Illustrative model — an approximation, not a scan of the original object.
c. 727 BCE
Victory Stela of Piye
Year 21 of Piye’s reign.
- Material
- Granite
- Findspot
- Temple of Amun at Gebel Barkal, Napata (present-day Sudan)
- Discovery
- Found in 1862 in the temple of Amun at Gebel Barkal.
- Held by
- Egyptian Museum, Cairo
- Inventory number
- JE 48862
A large round-topped stela showing the Delta rulers submitting to Piye, above a long text recounting his campaign step by step.
Certainty: Established
The stela was found in 1862 at Gebel Barkal; it is dated to Piye’s 21st year and is Egyptian Museum JE 48862.
- Wikipedia “Stele of Piye — Wikipedia” en.wikipedia.org
- Robert K. Ritner (2009) “The Libyan Anarchy: Inscriptions from Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period” Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta
Certainty: Established
The text presents Piye as a pious king who respects temples, even showing his anger at finding a prince’s horses neglected. It is propaganda as much as a record of events.
- Robert K. Ritner (2009) “The Libyan Anarchy: Inscriptions from Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period” Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta