Sebek-khu Stele

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Sebek-khu Stele
Sebek-khu Stele 2023.JPG
Material Limestone
Writing Egyptian
Createdc. 1860 BC
Discovered1901
El Balyana, Sohag, Egypt
Discovered by John Garstang
Present location Manchester Museum
Identification3306

The Sebek-khu Stele, also known as the Stele of Khu-sobek, is an inscription in honour of a man named Sebek-khu (Khu-sobek), who lived during the reign of Senusret III. It was discovered by John Garstang in 1901 [1] outside Khu-sobek's tomb at Abydos, Egypt, and now housed in the Manchester Museum. [2] [3]

The text is largely about Khu-sobek's life, and is historically important because it records the earliest known Egyptian military campaign in Canaan (or elsewhere in Asia). The text reads "His Majesty proceeded northward to overthrow the Asiatics. His Majesty reached a foreign country of which the name was Sekmem (...) Then Sekmem fell, together with the wretched Retenu", where Sekmem (s-k-m-m) is thought to be Shechem. [4]

References

  1. The Stela of Khu-Sobek (Manchester Museum)
  2. Manchester Museum: 3306 Stela, Object, Registered, Africa, Egypt, Upper Egypt, Abydos
  3. The Land of the Bible: A Historical Geography, Yohanan Aharoni
  4. Pritchard, James B. (2016). Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament with Supplement. Princeton University Press. p. 230. ISBN   978-1-4008-8276-2.