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The ‘Israel Stela’ of Merenptah
The only reference to Israel ever found in Egypt, inscribed on a stela discovered in 1896 by Flinders Petrie.
While excavating the mortuary temples of the New Kingdom pharaohs on the West Bank of Thebes in 1896, Flinders Petrie made an intriguing find at the Temple of Merenptah (c.1213-1203 BC), the 13th son and successor to Ramesses II (c.1279-1213 BC). It is a typical ‘victory’ stela, with a scene in the top lunette of the king being handed a khepesh (sickle-shaped sword) by the god Amun. The accompanying text tells of a campaign in the Fifth Year of the king, which is generally dated to 1208 BC. Most of the text concerns a battle against Libyans and attendant Sea People allies, and is not particularly remarkable. However, the last lines describe a campaign into Palestine, and the defeat of
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