“Important corrections about our Syriac Aramaic works”
Henry Bedros Kiva
Firstly - the Syriacs are the Arameans themselves!
Our problem with archaeologists - especially at the beginning of the twentieth century - is that they write about the Arameans as if they were an unknown people who had disappeared from history like other ancient peoples! This problem will become even greater with historians of history
Canonists who write about Syriac without mentioning their Aramaic roots
As a reminder, all Syriac scholars from the fourth to the fourteenth centuries AD confirmed that they were Syriac Aramaeans. This is what Jacob al-Rahawi, one of their most important scholars from the eighth century, wrote: “We are the Arameans, that is, the Syriacs,” and in the Syriac text, “ܚܢܢ ܐܪ̈ܡܝܐ ܐܘܟܝܬ ܣܘܪ̈ܝܝܐ”. This means that all Christians of Syria are descended from the authentic Aramaic people, whose presence is witnessed by antiquities as a result of the depth and importance of their existence!
Secondly - Tell Halaf was located historically and geographically in Beit Nahrin and not in Syria! Beit Nahrin is the Aramaic name synonymous with the Akkadian name Nehrima, which was used by the Pharaohs in their relationship with the Mitnians. Beit Nahrin today is the Syrian Jazira (the upper part is still occupied by Turkey)
For the sake of accuracy in the expression, “Tel Halaf” today is located in Syria, but even if it was an Aramaic kingdom, it was not located in the land of Aram, that is, ancient Syria.
Third - The Arabic translation of the English text about the history of these antiquities is wrong. The English text estimates its date to be between the tenth and ninth centuries BC, and this is what scholars mention, while the Arabic translation - certainly unintentionally - stated “Date: approximately the seventh to ninth century BC”???
The Aramaic king Kabara is from the tenth century BC!
Fourth - Does this piece symbolize the legend of Gilgamesh?
The explanation here in Arabic may suggest to the reader that this piece is related to the legend of Gilgamesh, as I mentioned, “The museum’s explanations link this scene to the story of the struggle between Gilgamesh and Enkidu.” The English text is clear
Very "The context may be related to the Gilgamesh epic"
He says, “Maybe it has something to do with the legend of Gilgamesh”!
The problem is that these Aramaic artifacts were found (about 300 pieces), but without any Aramaic writing on or around them. This prompted some archaeologists to put forward theories about the intended characters in those artifacts.
We cannot offer a new interpretation about who the intended characters in this piece are, but we confirm the following:
A - All the Aramaic antiquities and writings discovered in Beit Nahrin (Al-Jazeera) or Aram (ancient Syria) did not mention any relationship with the legend of Gilgamesh!
B - We do not know if the legend of Gilgamesh mentions that Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut off the horns of the monster Humbaba, but we know that every Aramaic god had two horns! This piece may refer to an Aramaic god more than it refers to the famous Humbaba!
C - Museums’ explanations are not always truthful, and most of them date back to the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. Some museums still claim that these pieces are Hittite, and this is not true because these pieces are Syriac Aramaic!
Fifth - The explanations about this artifact in English confirm
This piece is “New Hittite and Hurrian,” meaning that the museum’s information is from the 1930s None of today’s scholars echo these historical misconceptions: This artifact is Aramaic and not Hittite or Hurrian!
Syria's Expat Artifacts - Syrian antiquities in the diaspora
For English see more
A mural depicting a bearded person with two horns, wrestling with two people attacking him from the right and left
Primary home: Syria - Tal Halaf (Al-Hasakah - Ras Al-Ain)
Current owner: Walter Art Museum - United States
Date: 9th - 10th century BC
Working material: basalt
Museum record number: 21.18
Dimensions:
H: 24 13/16 x W: 16 9/16 x D: 6 5/16 in. (63 x 42 x 16 cm)
This wall detail decorated the lower part of the wall of the palace-temple at Tell Halaf and is attributed to King Kabara. The museum's explanations link this scene to the story of the struggle between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, as a speculative matter
Source: websites