Annals Edition 2- Marble Slab Inscription, 839 BCE

Israel submits to Assyria

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Marble Slab Inscription – Front. Photo by Ardon Bar-Hama.

Marble Slab Inscription – Back. Photo by Ardon Bar-Hama.

Marble Slab Inscription Side. Photo by Ardon Bar Hama.

Date- 839 BCE

Current Location- Iraq Museum, Baghdad, Iraq (IM 55644)

Language and Script- Assyrian?; cuneiform

General Information-

This copy of Shalmaneser’s annals was found on a marble tablet on the outer wall of the city of Ashur. Located along the Tigris in northern Iraq, Ashur is the original town of the Assyrians (Hebrew Ashur = English Assyr[ia]), was a major city of the Assyrian Empire, and at times functioned as its capital. In a southern section of Ashur known as the New City, Shalmaneser had commissioned some renovation work on the outer wall and commemorated its completion with this inscription. The annals section comprises the vast majority of the inscription, which concludes with a description of the renovation work. It is dated to 839 BCE because Shalmaneser’s military activities are recounted through his 20th year.

Circumstances of Discovery and Acquisition- The marble slab was discovered during the course of excavations at ancient Ashur in the city’s outer wall. It was published in 1951.