Deliverable 3: Digital Interactive Atlas & Timeline

Project: Moabite Stone Research Initiative | Phase: 5 (Synthesis & Final Deliverables)

1. Geographic & Topographical Gazetteer of 9th-Century Moab

Dibon (Modern Dhiban): Royal seat of King Mesha and home of the Dibonite clan; discovery site of the stele in 1868.
Qarḥah: The newly fortified royal acropolis and citadel of Dibon, housing Chemosh's high place, royal palace, and public water cisterns.
Medeba (Madaba Plateau): Fertile agricultural region in Northern Moab occupied by King Omri of Israel for 40 years, reconquered and fortified by Mesha.
Ataroth: Ancient settlement occupied by the tribe of Gad; captured by Mesha, its inhabitants executed, and its cultic hearth-altar ('ry'l) brought to Chemosh.
Nebo: High place dedicated to Israelite worship; captured by Mesha in a dawn attack; 7,000 slain and cult vessels of Yahweh (yhwh) seized.
Jahaz: Israelite military garrison post built during the war; captured by Mesha and annexed to the administrative district of Dibon.
Aroer & The Arnon Gorge (Wadi Mujib): Strategic fortress commanding the northern rim of the Arnon canyon; rebuilt and fortified by Mesha to secure trade routes along the King's Highway.
Horonaim: Southern Moabite border city near Edom; liberated by Mesha under divine guidance from Chemosh.

Date / Period	Event & Context	Historical Significance
c. 885–874 BCE	Omri ascends throne of Northern Israel; conquers Medeba.	Initiates 40-year Israelite hegemony over Moab.
c. 853 BCE	Battle of Qarqar; Ahab dies / Israelite power weakened.	Mesha launches military rebellion against Israel.
c. 840 BCE	Mesha completes campaigns & erects royal stele at Qarḥah.	Commissioning of the Mesha Stele inscription.
1868 CE	Frederick Klein discovers intact stele at Dhiban.	First modern scientific awareness of the monument.
1869 CE	Paper squeeze made; Bedouin shatter stone with fire & water.	Squeeze preserves lost text before fragmentation.
1873 CE	Louvre acquires major fragments & completes restoration.	Permanent display & epigraphic study in Paris.