Bronze AgeWorld atlas

event · evt_tel_dan_stele_erection

Erection and later deposition of the Tel Dan Aramaic victory stele

An Aramaic royal victory inscription was erected and later broken/reused at Tel Dan; it likely names Israel and the House of David.

Evidence confidence: high
Awaiting expert reviewSouthern Levant and biblical-period peoples research expansion

What is the evidence?

observation

An Aramaic royal victory inscription was erected and later broken/reused at Tel Dan; it likely names Israel and the House of David.

proposed causes

    The inscription and Old Aramaic context are secure; fragment joins, attribution, and individual restorations remain debated.

    Inspect the sources →
    Review and provenance

    Specialist reviewer: not recorded. Review date: not recorded.

    Dataset workflow: proposed. This is separate from specialist review.

    Confidence describes the stated assessment; it does not certify expert approval. How review works.

    Chronology

    Dating intervals may describe uncertainty or phases; their width alone does not establish event duration.

    Preferred assertion

    850 BCE–800 BCE

    Precision: approximate range

    Chronology model: best current range

    high

    The inscription and Old Aramaic context are secure; fragment joins, attribution, and individual restorations remain debated.

    Interpretation and caveats

    Strong ninth-century external evidence for a Davidic dynastic designation and Aramean-Israelite conflict, but not direct evidence for the size of David's tenth-century kingdom.

    Event context

    Classification

    Event type: royal inscription event

    Evidence layer: historical

    Timeline role: regional core

    Why it matters to the timeline

    The stele is central to David/Solomon evidence and shows how later dynastic attestation differs from contemporary reign evidence.

    Alternative interpretations

    • The phrase bytdwd is the House of David dynastic name.
    • Alternative word division or place-name readings, held by a minority.
    • The text was commissioned by Hazael or another Aramean ruler.

    Research notes

    • Initial publication. Role: provides primary evidence. Locator: fragment A.
    • Expanded text. Role: provides primary evidence. Locator: fragments B1/B2 and reconstruction.
    • Provides major interpretation. Role: proposes interpretation. Locator: bytdwd and historical setting.

    Evidence and sources

    Where to go next

    Compare the four citiesExplore causes and counter-evidenceExplain a term or date

    Referenced records