Cherchell Neopunic inscriptions

The Cherchell Neopunic inscriptions are two Neopunic inscriptions on marble discovered in 1875 and 1882 in Cherchell in French Algeria. They are currently in the Louvre, known as AO 1028 and AO 5294.

Both were acquired by the Louvre from Achille Schmitter, collector of customs in Cherchell, with assistance from Antoine Héron de Villefosse.

The second stele mentions Micipsa, son of Masinissa, and is dated to 118 BCE.

A prior Neopunic inscription was discovered in Cherchell in 1847, published in 1859, on a copper alloy cymbal.

Funerary pillar (AO 5294)
This inscription was discovered in February 1875 in a field, on the road to Tenès. It first became the property of a baker from Cherchell, who sold it to Achille Schmitter, collector of customs in Cherchell.

It is engraved on a white marble cube, 17cm × 24cm, and consists of six well-preserved "Neopunic" lines, except however for the sixth line which has a gap. The inscription is a dedication by a daughter to her mother.

The inscription reads:

Micipsa inscription (AO 1028)
The Micipsa was acquired by the Louvre in 1882 from Schmitter; it is thought to have originated in the Porte de Tenez, where Schmitter reported making other discoveries. The inscription consists of eleven lines of Neopunic, engraved on white marble with red veins of red, measuring 30cm × 22cm.

The inscription reads:



In Kanaanäische und Aramäische Inschriften, the offered reading is:
 * (1) || MYQDŠ QN’M ḤY ḤYM MKPZN MLK [M]ŠLYYM || Sanctuary of mine, life of the living, Micipsa, king of (the) [Ma]ssylii,
 * (2) || HMYLL MYŠR ’RṢT RBT MMLK’T ḤŠB N‘M || who is extolled, sovereign of broad lands, prince who devises good
 * (3) || L’ ṬN’ T HM’Š ZT[...]’Ḥ[.]‘L’ QBR’ Y‘ZM || to him, this statue was erected... his grave, (by) Ya'azan,
 * (4) || BN YŠGGZN BN BG’T BN MZNZN MYQM ’LM || son of Yazaggasan, son of Bogud, son of Massinissa, responsible for sacralities,
 * (5) || ZKY KRR ‘LGM’.. TM’ ’.. ’KM’T BN[M] || ...
 * (6) || WT ’KHN[.]M ’Š ‘L[..]M KL’ [.]‘[..]L’ LMḤ[..].... || ...in his lifet(i)me...
 * (7) || T[.]NM ‘LM ‘K[..]T LḤ[..]’ [.] LHR‘T ŠL’......... || ...eternal sleep...
 * (8) || WŠ‘WTM [..] B‘L [..]L[..]’[..]M’ HŠM............. || ...
 * (9) || [..]’ ŠL’ BKL ḤWT BN’ [..]Ṭ[.]’............. || ...during all the life (of his son?)...
 * (10) || [.]Ṣ’T HMḤ[.]T ŠL’ T[.]NM R[.]............. || ...
 * (11) || P‘L’ [..]Š BN [...]’.......... || Made by [...]Š, son of...
 * }
 * (6) || WT ’KHN[.]M ’Š ‘L[..]M KL’ [.]‘[..]L’ LMḤ[..].... || ...in his lifet(i)me...
 * (7) || T[.]NM ‘LM ‘K[..]T LḤ[..]’ [.] LHR‘T ŠL’......... || ...eternal sleep...
 * (8) || WŠ‘WTM [..] B‘L [..]L[..]’[..]M’ HŠM............. || ...
 * (9) || [..]’ ŠL’ BKL ḤWT BN’ [..]Ṭ[.]’............. || ...during all the life (of his son?)...
 * (10) || [.]Ṣ’T HMḤ[.]T ŠL’ T[.]NM R[.]............. || ...
 * (11) || P‘L’ [..]Š BN [...]’.......... || Made by [...]Š, son of...
 * }
 * (10) || [.]Ṣ’T HMḤ[.]T ŠL’ T[.]NM R[.]............. || ...
 * (11) || P‘L’ [..]Š BN [...]’.......... || Made by [...]Š, son of...
 * }
 * (11) || P‘L’ [..]Š BN [...]’.......... || Made by [...]Š, son of...
 * }