Scholars’ Corner: Syrian Inscriptions Published in Biblical Archeologist Assist in Understanding Hebrew Bible

In our July/August 1981 issue, BAR published the first account of a newly discovered inscription—the oldest Aramaic inscription of any significant length ever found. (See “Earliest Aramaic Inscription Uncovered in Syria,” BAR 07:04, by Adam Mikaya.)

The inscription is especially important because it is bilingual; that is, the same inscription is preserved in two languages. Both inscriptions are on the skirt of a life-size black basalt statue of a governor discovered accidentally by a farmer in a field being prepared for cultivation near Tell Fakhariyah in eastern Syria. The Aramaic version is on the back of the skirt. The same inscription in cuneiform characters is written in the Akkadian language in an Assyrian dialect on the front of the skirt. The BAR article included pictures of the statue.

We are pleased to report that in April 1982 both the Aramaic and Assyrian inscriptions were published in an editio princeps.^a In September 1982, an article describing the inscriptions at some length and with full texts appeared in the Biblical Archeologist.^b

The prompt publication of these important inscriptions is surely to be applauded.