אבן מרנפתח
deposited on April 16, 2026 · History register · custodian, not owner
Critical research
Dating
The Merneptah Stele, discovered in 1896 at Thebes, contains the first known historical mention of "Israel" outside the Bible: "Israel is laid waste, its seed is no more." The hieroglyphic determinative indicates Israel was perceived as an ethnic entity, not yet a territorial state, anchoring the existence of a group called "Israel" in Canaan by the late 13th century BCE.
