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Stele

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Related Terms
Hammurabi
Cuneiform

Definition: A stele is an upright stone monument with inscriptions.

The plural of stele is stelae.

Stelae were used as grave markers, for dedication, commemoration, and demarcation. They were usually retangles carved in relief.

One of the most famous stelae is the diorite stele of the Code of Hammurabi. At the top of this stele, Hammurabi faces the sun god Shamash. Another important stele is the Novilara Stele, which holds a 12-line inscription in the North Picene language.

Pronunciation: stee'lee, steel, stay'lay • (noun)

Examples: The Code of Hammurabi is inscribed on a black stele.

Alternate Spellings: Stela

Related Resources:

How to Read Maya Hieroglyphs
The book is filled with information to help the scholar who needs to interpret Maya stele.

Telesilla of Argos
A stele representing Telesilla, the composer of songs, was put in front of a seated statue of Aphrodite near the theater in Argos.

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