| Osorkon Bust | |
|---|---|
 The Osorkon Bust, showing the Phoenician inscription on either side of the Egyptian cartouche | |
| Material | Quartzite |
| Height | 60 cm |
| Writing | Phoenician |
| Created | c. 900 BC |
| Discovered | c. 1881 Byblos,Keserwan-Jbeil,Lebanon |
| Present location | Louvre |
| Identification | AO 9502 |
TheOsorkon Bust, also known as theEliba'l Inscription is a bust of Egyptian pharaohOsorkon I, discovered inByblos (in today'sLebanon) in the 19th century. Like theTabnit sarcophagus fromSidon, it is decorated with two separate and unrelated inscriptions – one inEgyptian hieroglyphics and one inPhoenician script. It was created in the early 10th century BC, and was unearthedc. 1881,[1] very likely in theTemple of Baalat Gebal.
The Egyptian writing is theprenomen of Osorkon, and the Phoenician is a dedication to Elibaal, the king of Byblos.
The details of the find were published in by French archaeologistRené Dussaud in 1925.[1]
The bust is made ofquartzite, and is 60 cm × 36 cm × 37.5 cm.[2]
The first mention of the statue was by German archaeologistAlfred Wiedemann in 1884 in hisÄgyptische Geschichte:German:zwei Fragmente einer grossen Steinstatue sind gleichfalls erhalten geblieben [Im Besitz des Herrn Meuricoffre zu Neapel.] In English: "two fragments of a large stone statue have also been preserved [owned by Mr.Meuricoffre at Naples.]"[3][4]
In 1895, Weidemann published the Egyptian hieroglyphs:German:Vor nahezu 15 Jahren hatte ich Gelegenheit im Landhause des H. Bankier Meuricoffre zu Neapel eine grosse Statue aus hartem Sandstein des Koenigs Osorkon I kennen zu lernen. Von ihr waren zwei Fragmente erhalten. Zunaechst die Buste, an deren Brust vorn stand, am Guertel befand sich der Cartouchenrest, am Ruekenpfeiler. Dann ein Theil der Basis mit darauf stehenden Fuss. In English: "Almost 15 years ago I had the opportunity to visit the country house of the banker Meuricoffre of Naples to get to know a large statue made of hard sandstone of King Osorkon I. Two fragments were preserved from it. First the bust, on the chest of which stood at the front, on the belt there was the rest of the cartouches, and on the rock pillar. Then a part of the base with the foot."[5]
mš.
z
p‘l.
’lb‘l.
mlk.
gbl.
byḥ
[mlk.
mlk
gbl]
mš. z p‘l. ’lb‘l. mlk. gbl. byḥ [mlk. mlk gbl]
Statue which Eliba‘al, king of Byblos, son of Yeḥi[milk, king of Byblos] made
[lb]‘lt.
gbl.
’dtw.
t’rk.
b‘lt
[.gbl]
[lb]‘lt. gbl. ’dtw. t’rk. b‘lt [.gbl]
[for the Ba]‘alat of Byblos, his Lady. May theBa‘alat [of Byblos] prolong
[ymt.
’]lb‘l.
wšntw.
‘l[.
gbl]
[ymt. ’]lb‘l. wšntw. ‘l[. gbl]
[the days of E]liba‘al and his years over [Byblos]
