ANE Inscriptions


Overview of Writing in Human History

  • When writing began: Ca. 3200 BCE

    • First in Mesopotamia, a generation or two later in Egypt.

Major Inscriptions and Artifacts

  1. Alphabet Invention:

    • Ca. 1800 BCE

    • Serabit el-Khadem and Wadi el-Hol Inscriptions are among the earliest alphabetic inscriptions.

  2. Behistun Inscription:

    • Found in modern Iran.

    • Languages: Akkadian, Old Persian, Elamite.

    • Deciphered by Sir Henry Rawlinson.

  3. Rosetta Stone:

    • Discovered in 1799 by Napoleon's soldiers.

    • Languages: Hieroglyphics, Demotic, Greek.

    • Deciphered by Jean-Francois Champollion.

  4. Cyrus Cylinder:

    • Mentions King Cyrus, who allowed all captured people of Judah to return to Jerusalem.

    • Cyrus, the King of Persia, was also mentioned in the Bible for defeating the Babylonian king.

    • Language: Akkadian cuneiform script.

    • Dates to around 539-538 BC.

  5. Mesha Stele:

    • Language: Moabite.

    • 9th century.

    • Refers to the god of Moab as Kemosh (Chemosh); Ammonite’s god: Milkom; Edomite’s god: Qos.

    • Israelites under King Omri (of Israel, Northern Kingdom) oppressed them.

    • Mentions the god of Israelites being Yahweh.

  6. Kuntillet Ajrud and Khirbet el-Qom Inscriptions:

    • Language: Hebrew.

    • 8th century.

    • Mention Yahweh and his Asherah (potentially a wife?). Local manifestations of deities include Yahweh of Samaria and his Asherah, Yahweh of Teman.

  7. Tel Fakhariyeh Inscriptions:

    • Related to Hadad-Sikanu; Mesopotamian texts mention Dagan of Tuttul, Ishtar of Arbela.

    • Tell Fakhariyeh Statue: Commissioned by King Had-Yithi of Gozan. States “this is my image, this is my likeness,” similar to Genesis stating, “let us make people in our image.” Both are examples of anthropomorphism.