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Berlin Statue Pedestal ÄM 21687

Disputed reading of 'Israel' on a broken name-ring, possibly a century before Merneptah

Egypt & the Exodus · relief, inscription · Disputed · found 1913

Found 1913 — Bought by Ludwig Borchardt from antiquities dealer M. Nachman; 'Israel' reading proposed by Manfred Görg (2001) and developed by Peter van der Veen and Christoffer Theis (2010)

Where Unknown (unprovenanced purchase, Egypt) (Germany)

Dates from c. 1400–1250 BCE (dating debated) · Late Bronze Age (18th–19th Dynasty) · Sojourn or early settlement, depending on the dating

Now at Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung, Berlin (ÄM 21687)

Names a biblical person Israel (peoples: reading of damaged third name-ring as 'Israel' (Görg) is debated)

How Berlin Statue Pedestal ÄM 21687 was found

Purchased on the antiquities market, so the findspot is unknown. The fragment sat in the Berlin collection for decades before Görg published the new reading.

What it is

A gray granite fragment of a statue base with three bound captives in name-rings, each labeled with a place-name in hieroglyphs. Two rings read Ashkelon and Canaan; the third is damaged. Görg proposed the broken third name should be restored as 'Israel'.

Why it matters for the Bible

If the reading is right, this would be the earliest mention of Israel, perhaps as early as the reign of Amenhotep II or III, pushing Israel's presence in Canaan back before Merneptah. Many Egyptologists reject the restoration because the spelling differs from the Merneptah Stele and the surface is badly worn. Readers should treat it as an interesting possibility, not established evidence.

Disputed: The object is authentic, but the 'Israel' restoration is rejected by many Egyptologists (e.g., James Hoffmeier). Van der Veen and Theis continue to defend it with new imaging. Unprovenanced.

The Hebrew word: ke-NAH-an

כְּנַעַן

כְּנַעַן is pronounced ke-NAH-an and means Canaan; the land promised to the patriarchs (Strong's H3667).

People this discovery connects to

Places

Events

Israel's presence in Canaan under Egyptian rule

Berlin Statue Pedestal ÄM 21687 in Scripture

Genesis 32:28 First mention of Israel in Scripture.

Judges 1:18 Ashkelon appears beside the disputed 'Israel' ring; Judges places Ashkelon among the cities Judah fought.

1 Kings 6:1 The 480-year figure that yields a 15th-century Exodus; an early 'Israel' reading would fit this date better than a 13th-century one.

Questions people ask

What is Berlin Statue Pedestal ÄM 21687?
A gray granite fragment of a statue base with three bound captives in name-rings, each labeled with a place-name in hieroglyphs. Two rings read Ashkelon and Canaan; the third is damaged. Görg proposed the broken third name should be restored as 'Israel'.

When was Berlin Statue Pedestal ÄM 21687 discovered?
It was found in 1913 by Bought by Ludwig Borchardt from antiquities dealer M. Nachman; 'Israel' reading proposed by Manfred Görg (2001) and developed by Peter van der Veen and Christoffer Theis (2010), at Unknown (unprovenanced purchase, Egypt).

Where is Berlin Statue Pedestal ÄM 21687 today?
Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung, Berlin (ÄM 21687).

Which Bible verses does Berlin Statue Pedestal ÄM 21687 relate to?
Genesis 32:28, Judges 1:18, 1 Kings 6:1.

Is Berlin Statue Pedestal ÄM 21687 authentic?
The object is authentic, but the 'Israel' restoration is rejected by many Egyptologists (e.g., James Hoffmeier). Van der Veen and Theis continue to defend it with new imaging. Unprovenanced.

Related discoveries

Sources

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