Sargon Stele
The Sargon Stele (German: Kition-Stele) was found in the autumn of 1845 in Cyprus on the site of the former city-kingdom of Kition, in present-day Larnaca to the west of the old harbour of Kition on the archaeological site of Bamboula. The language on the stele is Assyrian Akkadian.
| Sargon Stele | |
|---|---|
| Material | Basalt |
| Height | 2.09 meters |
| Width | 68 cm |
| Created | c. 707 BC |
| Discovered | 1845 Larnaca, Cyprus |
| Present location | Berlin, Germany |
| Language | Akkadian |
The stele was placed there during the time Sargon II (r. 722–705 BC) ruled the Neo Assyrian Empire (935–605 BC). It was offered for sale to the British Museum, which bid 20 £. Ludwig Ross offered 50 £ for the stele and it was shipped to a museum in Berlin where it remains at the Berlin State Museums. Together with the stele was found a gilded silver plakette, that today is located at the Louvre. A replica of the stele is on display in the Larnaca District Museum.