3-028-475 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Moabite Stone found at Dhiban, east of the Dead Sea, 1870. '1. Position of the Two Fragments in the Entire Stone. 2. Inscription on the Upper Fragment. 3 and 4. Inscription on the Lower Fragment. 5. Sketch of the Entire Stone. A full account of the discovery and unfortunate destruction of this stone appeared in the last "Quarterly Statement" of the Palestine Exploration Fund...From the two sources of information we are able to learn at least this much: 1. The stone is undoubtedly the oldest Semitic monument yet found. 2. It is stated by Mr. Deutsch, of the British Museum, that the characters appear older "than many of the Assyrian bi-lingual cylinders in the British Museum, the date of which is, at the very least, as old as the ninth century b.c." 3. The stone chronicles the achievements of one Mesha, King of the Moabites. Now, about this assumed date - viz., 900 B.c. - lived the Mesha against whom Jehoram and Jehosaphat fought. (2 Kings iii.) 4. The inscription is full of well-known Biblical names, such as Beth-Bamoth, Beth-Baal, Meon, Horonaim, and Dibon. 5. Mention is frequently made of Israel, a rival Power, and of "Chemosh," the national God of Moab. 6. It is invaluable to the student of alphabets'. From "Illustrated London News", 1870.