Tel Dan Stele
The Tel Dan inscription, called in the literature " House of David " s inscription is an inscription in Aramaic, to commemorate the victory of an Aramean king over the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, based on fragments of a black basalt stele found in Tel Dan, is.
Archaeological discovery
The stele was during excavations under Avraham Biran at Tel Dan (Arabic Tell el -Qadi ) discovered where in ancient times the city was Dan - the northernmost point of ancient Israel. Fragment A was found in July 1993, the fragments B1 and B2, which belong together, in June 1994. Perhaps there is also a connection between the fragments A and B1 / 2 This thesis is controversial.
Dating
The inscription in ancient Hebrew script is dated to the 9th or 8th century BC. The limitation by the 8th century BC is due to destruction of the overlying layer, which dates back to the Assyrian conquest of 733/732 BC. Since this layer above the stratum in which there was the inscription is, it is clear that the destruction after the establishment of the stele and its subsequent structural recovery is to be set. However, a more precise dating of these events is hardly possible.
Historical classification
Although the author's name does not appear on the surviving fragments of the stele, but these are most likely a king of the neighboring Aramäerstaates of Damascus. Language, time and place of construction make it likely that it ( Ben Hadad ) is the author of Hazael or his son Bar - Hadad.
Although only parts of the inscription have been preserved, she has taken care of within the Biblical Archaeology great stir. The attention is mainly due to the expression ' ביתדוד ' - " House of David ". If this reading be correct, this would be the first archaeological evidence for the inclusion of any of David. Whether it is with this entry form to the Biblical David, must remain open for the time being. Some researchers are of the opinion that the phrase " House of David " is also published in a partially broken section of the Mesha stele. The stele is historic in every case, no evidence of a United Kingdom of Israel and Judah under the biblical King David. However, they can be used as evidence for the existence of a " dynasty of David" in the 8/9 Century V.C. be seen, whose dominion is not mentioned in the inscription.
The characters רם בר ( ... ram bar ( line 7) - ... ram son). יהו בר and ( ... Yahu bar ( line 8) - ... Yahu son). Fragment B to be on Joram of close Israel and Ahaziah of Judah, reports of their war against Hazael 845 BC 2 Kings 10:32-33 EU.
Text in square script
1 [ א ] מר. ע [ ] וגזר [ ] 2 [ ] אבי. יסק [. עלוה. בה ] תלחמה. בא ---] 3 וישכב. אבי. יהך. אל [. אבהו ] ה. ויעל. מלכי [ ש ] 4 ראל. קדם. בארק. אבי [. ו ] יהלך. הדד [. ] א [ יתי ] 5 אנה. ויהך. הדד. קדמי [. ו ] אפק.מן. שבע [ ת ---] 6 י. מלכי. ואקתל. מל [ כן. שב ] ען. אסרי. א [ לפי. ר ] 7 כב. ואלפי. פרש. [ קתלת. אית. יהו ] רם. בר [ אחאב. ] 8 מלך. ישראל. וקתל [ ת. אית. אחז ] יהו. בר [ יהורם. מל ] 9 ך. ביתדוד. ואשם. [ אית.קרית.הם. חרבת. ואהפך. א ] 10 ית.ארק.הם. ל [ ישמן ] 11 אחרן. ולה [ ... ויהוא. מ ] 12 לך.על. יש [ ראל ... ואשם. ] 13 מצר. ע [ ל. ] See also: square script