Karak City "krk" in Ramesside Inscriptions and Records

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate Professor, Department of History, Egyptian and Islamic Archaeology (EGYPT)

Abstract

The Ramessides have achieved wide military victories in Asia, and those victories could be inferred from the list of subjugated cities, which brought together regions that are known today and others that are still unknown and need further studies. Among the latter was a city whose name can be read krk "Karak". It appeared in the inscriptions of both Ramesses II in Karnak and Ramesses III in Medinet Habu. Also, both Anastasi III and Anastasi IV papyrus referred to this city in an important context, as they mentioned a class of slaves who were attributed to this city in the form of “Karak slaves,” within two other sects of slaves, namely “Canaan's slaves” and “Nehsy's slaves". Perhaps this classification is an indication of the importance of this city and its inhabitants so that the kings could distinguish it as a different race from the Asiatic Semites and the African Negroes.
The study presented some of the historical facts that confirm the existence of this city within the ancient Syria, but at the same time is inhabited by non-Asian dwellers. By reviewing the cities, their history and their names in this area, it became clear that there is an ancient city goes back to the date of the Early Bronze Age, located on the southern banks of Lake Tiberius or the present Galilee, and this city witnessed ancient migrations from Anatolia region. It was known in ancient times as Kerkh and in Aramaic Karak. It is currently known as Khirbet Al-Karak.

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References

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