Bible Archeology Discoveries

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Ahiram Sarcophagus and Inscription
Discovered: Royal Necropolis, Byblos (Jbeil), Lebanon; now in the National Museum of Beirut
From: (c. Iron Age, commonly dated around the tenth century BC; exact date debated)

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The limestone sarcophagus of Ahiram, a ruler of ancient Byblos, was discovered in 1923 in a royal tomb by archaeologist Pierre Montet. Carved reliefs decorate its sides, and a Phoenician inscription records that Ittobaal made the coffin for his father Ahiram. The inscription also warns against disturbing the tomb.

The writing is an important early example of the developed Phoenician alphabet. Scholars continue to debate the date of the coffin and its inscription, so they should not be assigned a single certain year.

Joshua 13:5; 1 Kings 5:18; Ezekiel 27:9 (references to Gebal/Byblos; not to this sarcophagus).

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Notable Finds

Much of what is described in Bible text is lost to history, requiring readers to assume the historicity of the scriptures.

However, many of the places and events described in the Old and New Testaments are periodically corroborated by archeological finds.

Some finds simply help us to better understand things from the ancient world. However, others provide important evidence as to the truth of scripture regarding things about which there had previously been skepticism.

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