1. "Temple of Baal [tsaphon. Tariff of du] es which [the thirty men in charge of the du] es have fixed, in the time [of the magistracy of Khilletz] baal the Suffete, son of Bodtanit, son of Bod [eshmun and Khilletzbaal]
2. the Suffete, son of Bodeshmun, son of Khilletzbaal and their col [leagues]."
3. "For an ox, in expiatory sacrifice or in communion sacrifice or in holocaust: for the priests, ten (shekels) of silver each. And in expiatory sacrifice, they shall have, in addition to these dues, [a weight of 300 (shekels) of flesh
4. and in communion sacrifice, the breast and the (right) thigh. The skin, the ribs (?), the feet and the rest of the flesh shall belong to the master of the sacrifice."
5. "For an uncastrated calf not yet horned, or for a deer, in expiator: sacrifice or in communion sacrifice or in holocaust: for the priests, five (shekels) of silver [each. In expiatory sacrifice, they shall have,
6. in] addition to these dues, a weight of 150 (shekels) of flesh and, in communion sacrifice, the breast, and the thigh The skin, the ribs (?), the feet and the rest of the flesh shall belong to the master of the sacrifice]."
7. "For a ram or a he-goat, in expiatory sacrifice or in communion sacrifice or in holocaust: for the priests, one shekel two zar of silver each. In communion sacrifice, they shall have, [in addition to these dues, the breast]
8. and the (right) thigh. The skin, the ribs (?), the feet and the rest of the flesh shall belong to the master of the sacrifice."
9. "For a lamb or a kid or a fawn, in expiatory sacrifice or in communion sacrifice or in holocaust: for the priests, three-quarters (of a shekel) of silver and [two] zar [each. In communion sacrifice, they shall have, in addition]
10. to these dues, the breast and the (right) thigh. The skin, the ribs (?), the feet and the rest of the flesh shall belong to the master [of the sacrifice]."
11. "For a farmyard bird or a wild fowl, in holocaust or in exorcism sacrifice or in sacrifice for an augury: for the priests, three-quarters (of a shekel) of silver each. And the flesh shall belong to the master of the sacrifice]."
12. "For an (other) bird or holy first fruits or for an offering of flour or an offering of oil: for the priests, ten ag[urot] of silver each..."
13. "For each communion sacrifice which is offered before the god, the breast and the thigh shall belong to the priests. In communion sacrifice..."
14. "For cake, for milk, for fat and for all sacrifices offered by a man in minkhat..."
15. "For each sacrifice which is offered with cattle or with fowl, the pri[ests] shall have nothing."
16. "Every guild MZRH, every clan and every thiasos of the divinity and all men who shall offer sacrifice..."
17. "These men (shall pay) the dues on one sacrifice only, according to what has been fixed in the writing ..."
18. "All dues which are not set out on this table shall be given according to the writing [made by the thirty men in charge of the dues, in the time of the magistracy of Khilletzbaal, son of Bodtani]t and
19. and of Khilletzbaal, son of Bodeshmun, and their colleagues."
20. "Every priest who shall collect dues other (?) than those fixed on this table, will be smitten with a fine..."
21. "Every master of the sacrifice who shall not give [the money ? ac]cording to the dues..."

This Carthaginian sacrificial tariff is strikingly reminiscent, in its contents as well as its style, of the sacrificial rulings of the Israelites as they are detailed in the book of Leviticus.

The larger part of the religious texts comprises the innumerable votive inscriptions, mostly dedicated to the goddess Tanit or the god Baal Hammon, the chief deities of Carthage. These votive inscriptions are engraved on limestone stelae, often very ornate, which were apparently set up in various sanctuaries. The contents of the inscriptions are generally very much alike. They follow sacred formulae established once and for all, but fortunately an occasional sentence is found with some slight modification, innovation or addition. If these texts seem monotonous to the historian or to the unprejudiced observer, the same cannot be said of the epigraphist. Studied judiciously and minutely (which has not yet been done) they could without a doubt reveal a great deal of valuable information about religious, economic, social and even political life in Carthage. Here are some samples.

"To the lady Tanit, the Face of Baal, and to the lord Baal Hammon, dedicated by Milkyaton, son of Maharbaal, son of Milkyaton, son of Aderbaal the Suffete, son of Hannibal".

"To the lady Tanit, the Face of Baal, and to the lord Baal Hammon, dedicated by Abdmelqart, son of Ashtartyaton, who is of the attendants of the temple of Melqart".

"To the lady Tanit, the Face of Baal, and to the lord Baal Hammon, dedicated by Muttunbaal, wife of Abdmelqart, son of Baalhanno, son of Bodashtart. Because they have heard her voice may they bless her."

"Has dedicated (this stele), Baalshillek, son of Akbar, for his son. May you hear his voice, may you bless him."

'To the lady Tanit, the Face of Baal, and to the lord Baal Hammon, dedicated by Kanmi. servant (perhaps slave) of Eshmunamash, son of Baalyaton, for his flesh. May she bless him. And whosoever shall remove this stone against my will, or against the will of one acting in my name, may Tanit, the Face of Baal, condemn that man's spirit (soul)."

These examples suffice to show, in a manner of speaking, the variations in the apparent uniformity of the votive stelae. It is this variety, very much greater in reality than is generally apparent, which gives these brief inscriptions their importance.

Another, much less numerous, category is composed of funerary inscriptions. I will confine myself to two examples.

"This is the tomb of Baalhanno, son of Bodashtart, son of Germelqart, son of Bodmelqart, the Mequim of the divinity."

"This is the tomb of Arishat, daughter of Philosir, son of Abdosir, wife of Abdeshmun, son of Himilco."

The most interesting of the Punic epitaphs and also, unfortunately, the most difficult to read and interpret, is without a doubt that of Milkpilles, which was erected in his memory by a faithful friend. It also comes into the category of Punic texts relating to wills. What follows is the translation proposed by Mr. J.-G. Février.

"Milkpilles, son of Bodmelqart, son of Milkpilles, son [...] Milkpilles, son of Melqartpilles, organizer of the sacred affairs, son [...] Milkherem. A stele in righteous aid I, Ashtzaph... in memory above the burial place of his remains, I have erected because he delighted in holy things... because, as a priest, he made holy offerings and served the gods with all his might during his lifetime, according to the writing and the plan; and I have written his name on high on the front (of the stele) for ever... in goodwill to him and for the greater glory of his remains. The chief of the clan, Sa[karbaal, son of] Yaroah. The temple of Isis. And I have engraved the inscription on [this] tablet."

Commemorative inscriptions, although rare, are particularly interesting. All the known examples were, until the present, dedications of religious monuments. A short time ago, however, a new Punic inscription was found at Carthage, which was the first to commemorate a great public work, probably of the third century B.C. This inscription will be published by the young Tunisian scholar Mr. Mohamed Hassine Fantar. Rather than offer my own translation, which, in view of the difficulties of the Punic text, would require a detailed philological study for which this present article is unsuitable, I prefer to quote an English translation of the suggested version with notes and comments by Mr. André Dupont-Sommer.

"Opened and made this street in the direction of the square at the New Gate in the south (?) wa[II, the people of Carthage, in the year] of the Suffetes Shafat and Adonibaal, in the time of the magistracy of Adonibaal, son of Eshmunkhilletz, son of... [son of Bodinel]qart, son of Hanno and their colleagues. (Were) in charge of this work Abdmelqart [son of.... son of. ---(as) foreman (?)]; Bodmelqart son of Baalhanno, son of Bodmelqart (as) chief engineer of public highways; Yehawwielon brother [of Bodmelqart (as) quarrier (?)]. [Also contributing to the enterprise were all] the merchants, the porters, the packers (?) who dwell in the level ground of the city, the weighers of small coinage (?) and [those] who have no [money, neither gold [?] nor silver (?), and also] those who have (money), the goldsmiths, the potters (?) and the (staff of) the workshops with kilns, and the sandal-makers (?) (all) together. And [if anyone shall (erase) this inscription] our accountants shall punish that man with a fine of 1000 (shekels of) silver -- one thousand -- in addition to [X] minae [to pay for the inscription (?)]."

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