Larnakas tis Lapithou pedestal inscription
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| Larnakas tis Lapithou pedestal inscription | |
|---|---|
.jpg){kind=spacer} The inscription, as published by Ph. Berger in 1894[1] | |
| Material | Marble |
| Height | 44 cm |
| Width | 69 cm |
| Created | c. 275 BC |
| Discovered | 1893 Larnakas tis Lapithou, Girne, Northern Cyprus |
| Discovered by | Emile Deschamps |
| Present location | Paris, Ile-de-France, France |
| Language | Phoenician |
| Part of a series on |
| Canaanite and Aramaic inscriptions |
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The Larnakas tis Lapithou pedestal inscription, also known as KAI 43 or RES 1211, is a sixteen-line Phoenician inscription on the pedestal of a now lost statue of a local Cypriote governor, Yatonbaal. It is on a piece of greyish marble, measuring 44 by 69 centimeters, found in 1893 by Émile Deschamps at the foot of a hill near the northeastern Cypriote village of Larnax-Lapithou (ancient Narnaka), in a field strewn with ancient stones, "that local inhabitants use as building material".[1]
The inscription is now in the Louvre, with identification AM 624.[2] It probably dates from 275 BCE.[3]
(line 1) MŠL N‘M A good likeness! (or: An excellent ruler!) (2) HSML Z MŠ ’NK YTNB‘L RB ’RṢ BN GR‘ŠTRT RB ’RṢ BN ‘BD[‘ŠTRT RB ’RṢ BN ‘BD’]SR This image (is a) statue of me, Yatonba‘al, Governor of the region, the son of Ger‘astart the regional governor, the son of Bod[‘astart the regional governor, the son of ‘Abd-O]siri, (3) BN GR‘ŠTRT BN ŠLM PRKRML(?) ’Š YṬN’T LY ’BMQDŠ MLQRT S[KR BḤY(?)]M LŠMY the son of Ger‘astart, the son of Shallum, that I erected for myself in the sanctuary of Melqart as a me[morial among the livi]ng for my name, (4) BḤDŠ ZBḤŠMŠ ’Š BŠNT 10 1 L’DN MLKM PTLMYŠ BN ’DN MLKM PTLMYŠ on the new moon of (the month of) Zebaḥ-Šamaš in year 11 of the Lord of Kings Ptolemy, the son of the Lord of Kings Ptolemy, (5) ’Š HMT L‘M LPṬ ŠNT 20 10 3 WKHN L’DN MLKM ‘BD‘ŠTRT BN GR‘ŠTRT which (according to the calendar of) the people of Lapethos is year 33, and (when) priest to the Lord of Kings (was) Bod‘astart, the son of Ger‘astart, (6) RB ’RṢ PRKRML(?) WBYRḤ MP‘ ’Š BŠNT 3 L’DN MLKM PTLMYŠ BN ’DN MLKM the regional governor. And in the month of Mûfa‘ in year 3 of the Lord of Kings Ptolemy, son of the Lord of Kings, (7) PTLMYŠ ’BḤY ’BY YŠT BMQDŠ MLQRT ’YT MŠ PN ’BY BNḤŠT WBYRḤ Ptolemy, while my father was (still) alive, I placed in the sanctuary of Milqart a bronze bust (lit.: a statue of the face) of my father. And in the month of (8) P‘LT ’Š BŠNT 3 2 L’DN MLKM PTLMYŠ BN ’DN MLKM PTLMYŠ BḤY Pa‘loth, in year 12 (or 5?) of the Lord of Kings Ptolemy, the son of the Lord of Kings Ptolemy, while (9) ’BY YTT WYQDŠT ḤYT ŠGYT BGBL ŠD NRNK L’DN ’Š LY LMLQRT my father was (still) alive, I presented and dedicated many shrines in the territory of the region of Narnaka to my Lord Melqart, (10) [W]ŠBT B’T HḤYT [KM(?)] P‘LT QMT ‘M W<K>M ZBḤT L’DN ’Š LY LMLQRT and I ... (those) temples. Also I acquired the respect of the people, and also I sacrificed to my Lord Melqart, (11) ‘L ḤYY W‘L ḤY ZR‘Y YM MD YM WLṢMḤ ṢDQ [W]L’[D]T[Y] WL’DMY for (long) life for me and (long) life for my offspring, day by day (i.e., I sacrificed daily), and (I sacrificed) for the legitimate crown prince and for my Lady (the queen) and for my Lord (the king) (12) [BḤD]ŠM WBKS’M YRḤ MD YRḤ ‘D ‘LM KQDM KM HDLT HNḤŠT on the new moons and on the full moons, month by month, uninterruptedly in accordance with Ancient Practice. Also [this] bronze plaque (13) [Z K]TBT WSMRT BQR ’Š BN MNḤT ḤNY WP‘LT ’NK ‘LT I [ins]cribed and nailed to the wall (of the temple), on which are (recorded) the details of my generosity. And I made for (14) [HMQDŠ] HYM Z ’P[D]T(?) BK[S]P MŠQL K[K]R 100 [W] 2 WYQDŠT L’DN [the sanctuary] ... an ephod(?) (liturgical apron) of silver weighing 102 «KR», and I dedicated (it) to (the) Lord, (15) [’Š LY LMLQ]RT PQT WN‘M YKN LY WLZR‘Y WYSKRN MLQRT [that is mine, to Melq]art. May there be wealth and good fortune for me and for my offspring, and may Melqart remember me (16) [WYTN LY(?)] N‘M ŠRŠ [and grant me?] a good family.