The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III

  • The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III
  • Dated: Between 858–824 BC
  • Language: Assyrian Cuneiform
  • About: The obelisk has 5 sides with 5 reliefs that run through the 5 sides and have cuneiform script above the scenes. Together they are the accounts of 5 kings who were subdued by the Assyrian monarch, and they are shown bringing tributes and genuflecting before him. The kings are: (top to bottom):
    • Sua of Gilzanu (in north-west Iran)
    • Yaua of Bit Omri” (Jehu of the House of Omri)
    • an unidentified ruler of Musri
    • Marduk-apil-usur of Suhi (middle Euphrates, Syria and Iraq)
    • Qalparunda of Patin (Antakya region of Turkey

The second tier of images and text depicts who is identified as Jehu of the Land of Omri.

Image Credit: GFDL CC BY-SA 3.0 File: Black Obelisk Yehu in front of Shalmaneser III.jpg Created: 22 February 2020
  • Historical: Yes
  • Biblical: Not sure

This is the cuneiform text found under the Second Register or the second line of images.

Source: Wikipedia

Translated Text of the full caption: I received the tribute of Iaua (Jehu) son of (the people of the land of) Omri (Akkadian: 𒅀𒌑𒀀 𒈥 𒄷𒌝𒊑𒄿): silver, gold, a golden bowl, a golden vase with pointed bottom, golden tumblers, golden buckets, tin, a staff for a king [and] spears.

Though the translation of Iaua as Jehu is questioned by some scholars, “Bit Khumri or Huumri” is widely accepted as a reference to the House of Omri, who was a king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

Leave a comment

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started