Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser III
'Ahab the Israelite' and 2,000 chariots at the Battle of Qarqar
Found 1861 — John George Taylor, British consul-general and antiquarian
Where Kurkh (Uctepe Hoyuk), Diyarbakir Province, Turkey (Turkey)
Dates from c. 852 BCE (records 853 BCE) · Iron Age IIB / Neo-Assyrian · Divided Kingdom (reign of Ahab)
Now at British Museum, London
Names a biblical person Ahab, Ben-Hadad (Hadadezer) (Ahab the Israelite; Adad-idri = biblical Ben-Hadad identification debated)
How Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser III was found
Found together with a stele of Ashurnasirpal II at the mound of Kurkh (Uctepe Hoyuk) on the upper Tigris, and shipped to the British Museum in 1863.
What it is
A limestone stele over 2 m tall showing Shalmaneser III before divine symbols, covered front and back with cuneiform annals of his first six years. The year-six account of the Battle of Qarqar on the Orontes lists a twelve-king coalition including 'Ahab the Israelite (A-ha-ab-bu Sir-'i-la-a-a)' with 2,000 chariots and 10,000 soldiers.
Why it matters for the Bible
This is the first mention of Ahab and of Israel by name in any Assyrian text, and it fixes Ahab's reign to 853 BCE, the anchor date for the whole chronology of the divided kingdom. It also shows Israel as a major military power allied with Aram-Damascus against Assyria, a coalition the Bible never mentions, since 1 Kings 20 and 22 describe Israel and Aram at war.
The Hebrew word: REH-chev
רֶכֶב
רֶכֶב is pronounced REH-chev and means chariot; chariotry (Strong's H7393).
People this discovery connects to
- Ahab — אַחְאָב (Ach-AHV) — father's brother
- Ben-Hadad (Hadadezer) — בֶּן־הֲדַד (Ben-ha-DAHD) — son of Hadad
Places
- Israel — יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yis-rah-EL) — he strives with El
Events
Battle of Qarqar (853 BCE) · Ahab's alliance with Aram-Damascus against Assyria
Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser III in Scripture
1 Kings 16:28 First mention of Ahab in Scripture.
1 Kings 16:29-30 Ahab's accession over Israel; the monolith is the first outside record of his name.
1 Kings 22:1 Three years of peace between Aram and Israel — the window in which the two joined forces at Qarqar.
Questions people ask
What is Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser III?
A limestone stele over 2 m tall showing Shalmaneser III before divine symbols, covered front and back with cuneiform annals of his first six years. The year-six account of the Battle of Qarqar on the Orontes lists a twelve-king coalition including 'Ahab the Israelite (A-ha-ab-bu Sir-'i-la-a-a)' with 2,000 chariots and 10,000 soldiers.
When was Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser III discovered?
It was found in 1861 by John George Taylor, British consul-general and antiquarian, at Kurkh (Uctepe Hoyuk), Diyarbakir Province, Turkey.
Where is Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser III today?
British Museum, London.
Which Bible verses does Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser III relate to?
1 Kings 16:28, 1 Kings 16:29-30, 1 Kings 22:1.
Related discoveries
- כֶּרֶםJezreel Rock-Cut Winery ('Naboth's Vineyard')An Iron Age wine press at the foot of Ahab's Jezreel
- חוֹתָם'Jezebel' SealAn opulent Phoenician-style seal that may — or may not — have belonged to Ahab's queen
- כָּלַחNimrud IvoriesThousands of Phoenician and Syrian ivories — the same art that filled Ahab's palace — hoarded by Assyria
- שֵׁןSamaria IvoriesCarved furniture inlays from the 'ivory house' of Ahab and his successors
- יִזְרְעֶאלJezreel: The Omride Royal EnclosureAhab and Jezebel's fortified compound overlooking the valley
- שֶׁמֶרSamaria: The Omride Royal AcropolisOmri's new capital and Ahab's palace on the hill he bought from Shemer