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A 10-foot black granite victory stele erected by Pharaoh Merneptah around 1208 BC, discovered by Flinders Petrie in 1896. Its 28 lines of hieroglyphics catalog Merneptah's campaigns, and at the bottom appears the line: "Israel is laid waste, his seed is no more." The determinative used for Israel marks it as a people, not a city — meaning Israel was already a recognizable national entity in Canaan by 1208 BC.
Why this matters
The earliest reference to Israel anywhere outside the Bible. Forces a settled Israelite presence in Canaan by the late 13th century BC at the latest, ruling out late-date theories of Israel's emergence and aligning with the biblical chronology of the Judges era.
Scripture references
Joshua 1:1-9Judges 2:7-10
Location
Luxor / Cairo Museum