Votive stele

Carved in limestone, this stele bears an engraved inscription, surrounded by motifs that include a floral element, in the form of a stylised flower. The inscription is in Punic, the ancient language of Carthage, present-day Tunisia. It reads: ‘To the lady Tanit and the lord Baʿal Ḥamon, an offering from Arish, son of Imilk […]’. Tanit, goddess of fertility, and her husband Baʿal Hammon, the cosmic god, formed a central couple in the Punic religion. Arish, who identifies himself by his lineage, presented this stele to them in order to obtain a favour or as a sign of gratitude. This piece comes from Carthage, a city founded by the Phoenicians before it gained independence in the 7th century BCE. Carthage dominated a large area in the western Mediterranean. Its opposition to Rome in the course of three wars led to its destruction in 146 BCE. The city was subsequently rebuilt by the Romans.