BC |
Sidon |
Museum of the Ancient Orient |
13 |
R 1202 |
417,1 |
6 |
4 |
III 27 |
|
Eshmunazar II sarcophagus |
100px |
1855 |
c. 525 BC |
Sidon |
Louvre |
14 |
I 3, R 1506 |
417,2 |
7 |
5 |
III 28 |
|
Bodashtart inscriptions |
100px |
1858, 1900-2 |
300s BC |
Sidon |
Louvre and Museum of the Ancient Orient |
15–16 |
I 4, R 766, 767 |
|
8–10 |
6, Appendix I |
|
|
Abdmiskar cippus |
100px |
1890 |
300 BCE |
Sidon |
Louvre |
282 |
R 930 |
418,3 |
11 |
7 |
|
|
Eshmun inscription |
100px |
1901 |
|
Sidon |
Museum of the Ancient Orient |
|
R 297 |
|
|
|
|
|
KAI 283 |
|
|
|
Sidon |
|
283 |
|
|
|
|
|
[29] |
Tyre Cistern inscription |
100px |
1885 |
|
Tyre |
Louvre |
|
|
418,c |
|
8 |
|
|
Throne of Astarte |
100px |
1907 |
|
Tyre |
Louvre and National Museum of Beirut |
17 |
R 800 |
|
|
|
III 30 |
|
Abdbaal the centurion inscription |
133x133px |
|
|
near Tyre |
Louvre |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[30] |
KAI 284 |
|
|
|
Tyre |
|
284 |
|
|
|
|
|
[31] |
Baalshamin inscription |
100px |
1861 |
132 BC |
Umm al-Amad |
Louvre |
18 |
I 7 |
418,d |
12 |
9 |
|
[32] |
Phoenician sun dial |
100x100px |
1860-1945 |
|
Umm al-Amad |
National Museum of Beirut |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Umm al-Amad votive inscription |
100px |
1861 |
|
Umm al-Amad, Lebanon |
Louvre |
|
I 8 |
419,2 |
13 |
|
|
|
Phoenician Adoration steles |
100px |
1900 |
|
Umm al-Amad, Lebanon |
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Louvre |
|
R 250, R 307 |
|
14-15 |
|
|
|
Phoenician Sphinx inscription |
100px |
1962 |
|
Umm al-Amad |
National Museum of Beirut |
|
|
|
|
|
III 32 |
|
El-Osiris inscription |
|
|
|
Umm al-Amad |
Louvre |
|
R 504 |
|
|
|
|
|
Masub inscription |
100px |
1885 |
222 BC |
Masub |
Louvre |
19 |
R 1205 |
419e |
16 |
10 |
III 31 |
|
Arwad bilingual |
100x100px |
1916 |
|
Arwad |
Louvre |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tortosa bomos inscription |
133x133px |
|
|
Tortosa, Syria |
Louvre |
|
R 56 |
|
|
|
|
|
Phoenician arrowheads |
100px |
1926 onwards |
11th century BCE |
various |
various |
20–22 |
|
|
|
|
III p. 6 |
|
Hasanbeyli inscription |
100px |
1894 |
|
Hasanbeyli |
Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin |
23 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kilamuwa Stela |
|
1893 |
c. 850/825 BCE |
Sam'al |
Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin |
24 |
|
|
|
|
III 13 |
|
Kilamuwa scepter |
100px |
1943 |
|
Sam'al |
|
25 |
|
|
|
|
III 14 |
|
Karatepe bilingual |
100px |
1946 |
c. 750 BCE |
Karatepe |
Karatepe-Aslantaş Open-Air Museum |
26 |
|
|
|
|
III 15 |
|
İvriz inscription |
|
1986 |
|
75 meter upstream from the İvriz relief[33] |
|
unpublished |
[34] |
Arslan Tash amulets |
100px |
1933 |
|
Arslan Tash |
National Museum of Aleppo |
27 |
|
|
|
|
III 23-24 |
|
Carchemish Phoenician inscription |
100px |
1950 |
|
Carchemish |
British Museum |
28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ur Box inscription |
100px |
1927 |
|
Ur |
British Museum |
29 |
|
|
|
|
III 20 |
|
Honeyman inscription |
100px |
1939 |
900 BCE |
Cyprus |
Cyprus Museum |
30 |
|
|
|
|
III 12 |
|
Baal Lebanon inscription |
100px |
1877 |
700s BC |
Cyprus |
Cabinet des Médailles |
31 |
I 5 |
419 |
17 |
11 |
III 17 |
|
Phoenician metal bowls |
100px |
1849 onwards |
700s BC |
Nimrud, Cyprus, Italy and others |
various |
|
I 164, II 46-49 |
|
|
|
III 19 |
|
Kition Resheph pillars |
100px |
1860 |
341 BC |
Cyprus |
Louvre |
32 |
I 10, 88 |
420,1 |
18, 30 |
12, 23 |
|
|
Pococke Kition inscriptions |
100px |
1738 |
300s BC |
Cyprus |
Ashmolean Museum |
33, 35 |
I 11, 46, 57-85 |
420,4 |
19, 23, 27, 28 |
13, 16, 18, 19 |
III 35 |
|
Kition Necropolis Phoenician inscriptions |
100px |
1894 |
300s BC |
Cyprus |
British Museum, Cyprus Museum, Ashmolean Museum |
34 |
R 1206 |
420,3 |
22 |
21-22 |
|
|
Pierides Kition inscriptions |
100px |
1881 |
|
Cyprus |
Louvre |
|
12, 13, 14, 50-53 |
|
20, 25-26 |
14 |
|
|
Kellia inscription |
100px |
1844 |
|
Cyprus |
|
36 |
I 47 |
420,5 |
24 |
17 |
|
|
Kition Tariffs |
100px |
1879 |
300s BC |
Cyprus |
British Museum |
37 |
I 86A-B, 87 |
|
29 |
20 |
III 33 |
|
Idalion bilingual and Idalion Temple inscriptions |
100px |
1869 |
254-391 BC |
Cyprus |
British Museum |
38-40 |
I 89-94 |
421,1-3 |
31-33 |
24-27 |
III 34 |
|
Tamassos bilinguals |
100px |
1885 |
363 BC |
Cyprus |
British Museum |
41 |
R 1212-1213 |
421c |
34 |
30 |
|
|
Anat Athena bilingual |
100px |
1850 |
312 BCE |
Cyprus |
in situ |
42 |
I 95, R 1515 |
422,1 |
35 |
28 |
|
|
Larnakas tis Lapithou pedestal inscription |
100px |
1893 |
275 BCE |
Cyprus |
Louvre |
43 |
R 1211 |
422,2 |
36 |
29 |
III 36 |
|
Rhodes Phoenician-Greek bilingual inscriptions |
100px |
1914-68 |
300-200 BCE |
Rhodes |
Archaeological Museum of Rhodes |
44-45 |
|
|
|
|
III 39 |
|
Nora Stone |
100px |
1773 |
|
Sardinia |
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari |
46 |
I 144 |
427c |
60 |
41 |
III 11 |
[35] |
Cippi of Melqart |
|
1694 |
100s BC |
Malta |
Louvre and National Museum of Archaeology, Malta |
47 |
I 122 |
425f |
53 |
36 |
|
[35] |
Banobal stele |
100px |
1900 |
|
Memphis |
Egyptian Museum |
48 |
R 1, 235 |
|
37 |
|
|
|
Abydos graffiti |
100px |
1868 |
|
Abydos |
in situ |
49 |
I 99–110, R 1302ff. |
423a |
38-42 |
31 |
|
|
Abu Simbel Phoenician graffiti |
100px |
1842 |
|
Abu Simbel |
in situ |
|
I 111-113 |
423b |
43 |
|
|
|
Phoenician papyrus letters |
100px |
1937–40 |
|
Cairo and Saqqara |
Egyptian Museum |
50–51 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Phoenician Harpocrates statues |
100px |
1770, 1963 |
|
unknown |
National Archaeological Museum (Madrid) and British Museum |
52 |
R 1507 |
424 |
44 |
|
III 37, 38 |
|
Athenian Greek-Phoenician inscriptions |
100px |
1795 etc. |
|
Athens, Piraeus |
British Museum, Louvre, National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Archaeological Museum of Piraeus |
53–60 |
I 115–120, R 388, 1215 |
424,1–3, 425,1–5 |
45–52 |
32–35 |
III 40–41 |
|
Mdina steles |
100px |
1816 |
|
Malta |
National Museum of Archaeology, Malta |
61 |
I 123A-B |
426,2 |
54 |
37 |
III 21,22 |
[35] |
Benhisa inscription |
100px |
1761 |
|
Malta |
Cabinet des Médailles |
|
I 124 |
426,3 |
55 |
|
|
[35] |
Gozo stele |
100px |
1855 |
|
Malta |
Gozo Museum of Archaeology |
62 |
I 132 |
426,4 |
56 |
38 |
|
[35] |
Lilybaeum stele |
100px |
1882 |
|
Sicily |
Regional Archeological Museum Antonio Salinas |
63 |
I 138 |
|
57 |
|
|
[35] |
Bashamem inscription |
100px |
1877 |
200 BC |
Sardinia |
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari |
64 |
I 139 |
427a |
58 |
39 |
|
[35] |
Giardino Birocchi inscription |
100px |
1912 |
|
Sardinia |
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari |
65 |
|
|
|
|
|
[35] |
Pauli Gerrei trilingual inscription |
100px |
1861 |
|
Sardinia |
Turin Archaeology Museum |
66 |
I 143 |
427b |
59 |
40 |
|
[35] |
Tharros Punic inscriptions |
100px |
1870 |
|
Sardinia |
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari, Museo nazionale archeologico ed etnografico G. A. Sanna |
67 |
I 158 |
|
62 |
|
|
[35] |
Olbia pedestal |
100px |
1911 |
|
Sardinia |
|
68 |
R 1216 |
|
|
|
|
[35] |
Marseille Tariff |
100px |
1845 |
300s BC |
Marseille |
Musée d'archéologie méditerranéenne |
69 |
I 165 |
428 |
63 |
42 |
|
[35] |
Avignon Punic inscription |
100px |
1897 |
|
Avignon |
Musée d'archéologie méditerranéenne |
70 |
R 360 |
|
64 |
|
III 18 |
[35] |
Douïmès medallion |
100px |
1894 |
700 BCE |
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum |
73 |
I 6057, R 5 |
429,1 |
70 |
|
|
|
Carthage Tariff |
100px |
1858 |
300 BC |
Carthage |
British Museum |
74 |
I 167 |
429b |
66 |
43 |
|
|
|
|
1920 |
|
Carthage |
|
75 |
I 3916 |
|
|
|
|
|
Carthage Festival Offering inscription |
100px |
1872 |
300 BC |
Carthage |
Turin Archaeology Museum |
76 |
I 166 |
430,3 |
67 |
44 |
|
[36] |
|
|
1906 |
|
Carthage |
|
77 |
I 3921 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mitsri genealogy inscription |
100px |
|
300s BCE |
Carthage |
|
78 |
I 3778 |
|
|
|
|
|
KNMY's child sacrifice(?) inscription |
100px |
1922 |
|
Carthage |
|
79 |
I 3785 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
100px |
1871 |
|
Carthage |
British Museum |
80 |
I 175 |
430,4 |
68 |
46 |
|
|
|
100px |
1898 |
200 BC |
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum |
81 |
I 3914 |
|
69 |
45 |
|
|
Persephone Punic stele |
100px |
1881 |
|
Carthage |
Turin Archaeology Museum |
82 |
I 176 |
|
71 |
|
|
[36] |
|
100px |
1873 |
|
Carthage |
|
83 |
I 177 |
430,6 |
72 |
47 |
|
|
|
100px |
1860 |
|
Carthage |
British Museum |
84 |
I 178 |
430,7 |
73 |
|
|
|
Carthaginian tombstones |
100px |
|
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum, others |
85 |
various |
|
74 |
|
|
|
Pricot de Sainte-Marie steles |
100px |
1874-75 |
|
Carthage |
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Louvre |
86-88 |
I 264, 221, 1885 |
|
76, 80, 83 |
|
|
|
Punic Tabella Defixionis |
100px |
1899 |
200 BC |
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum |
89 |
I 6068, R 18, 1590 |
|
85 |
50 |
|
|
|
100px |
1904 |
|
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum |
90 |
I 5953, R 537 |
|
87 |
|
|
|
|
|
1899 |
|
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum |
91 |
I 5991, R 1227 |
|
88 |
|
|
|
Sibbolet funeral inscription |
100px |
1902 |
|
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum |
92 |
I 5948, R 768 |
|
89 |
|
|
|
|
100px |
1905 |
|
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum |
93 |
I 5950, R 553 |
|
90 |
|
|
|
|
100px |
|
|
Carthage |
|
94 |
I 2992 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1906 |
|
Carthage |
|
95 |
R 786, 1854 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1901 |
|
Carthage |
|
96 |
I 5988, R 183, 1600 |
|
|
|
|
|
Hadrumetum Punic inscriptions |
100px |
1867, 1946 |
|
Sousse |
Sousse Archaeological Museum, the Louvre and the Maison méditerranéenne des Sciences de l'homme |
97–99 |
|
432,1–3 |
91–92 |
|
|
|
Punic-Libyan bilinguals |
100px |
1631 |
|
Dougga |
British Museum |
100-101 |
|
433,c |
93 |
52 |
|
|
Cirta steles |
100px |
1857-61, 1875, 1950 |
300-100BCE |
Constantine |
Musée national Cirta |
102–116, 162-164 |
R 327, 334, 339, 1544 |
433,1-9 and 434,10-12 |
94–99 |
51 |
|
|
|
100px |
1894 |
|
Remada |
|
117 |
|
435b |
101 |
|
|
|
|
|
1901 |
|
Breviglieri |
|
118 |
R 662 |
|
|
|
|
|
Bourgade inscriptions |
100px |
1852 |
|
Carthage and wider Tunisia |
|
133–135 |
|
436,3–12 |
|
|
|
|
Thinissut sanctuary inscription |
100px |
1908 |
|
Bir Bouregba |
Nabeul Museum |
137 |
R 942, 1858 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1900 |
|
Bou Arada |
|
140 |
R 679 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
100px |
1873 |
|
Henchir Brigitta |
Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin |
142 |
|
435,2 |
|
53 |
|
|
Maktar and Mididi inscriptions |
100px |
1890s |
|
Maktar and Mididi |
|
145–158 |
R 161–181, 2221 |
436,11 |
|
59a-c |
|
|
|
100px |
1873 |
|
Altiburus |
Louvre |
159 |
|
437a |
|
55 |
|
|
Cherchell Neopunic inscriptions |
100px |
1875, 1882 |
|
Cherchell |
Louvre |
161 |
|
439,2 |
|
56-57 |
|
|
Ain Nechma inscriptions |
100px |
1843 |
|
Guelma |
Louvre |
166–169 |
|
437 |
|
58 |
|
|
Sant'Antioco bilingual |
100px |
1881 |
|
Sardinia |
Museo archeologico comunale Ferruccio Barreca |
172 |
I 149 |
434,1 |
100 |
|
|
[35] |
Mesha Stele |
|
1868 |
|
Dhiban |
Louvre |
181 |
|
415 |
1 |
1 |
I 16 |
|
Gezer calendar |
|
1908 |
|
Gezer |
Museum of the Ancient Orient |
182 |
R 1201 |
|
|
|
I 1 |
|
Samaria Ostraca |
100px |
1910 |
|
Sebastia |
Museum of the Ancient Orient |
183–188 |
|
|
|
|
I 2–3 |
|
Nimrud ivory inscriptions |
100px |
1845, 1961 |
|
Nimrud |
British Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
I 6 |
|
Siloam inscription |
|
1880 |
|
Jerusalem |
Museum of the Ancient Orient |
189 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
I 7 |
|
Ophel ostracon |
100px |
1924 |
|
Jerusalem |
Rockefeller Museum |
190 |
|
|
|
|
I 9 |
|
Royal Steward inscription |
|
1870 |
|
Jerusalem |
British Museum |
191 |
|
|
|
|
I 8 |
|
Lachish letters |
100px |
1935 |
|
Tel Lachish |
British Museum and Israel Museum |
192–199 |
|
|
|
|
I 12 |
|
Yavne-Yam ostracon |
|
1960 |
|
Mesad Hashavyahu |
Israel Museum |
200 |
|
|
|
|
I 10 |
|
Tel Qasile ostraca |
100px |
1945-46 |
|
Tel Qasile |
Israel Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
I 4 |
|
Hazor inscriptions |
|
1956 |
800s BC |
Tel Hazor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I 5 |
|
Wadi Murabba'at papyrus |
|
1952 |
600s BC |
Wadi Murabba'at |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I 11 |
|
Arad ostraca |
100px |
1960s |
c.600 BC |
Tel Arad |
Bible Lands Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
I 13, II 31 |
|
Al Jib jar handles |
100px |
1956-59 |
700s BC |
Al Jib |
Jordan Archaeological Museum and the Penn Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
I 14 |
|
Khirbet Beit Lei graffiti |
100px |
1961 |
400s BC |
Khirbet Beit Lei |
Israel Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
I 15 |
|
Melqart stele |
100px |
1939 |
|
Bureij |
National Museum of Aleppo |
201 |
|
|
|
|
II 1 |
|
Stele of Zakkur |
|
1903 |
|
Tell Afis |
Louvre |
202 |
|
|
|
|
II 5 |
|
Hama graffiti |
|
1931–38 |
|
Hama |
|
203–213 |
|
|
|
|
II 6 I-V |
|
Hadad Statue |
100px |
1890 |
700s BC |
Sam'al |
Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin |
214 |
|
440-2 |
|
61 |
II 13 |
|
Panamuwa II inscription |
100px |
1888 |
730s BC |
Sam'al |
Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin |
215 |
|
442 |
|
62 |
II 14 |
|
Bar-Rakib inscriptions |
100px |
1891 |
730s BC |
Sam'al |
Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin and Museum of the Ancient Orient |
216–221 |
|
443, 444 |
|
63 |
II 15–17 |
|
Sefire steles |
100px |
1930–56 |
|
As-Safira |
National Museum of Damascus and National Museum of Beirut |
222–224, 227 |
|
|
|
|
II 8–9, 22 |
|
Neirab steles |
|
1891 |
600s BC |
Al-Nayrab |
Louvre |
225–226 |
|
445 |
|
64–65 |
II 18–19 |
|
Tayma stones |
|
1878–84 |
300s–400s BC |
Tayma |
Louvre |
228–230 |
II 113–115 |
447,1–3 |
|
69–70 |
II 30 |
|
Tell Halaf inscription |
100px |
1933 |
|
Tell Halaf |
destroyed |
231 |
|
|
|
|
II 10 |
|
Arslan Tash ivory inscription |
100px |
1931 |
|
Arslan Tash |
Louvre |
232 |
|
|
|
|
II 2 |
|
Assur ostracon and tablets |
100px |
1903-13 |
|
Assur |
Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin |
233-6 |
|
|
|
|
II 20 |
|
Kesecek Köyü inscription |
100px |
1915 |
|
Kesecek Köyü |
Peabody Museum of Natural History |
258 |
|
|
|
|
II 33 |
|
Gözne Boundary Stone |
100px |
1907 |
|
Gözne |
|
259 |
|
|
|
|
II 34 |
|
Sardis bilingual inscription |
100px |
1912 |
394 BC |
Sardis |
İzmir Archaeological Museum |
260 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sarıaydın inscription |
100px |
1892 |
400 BC |
Sarıaydın |
in situ |
261 |
|
446a |
|
68 |
II 35 |
|
Limyra bilingual |
100px |
1840 |
|
Limyra |
|
262 |
II 109 |
446b |
|
|
|
|
Assyrian lion weights |
|
1845-1860 |
800-500 BC |
Nimrud, Abydos (Hellespont) |
British Museum, Louvre |
263 |
II 1–14, 108 |
446c |
|
66-67 |
|
|
Farasa bilingual inscription |
100px |
1900 |
|
|
In situ |
265 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adon Papyrus |
100px |
1942 |
|
Saqqara |
Egyptian Museum |
266 |
|
|
|
|
II 21 |
|
Saqqara Aramaic Stele |
100px |
1877 |
482 BC |
Saqqara |
destroyed |
267 |
II 122 |
448a1 |
|
71 |
II 23 |
|
Serapeum Offering Table |
100px |
1855 |
400 BC |
Saqqara |
Louvre |
268 |
II 123 |
448a2 |
|
72 |
|
|
Carpentras Stela |
100px |
1704 |
|
Carpentras |
Bibliothèque Inguimbertine |
269 |
II 141 |
448b1 |
|
75 |
II 24 |
|
Elephantine papyri and ostraca |
100px |
1815-1945 |
300s BC |
Elephantine |
various |
270–271 |
II 137–139, 154-155 |
|
|
73–74 |
II 26, 28 |
|
Hermopolis Aramaic papyri |
100px |
1936 |
400s BC |
Hermopolis |
Cairo University Archaeological Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
II 27 |
|
Abydos Aramaic papyrus |
100px |
1964 |
400s BC |
unknown |
National Archaeological Museum of Madrid |
|
|
|
|
|
II 29 |
|
Blacas papyri |
100px |
1825 |
|
Saqqara |
British Library |
|
II 145 |
|
|
76 |
|
|
Turin Aramaic Papyrus |
100px |
1823-24 |
|
|
Museo Egizio |
|
II 144 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ankh-Hapy stele |
100px |
1860 |
525–404 BCE |
unknown |
Vatican Museums |
272 |
II 142 |
448b2 |
|
|
II 7 |
|
Aramaic Inscription of Taxila |
100px |
1915 |
|
Taxila |
Taxila Museum |
273 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stele of Serapeitis |
|
1940 |
|
Armazi |
Georgian National Museum |
276 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pyrgi Tablets |
100px |
1964 |
|
Pyrgi |
National Etruscan Museum |
277 |
|
|
|
|
III 42 |
|
|
|
|
|
Bahadırlı |
|
278 |
|
|
|
|
II 36 |
|
Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription |
|
1958 |
|
Chil Zena |
National Museum of Afghanistan |
279 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Baalshillem Temple Boy |
|
1963–64 |
|
Sidon |
National Museum of Beirut |
281 |
|
|
|
|
III 29 |
|
Sarepta Tanit Inscription |
100px |
|
|
Sarafand |
|
285 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ekron Royal Dedicatory Inscription |
|
1996 |
|
Tel Miqne |
Israel Museum |
286 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Çebel Ires Daǧı inscription |
100px |
1980 |
|
Çebel Ires Daǧı |
Alanya Archaeological Museum |
287 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kition KAI 288-290 |
|
|
|
Kition |
|
288-290 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tekke Bowl Inscription (Knossos) |
|
|
1,000s BCE |
Crete |
Heraklion Archaeological Museum (Χ4346) |
291 |
|
|
|
|
|
[37][38] |
Hellenistic Greek-Phoenician bilingual |
|
|
|
Kos |
|
292 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Demetrias inscription |
|
|
|
Demetrias |
|
293 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seville statue of Astarte |
100px |
1960-62 |
700 BCE |
Seville |
Archeological Museum of Seville |
294 |
|
|
|
|
III 16 |
|
Grotta Regina Punic inscriptions |
|
|
|
Sicily |
|
295 |
|
|
|
|
|
[39][35] |
Mozia Punic inscriptions |
|
|
|
Sicily |
|
296-298 |
|
|
|
|
|
[40][35] |
Temple of Antas Punic inscriptions |
|
|
|
Sardinia |
|
299-301 |
|
|
|
|
|
[35] |
Agrigentum inscription |
100px |
1934 |
406 BCE |
Carthage |
|
302 |
I 5510 |
|
|
|
|
[41] |
Carthage Administration Inscription |
100px |
1964 |
|
Carthage |
Carthage National Museum |
303 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
El-Kerak Inscription |
100px |
1958 |
|
Al-Karak |
Jordan Archaeological Museum |
306 |
|
|
|
|
I 17 |
|
Amman Citadel Inscription |
100px |
1961 |
|
Amman |
Jordan Archaeological Museum |
307 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tel Siran inscription |
100px |
1972 |
|
Amman |
Jordan Archaeological Museum |
308 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hadad-yith'i bilingual inscription |
100px |
1979 |
|
Tell Fekheriye |
National Museum of Damascus |
309 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tel Dan Stele |
|
1993 |
|
Tel Dan |
Israel Museum |
310 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deir Alla Inscription |
100px |
1967 |
|
Deir Alla |
Jordan Archaeological Museum |
312 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tell Sheikh Hamad inscriptions |
|
|
|
|
|
313-314 |
|
|
|
|
|
[42] |
Tell Shiukh Fawqani inscription |
|
1996 |
|
|
|
315 |
|
|
|
|
|
[43] |
KAI 316 |
|
|
|
|
|
316 |
|
|
|
|
|
[44][45][46][47] |
Aramaic Fugitive Decree |
|
1971 |
|
Unknown |
|
317 |
|
|
|
|
|
[48][49] |
Daskyleion steles |
100px |
1965 |
|
Dascylium |
Museum of the Ancient Orient |
318 |
|
|
|
|
II 37 |
|
Letoon trilingual |
100px |
1973 |
|
Xanthos |
Fethiye Museum |
319 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bukan inscription |
|
1985 |
|
Bukan |
|
320 |
|
|
|
|
|
[50] |
Çineköy inscription |
100px |
1997 |
|
Çine, Yüreğir |
Adana Archaeology Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[51][52] |
Kuttamuwa stele |
100px |
2008 |
|
Sam'al |
Gaziantep Archaeology Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[53] |
Nebi Yunis ostraca |
100px |
1960s |
|
Nebi Yunis (Ashdod) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
II 32 |
|
Tel el Maskhuta silver bowls |
|
1950s |
|
Tel el Maskhuta |
|
|
|
|
|
|
II 25 |
|
Luristan Aramaic inscriptions |
|
1964 |
|
Luristan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
II 11-12 |
|
Tel Dan bowl |
|
1960s |
|
Tel Dan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
II 4 |
|
Ein Gev jar |
|
1961 |
|
Ein Gev |
|
|
|
|
|
|
II 3 |
|
Ataruz altar inscriptions |
|
2010 |
c. 800 BCE |
Khirbat Ataruz |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[54] |
Ishbaal Inscription |
|
2012 |
1020–980 BCE |
Khirbet Qeiyafa |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[55] |
Khirbet Qeiyafa ostracon |
100x100px |
2009 |
c. 1000 BCE |
Khirbet Qeiyafa |
Israel Museum |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[56] |
Hashub Inscription |
100x100px |
1957 |
400s BCE |
Tel Zeton |
Old Jaffa Museum of Antiquities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[57] |
Cadiz Phoenician inscription |
|
1961 |
|
|
Instituto Valencia of Don Juan |
71 |
|
|
|
|
|
[58] |
Ibiza Phoenician inscriptions |
|
1923 |
|
|
Archaeological Museum of Alicante |
72 |
|
|
|
|
|
[58] |
Tripolitania Punic inscriptions |
|
1806 |
|
Leptis Magna |
|
119-132 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bithia inscription |
|
1933 |
|
Sardinia |
|
173 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sirte inscription |
|
1928 |
|
Sirte |
|
180 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hatran Aramaic inscriptions |
100px |
1951 |
|
Hatra |
|
237-257 |
|
|
|
|
|
[59] |
Arebsun inscription |
|
1895 |
|
Afşin |
Museum of the Ancient Orient |
264 |
|
|
|
|
|
[60] |
Lake Sivan inscriptions |
|
1906 |
|
Armenia |
|
274-275 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
KAI 136 (Neopunic) |
|
1955 |
|
Tunisia |
|
136 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bur Tlelsa Neopunic inscription |
|
1914 |
|
Tunisia |
|
138 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bordj Helal Neopunic inscription |
100px |
1874 |
|
Tunisia |
Louvre |
139 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jebel Massoudj Neopunic inscription |
|
1940 |
|
Tunisia |
|
141 |
|
|
|
|
|
[61][62] |
Henschir Guergour Neopunic inscriptions |
|
1882 |
|
Tunisia |
|
143-144 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guelaât Bou Sbaâ Neopunic inscriptions |
|
1884 |
|
Algeria |
|
165 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Djinet Neopunic inscriptions |
|
1952 |
|
Algeria |
|
170 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zattara Neopunic inscriptions |
|
1916 |
|
Algeria |
|
171 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hazael horse frontlet |
100x100px |
1984 |
800 BCE |
Samos |
Archaeological Museum of Vathi |
311 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bactria Aramaic documents |
100x100px |
1993–2002 |
353–324 BCE |
Bactria |
Khalili Collections |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bibliography
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[self-published source?]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Quote: "Nearly two hundred years later the repertory of Phoenician-Punic epigraphy counts about 10.000 inscriptions from throughout the Mediterranean and its environs."
- ↑ Rollig, 1983
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Rollig, 1983, "The Phoenician-Punic vocabulary attested to date amounts to some 668 words, some of which occur frequently. Among these are 321 hapax legomena and about 15 foreign or loan words. In comparison with Hebrew with around 7000–8000 words and 1500 hapax legomena (8), the number is remarkable."
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Clermont-Ganneau, 1899, Archaeological Researches In Palestine 1873–1874, Vol 1, p.305: "I may observe, by the way, that the discovery of these two texts was made long before that of the inscription in the tunnel, and therefore, though people in general do not seem to recognise this fact, it was the first which enabled us to behold an authentic specimen of Hebrew monumental epigraphy of the period of the Kings of Judah."
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Rollig, 1983, "This increase of textual material can be easily appreciated when one looks at the first independent grammar of Phoenician , P.SCHRODER'S Die phonizische Sprache Entuurf einer Grammatik, Halle 1869, which appeared just over 110 years ago. There on pp. 47–72 all the texts known at the time are listed — 332 of them. Today, if we look at CIS Pars I, the incompleteness of which we scarcely need mention, we find 6068 texts."
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ KAI 283, 15 legible lines, left side damaged
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ KAI 284, 21 inscriptions, few words
- ↑ AO 4831
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 35.00 35.01 35.02 35.03 35.04 35.05 35.06 35.07 35.08 35.09 35.10 35.11 35.12 35.13 35.14 35.15 35.16 ICO: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Bourogiannis, Giorgos. The Phoenician presence in the Aegean during the Early Iron Age: Trade, settlement and cultural interaction, Rivista di Studi Fenici 46, 2018, p. 63.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ TelShHa 3 and TelShHa 5
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Bordreuil, Pierre, "Une tablette araméenne inédite de 635 av. J.-C.." Sem 23 (1973): 95–102 + pls. I-V.
- ↑ Fales, Frederick Mario, "Sulla tavoletta aramaica A.O. 25.341." AION 36 (1976): 541–47.
- ↑ Kaufman, Stephen A., "An Assyro-Aramaic egirtu ša Šulmu." Pp. 119–27 In Essays on the Ancient Near East in Memory of Jacob Joel Finkelstein. Ellis, M. de Jong, ed. Hamden, Ct.: Archon, 1977.
- ↑ Wesselius, J.W., "A Document Concerning the Sustenance of a Mother by Her Sons." AION 45 (1985): 506–8.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ J.W. Wesselius, ‘The Aramaic Decree about Fugitives Reconsidered’, in E. Talstra (ed.),Narrative and Comment:Contributions to Discourse Grammar and Biblical Hebrew presented to Wolfgang Schneider(Amsterdam: Societas Hebraica Amstelodamensis,1995), pp.199–209(p.201)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 Sefarad journal[full citation needed]
- ↑ Series of articles in the journal Sumer
- ↑ Smirnov, 1895
- ↑ Note sur l'inscription punique d'une borne limite découverte en Tunisie
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.