The KNMY inscription (KAI 79 or CIS I 3785) is an inscription in the Punic language from Carthage that is believed to record a so-called "molk" child sacrifice.Roschinski, Hans Peter (1988), 'Punische Inschriften zum MLK-Opfer und seinem Ersatz' [Punic inscriptions regarding the MLK-sacrifice and its substitute], in: The text is inscribed on a 55 cm high stela that was discovered in 1922. (BnF Gallica)
In this inscription KNMY, a Carthaginian slave (or "servant"), says that he "vowed" (nador) "his flesh" (BŠRY, cf. Hebrew beśarō) to the two major gods of Carthage, Tinnīt-Phanebal and Ba‘al-Ḥammon, which is understood to mean that he sacrificed a child of his (Krahmalkov translates BŠRY as "<this child> of his own flesh").
The name rendered in Punic as KNMY is not otherwise known. It is not Semitic, but probably Libyan or Berber.Roschinski (1988), p. 612(note). The inscription ends with a curse for those who might remove or damage the stela.
Text of the inscription The inscription reads:Roschinski (1988), pp. 612-613.Krahmalkov (2000), pp. 101, 113.
|+ |- | (line 1) || LRBT LTNT PN B‘L || (Dedicated) to the Lady (to) Tinnīt-Phanebal |- | (2) || WL’DN LB‘L ḤMN || and to the Lord (to) Ba‘al-Ḥammon, |- | (3) || ’Š NDR KNMY || is (the sacrifice) that KNMY vowed, |- | (3-5) || ‘/BD ’ŠMN‘MS / BN B‘LYTN || —the sl/ave of Esmûnamos / son of Ba‘alyaton—: |- | (5-6) || BŠ/RY || his fl/esh. |- | (6) || TBRK’ || May you (Tinnīt-Phanebal and Ba‘al-Ḥammon) bless him (KNMY)! |- | (6-8) || WK/L ’Š LSR T ’B/N Z || And any/one who (= if anyone) shall remove this st/one |- | (8) || BY PY ’NK || without the permission of myself |- | (8-10) || W/BY PY ’DM BŠ/MY || and / without the permission of someone in my n/ame, |- | (10-11) || WŠPṬ TNT PN / B‘L BRḤ ’DM H’|| then Tinnīt-Phanebal will condemn / the intent of that person!
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