Kurkh Monolith: Ahab at Qarqar

The claim

Ahab, son of Omri, rules Israel from Samaria as a powerful but notorious king.

What archaeology found

A stele of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III, found in 1861 at Kurkh in southeastern Turkey and now in the British Museum, describes the Battle of Qarqar (853 BCE). It lists 'Ahab the Israelite' among the allied kings, contributing 2,000 chariots, the largest chariot force in the coalition.

Where it was found

Kurkh (Üçtepe), TurkeyView on OpenStreetMap

Sources

1. Kenneth A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament, Eerdmans (2003)

Verdict history

• Nov 10, 2026ConfirmedInitial verdict.