Jan Dušek deciphers 3,000-year-old Middle Eastern inscriptions

Jan Dušek, a researcher from Charles University, has presented two new scientific monographs that provide new interpretations of ancient inscriptions from the 9th and 8th centuries BCE. The research focuses on Old Aramaic and Sam’alian inscriptions from regions in present-day Syria and Turkey.

One publication, “The Inscriptions from Gerçin,” published by Brill, analyzes inscriptions found on monumental statues of the god Hadad and King Panamuy II. These texts offer new insights into royal succession, kingdom stability, and relationships with the Neo-Assyrian Empire.

The second work, “Old Aramaic Inscriptions and Their Contexts,” published by Peeters, provides a comprehensive analysis of known Old Aramaic inscriptions. Dušek utilized previously unpublished archival documents to clarify the archaeological context of findings from Sefire, Syria, which had remained partially obscure for nearly a century. His findings help clarify the historical and religious environment surrounding the development of biblical traditions.