| Safatba'al inscription | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created | c. 900 BC |
| Discovered | 1936 Byblos, Keserwan-Jbeil, Lebanon |
| Present location | Beirut, Beirut Governorate, Lebanon |
The Safatba'al inscription or the Shipitbaal inscription is a Phoenician inscription (KAI 7, TSSI III 9) found in Byblos in 1936, [1] published in 1945. [2] [3]
It is at the National Museum of Beirut.
The inscription reads: [4]
QR
Z
BNY
ŠPṬB‘L
MLK
This wall was built by Safatbaal, king
GBL
BN
’LB‘L
MLK
GBL
of Byblos, son of Elibaal, king of Byblos,
YMT
ŠPṬB‘L
WŠNTW
‘L
GBL
the days of Safatbaal and his years over Byblos.
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Byblos, also known as Jebeil, Jbeil or Jubayl, is the city in the Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate of Lebanon. It is believed to have been first occupied between 8800 and 7000 BC and continuously inhabited since 5000 BC, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. During its history, Byblos was part of numerous civilisations, including Egyptian, Phoenician, Assyrian, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Fatimid, Genoese, Mamluk and Ottoman. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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