The Phoenician Sphinx inscription, also known as the Abdadoni inscription is an inscription found at Umm al-Amad, Lebanon.
The inscription is written on the socle of a statue of a couching sphinx, with only the feet and ankles still attached. The body of the sphinx was found lying next to it, but the head was not found. The inscription stated that the statue was dedicated to Milk'ashtart El - Hammon.
It was found to the right of an entrance to one of the buildings on the east side, at the edge of the street. It was one of a number of sphinx fragments found at the site.It is thought that the entrance to the temple complex was flanked by two such sphinx statues.[1]
It is currently in the National Museum of Beirut.
It was first published in 1962 by Maurice Dunand and Raymond Duru, although likely discovered previously.
The inscription reads:[2]
| To my lord Milkashtart, god of Hammon, two talents of gold that gave your servant | |||
| Abdadoni son of Abdalonim son of Ashtartazor, a citizen of Hammon. Like his mother | |||
| were to him the gods Milkashtart and the emissary/emissaries of Milkashtart. For he heard his voice, may he bless him. |