Merneptah Stele, Victory stele at Egyptian Museum, Egypt
The Merneptah Stele is a granite sculpture at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, covered with hieroglyphic inscriptions. The gray surface shows closely written columns of text that run across the entire front of the monument.
Pharaoh Merneptah had the monument erected in 1208 before the Common Era to document his victory over Libyan troops. The campaigns in the Canaan region were also recorded on its surface.
The carved signs follow the formal style of royal Egyptian monuments and record territorial control and military successes. Visitors see how pharaohs used stone to preserve their achievements for future generations.
The monument is located on the ground floor of the museum and is easy to find. The room around it is climate-controlled to help preserve the inscriptions.
The inscription in line 27 mentions the name Israel for the first time outside religious writings in an ancient Egyptian source. This reference is the earliest known record of that name in a historical document.
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