Nahr al-Kalb

Lykos (Λúκος; "wolf") or Nahr al-Kalb ("dog river"): river, northeast of modern Beyrut, best known for a large series of rock inscriptions, both ancient and modern.

For the soldiers of UNIFIL

In the thirteenth century BCE, the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II left three reliefs on the south bank of the Nahr al-Kalb, north of Berytus, which commemorated the northern campaigns that culminated in the battle of Kadesh (1274). Several centuries later, the Assyrian king Esarhaddon, having forced cities like Tyre into submission, conquered Egypt, and chose to put a memorial opposite the relief of Ramesses. Ever since, armies have left inscription at the Nahr al-Kalb, a custom known to Herodotus (more).

All in all, there are twenty-two inscriptions and two monuments, with texts in seven languages (Egyptian, Akkadian, Greek, Latin, Arabic, French, and English). The making of stelas in this area is mentioned in several Assyrian texts (example).

In chronological sequence

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Reliefs of Ramesses II (left) and Esarhaddon (right).

14	1275	The god Ra gives the sword of victory to Ramesses II after his First Syrian Campaign; "year four" is still legible
16	1269	In front of the god Amun, Ramesses II is about to strike at an enemy, after his Sixth Syrian Campaign; "year ten" is still legible
8	Unknown	Ramesses II slaying an enemy in front of the god Ptah; probably, the relief mentioned by Herodotus (more)
17	671	Esarhaddon, after conquering Egypt
6	Unknown	Unidentified Assyrian king
7	Unknown	Unidentified Assyrian king
13	Unknown	Unidentified Assyrian king
15	Unknown	Unidentified Assyrian king
1	605-562	The Babylonian king Nebuchadznezzar
12	Third century BCE	Unidentified Hellenistic king, perhaps Antiochus III the Great after his victory in the Fifth Syrian War
3	215 CE	The Roman emperor Caracalla, travelling from Antioch to Alexandria (CIL 3.206)
11	382-383	Inscription by governor Proculus of Phoenicia, who built a road and sacrificed in Baalbek
2	1382-1399	Inscription to commemorate the building of a bridge by the Mamluq sultan Barquq
5	1861	Inscription of Napoleon III to commemorate a French intervention in the conflict between Druzes and Maronites
18	1901	Text on an Ottoman bridge
9	1918	Collapse of the Ottoman Empire: Capture of Damascus, Homs, and Aleppo by Arabian and Allied troops
10	1918	Collapse of the Ottoman Empire: Capture of Beyrut by French and British troops
4	1920	French intervention in Arabian Syria: general Gouraud's inscription to commemorate general Goybet's victory at Maysalun, and the entry of French troops into Damascus
-	1927	Monument for the French garrison of Beyrut (originally from Beyrut, moved to this place after the Mandate of the League of Nations had ended)
19	1941	The Free French liberate Damascus from Vichy troops
20	1942	Text on railroad bridge
21	1946	Evacuation of the foreign forces from Lebanon; beginning of the independence
22	2000	Evacuation of the Israeli forces from southern Lebanon


14. Ramesses II	16. Ramesses II	17. Esarhaddon	6. Unidentified Assyrian king

7. Unidentified Assyrian king	13. Unidentified Assyrian king	15. Unidentified Assyrian king	1. Nebuchadnezzar

12. Unidentified Hellenistic king	3. Caracalla	11. Proculus	2. Barquq

5. Napoleon III	9. Capture of Damascus	10. Occupation of Beyrut	4. Entry in Damascus

Monument of the French garrison of Beyrut	19. Liberation of Damascus	21. Evacuation of foreign forces	22. Evacuation of Israeli Forces

Pedestal of a statue

From East to West

If you want to visit the place and arrive from Beyrut, you must turn right immediately after the tunnel (cf. the satellite photo here). Continue for some 400 meters; there's a Medieval bridge. Here, you can park your car, and here is inscription #2. Walking back, you will pass along several other monuments. There's a passage over the tunnel, after which the path winds itself up the hill. Inscription #15 is on the summit, and you will see the interesting #16 and #17 if you continue and go down again.

In the valley, between the Medieval bridge and the tunnel
2	1382-1399	Barquq (Mamluq sultan)
3	215	Caracalla
-		Monument French garrison of Beyrut
18	1901	Inscription on Ottoman bridge
19	1941	Liberation of Damascus
4	1920	General Gouraud
22	2000	Evacuation of the Israeli Forces
21	1946	Evacuation of foreign forces
5=8	1861	Napoleon III (replaced inscr. Rameses II)
6	Unknown	Unidentified Assyrian king
9	1918	Capture of Damascus
7	Unknown	Unidentified Assyrian king
10	1918	Occupation of Beyrut
Beginning of the passage over the main road
11	382/383	Proculus
End of the passage; the inscriptions below are on the rock itself
20	1942	Railroad inscription
12	Third century BCE	Unidentified Hellenistic king
Pedestal of a statue
13	Unknown	Unidentified Assyrian king
14	1275	Ramesses II
15	Unknown	Unidentified Assyrian king
16	1269	Ramesses II
17	677/676	Esarhaddon
1	605-562	Nebuchadnezzar (across the river)