Kilamuwa Stela

The Kilamuwa Stele is a 9th-century BC stele of King Kilamuwa, from the Kingdom of Bit-Gabbari. He claims to have succeeded where his ancestors had failed, in providing for his kingdom.^[1] The inscription is known as KAI 24.

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Kilamuwa Stela
Created	c. 838 BC
Discovered	c. 1890 Gaziantep, Turkey
Present location	Berlin, Germany
Language	Phoenician

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The Kilamuwa Stele was discovered in Sam'al during the 1888–1902 German Oriental Society expeditions led by Felix von Luschan and Robert Koldewey.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} At the time of its discovery, it was considered to be the only Phoenician text found in Sam'al (numerous Aramaic texts had been found) and the northernmost Phoenician text found in Syria.^[7]

It is currently located in the Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin.

The stele is a 16-line text in the Phoenician language and written in an Old Aramaic form of the Phoenician alphabet.^[8]

According to William F. Albright, in its script, it resembles very closely the Mesha Stele that is very important in biblical archaeology.^[9]

King Kilamuwa is shown standing on the upper left and addressing four Mesopotamian gods with his right arm and finger, where he imitates his Mesopotamian lords in a gesture called "Ubanu tarrashu" which designates "you are my god". His left hand is draped at his left side holding a wilted lotus flower, a symbol of a king's death.^[10] He is dressed in king's regalia with hat, and his figure stands at the beginning of the first nine lines of the text.

The transcription in square script:

The translation of the stele:

"I am Kilamuwa, the son of King Chaya.

King Gabar reigned over Ya'diya but achieved nothing.

Then came Bamah, and he achieved nothing. Then there was my father Chaya, but he accomplished nothing. Then there was my brother

Sha'il, but he also accomplished nothing. But I Kilamuwa, the son of TML,^[13] what I accomplished

not (even) their predecessors accomplished. My father’s house was in the midst of powerful kings,

and each put forth his hand to eat it; but I was in the hand(s) of the kings like a fire that consumes

the beard or like a fire that consumes the hand. The king of the Danunians overpowered me, but I

hired against him the king of Assyria. He gave me a maid for the price of a sheep, and a man for the price of a garment.

I, Kilamuwa, the son of Chaya, sat upon my father’s throne. In face of the former

kings the MSHKBM used to whimper like dogs. But I – to some I was a father, and to some I was a mother,

and to some I was a brother. Him who had never seen the face of a sheep I made owner of a flock; him who had never seen the face of an ox, I made owner

of a herd, and owner of silver and owner of gold; and him who had never seen linen from his youth, in my days they covered

with byssus. I grasped the MSHKBM by the hand, and they behaved (towards me) like an orphan towards (his) mother. Now, if any of my sons.

who shall sit in my place does harm to this inscription, may the MSHKBM not honour the B’RRM, not the B’RRM"

honour the MSHKBM! And if anyone smashes this inscription, may Baal-Tzemed who belongs to Gabar smash his head,

and may Baal-Hammon who belongs to BMH and Rakkabel, lord of the dynasty, smash his head!

^[14]

• 
  Stele of Prince Kilamuwa at the Pergamon Museum, Berlin
• 
  Kilamuwa Stele sketch
• 
  The Aramean king Kilamuwa on his stele from Bit Gabbari, 825 BCE