What is the Black Obelisk?

What is the Black Obelisk?... hero image

In 1846 an English traveler and artist named Austen Henry Layard was digging around the ruins of ancient Nimrud (known as Calah) in northern Iraq. He discovered something amazing, a black limestone obelisk now referred to as “The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III”. Shalmaneser ruled ancient Assyria around 850 BC. Archaeologists determined that one of the carved images and inscriptions on the obelisk revealed Jehu, the king of Israel bowing before the powerful monarch with his face to the ground. It was the same Jehu that is mentioned in the Bible.

Source:
The Discovery of the Black Obelisk

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Ancient Questions

  1. Where was the location of the Transfiguration?
  2. What was a Watchtower?
  3. Where was Mesopotamia?
  4. Do any Archaeological Discoveries Mention King David?
  5. What was the Hostile Plough?
  6. Why is the Arch of Titus Relief so Significant?
  7. What was the Wilderness of Judea?
  8. What Historical Sources do we have for the Life of Alexander the Great?
  9. What was an Alabaster Jar?
  10. What were the major contributions of ancient Babylon to mathematics and astronomy?

Bible Study Questions

  1. Exploring the Douay-Rheims Bible (DRA): Historical Aspects, Comparisons, and Influence
  2. What is the Church?
  3. How do we approach and study the historical and cultural context of biblical passages?
  4. The World English Bible (WEB): Specific Aspects, Comparison to the ASV, Impact on Bible Study, and Implications of Its Public Domain Status
  5. What are the key teachings of Jesus regarding love and compassion?
  6. The Complete Jewish Bible (CJB): Translation Methodology, Impact, and Reception
  7. What is Salvation?
  8. How do we interpret and understand apocalyptic literature in the Bible?
  9. Comparing the NRSV-CE and NRSVACE: Specific Differences, Historical Context, and Comparison with British Catholic Bible Translations
  10. Exploring Phillips’ Translation Style: A Historical Perspective and Comparison to Modern English Translations