Tamassos bilinguals

The Tamassos bilinguals are a pair of bilingual Cypriot–Phoenician inscriptions on stone pedestals found in 1885 in Tamassos, Cyprus. It has been dated to 363 BC.

It was discovered by Max Ohnefalsch-Richter, in excavations funded by Charles Watkins, Cyprus Director of the Imperial Ottoman Bank, and in conjunction with Colonel Falkland Warren, Chief Secretary of Cyprus. A subsequent legal battle broke out between Watkins and Warren regarding ownership of the excavated antiquities.

It is currently in the British Museum, with identification numbers BM 125321 and BM 125322. The Phoenician inscriptions are known as RÉS 1212 (KAI 41) and RÉS 1213.

They were displayed at the 1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition, and were acquired by the British Museum from Warren via antiquities dealer Rollin & Feuardent in 1892.

Inscription number 1
Inscription number 1 is an imported marble pedestal with a six line Phoenician inscription and a five line Cypriot inscription. The inscription is a statue dedication:

The Cypriot text was first translated by M. D. Pierides.

Inscription number 2
Inscription number 2 is on a limestone pedestal, with a worn inscription. The inscription is a statue dedication to Reshef-Elenites (Apollo Alasiotes) by 'Abd-sasom on the 16th day of the 17th year of Milkyaton or Melekyaton, king of Kition and Idalion.