The Merneptah Stele – also known as the Israel Stele or the Victory Stele of Merneptah – is an inscription by the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Merneptah discovered by Flinders Petrie in 1896 at Thebes, and now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

What was the purpose of the Merneptah Stele?

The stele represents the earliest textual reference to Israel and the only reference from ancient Egypt. It is one of four known inscriptions, from the Iron Age, that date to the time of and mention ancient Israel, under this name, the others being the Mesha Stele, the Tel Dan Stele, and the Kurkh Monolith.

What is the Merneptah Stele describing?

The stele describes Merneptah's military campaigns in northern Africa against the Libyans and their allies as well as the Sea Peoples, including the Biblical Philistines. But the last lines of the stele speak of a successful campaign to the lands of Canaan, a region in the Middle East known today as the Levant.

What is Merneptah stone?

The Merneptah Stele is famous for its inscription by the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Merneptah (1213 to 1203 BC) and was discovered in 1896 at Thebes. The stela represents the earliest surviving text referring to Israel, and it is the only reference from ancient Egypt. ...

Who discovered Merneptah Stele?

The Victory Stele of Merneptah was discovered by Flinders Petrie in 1896 at Thebes. The text is largely an account of Merneptah's victory over the Libyans and their allies, but the last 3 of the 28 lines deal with a separate campaign in Canaan, then part of Egypt's imperial possessions.

Dr. Cook Introduces the Merneptah Stele

42 related questions found

What does the Merneptah stele say about Israel?

The line referring to Merneptah's Canaanite campaign reads: Canaan is captive with all woe. Ashkelon is conquered, Gezer seized, Yanoam made nonexistent; Israel is wasted, bare of seed"

Is merneptah the Pharaoh of Moses?

The identity of Pharaoh in the Moses story has been much debated, but many scholars are inclined to accept that Exodus has King Ramses II in mind. ... Finally, the very first reference to “Israel” appears on the Victory Stela of Pharaoh Merneptah, one of Ramses' sons.

Who was merneptah married to?

Merneptah was likely the fourth child born to Isetnofret I and Ramesses II. He was Ramesses II's thirteenth son. He married Isetnofret II, who was likely his full sister or niece, and she would be his Great Royal Wife when he became pharaoh. They had at least two sons, Merenptah and Seti, and a daughter, Twosret.

What do you know about Stele?

A stele (/ˈstiːli/ STEE-lee), or occasionally stela (plural stelas or stelæ), when derived from Latin, is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected in the ancient world as a monument. ... Stelae were created for many reasons. Grave stelae were used for funerary or commemorative purposes.

Where is Thebes now?

Thebes (Arabic: طيبة‎, Ancient Greek: Θῆβαι, Thēbai), known to the ancient Egyptians as Waset, was an ancient Egyptian city located along the Nile about 800 kilometers (500 mi) south of the Mediterranean. Its ruins lie within the modern Egyptian city of Luxor.

Why was the stele in such wide use in ancient civilizations?

Stela, also spelled stele (Greek: “shaft” or “pillar”), plural stelae, standing stone slab used in the ancient world primarily as a grave marker but also for dedication, commemoration, and demarcation. The largest number of stelae were produced in Attica, where they were usually used as grave markers. ...

What is a stele Egypt?

A stela is an upright monument containing information in the form of texts, images or a combination of the two. ... Such monuments were made by a variety of cultures in the ancient world, including the Assyrians, Maya, Greeks and Romans.

What period is the Pharaoh Menkaure and his queen?

The statue of the Pharaoh Menkaure (Mycerinus) and his Queen in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, carved out of slate and dating to 2548-2530 BCE, is an example of Old Kingdom 4th Dynasty royal sculpture.

Which pharaoh body was found in Red Sea?

RED SEA PHARAOH'S MUMMY UNVEILED; Body Discovered Some Years Ago Proved to be That of Menephtah. - The New York Times. RED SEA PHARAOH'S MUMMY UNVEILED; Body Discovered Some Years Ago Proved to be That of Menephtah.

Who is Pharaoh in Quran?

Pharaoh, according to Quran, is a pagan, mammonist and filled with moral vices. During his despotic rulership, he does not surrender to the command of God and his prophet and is continuously in war with them.

Did Nefertari love Moses?

"Nefertiti married perhaps one of the first monotheists in history and the film will tell their story, which logically enough should be set in Egypt," said Heyman on a brief visit to Cairo over the weekend. "One can find in the Old Testament that Moses and Nefertiti had a relationship," he added.

When was Palestine called Palestine?

The term "Palestine" first appeared in the 5th century BC when the ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote of a "district of Syria, called Palaistinê" between Phoenicia and Egypt in The Histories.

Who discovered the Silver Pharaoh?

The tomb was discovered filled with lavish jewels and treasure almost by accident in 1939 by the French archaeologist Pierre Montet while he was excavating in northern Egypt. The royal burial chamber came as a complete surprise – no Egyptologist had anticipated a tomb of such grandeur in this area.

When was the first mention of Israel?

Israel as a cultural entity is first mentioned in the stele of the Egyptian pharaoh Merenptah (r. 1213-1203 BCE) in which he states that “Israel lies devastated, bereft of its seed” (Kerrigan, 59).

What happened to Nasser of Egypt?

After the conclusion of the 1970 Arab League summit, Nasser suffered a heart attack and died. His funeral in Cairo drew five to six million mourners, and prompted an outpouring of grief across the Arab world.