A study published in 2024 finds that the Arabian god Kahl, worshipped at Qaryat al-Fāw, was likely envisioned as a smiting or warrior deity, with iconography paralleling Near Eastern storm gods and figures like Resheph, Melqart, and Herakles. Evidence from inscriptions, coinage, and a bronze figurine suggests Kahl was depicted wielding weapons and associated with power and protection.
The study, published in Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy by Juan de Lara of the Khalili Research Centre at the University of Oxford, examined the ancient name of the site—Qaryatum dhāt Kāhilim or “the City [of the god] Kahl.” According to de Lara, this theophoric name reflects the role of Kahl as the city’s tutelary deity.
Bronze and silver coins minted between the first century BCE and first century CE feature a human-like figure raising a weapon, accompanied by the inscription bʿl khl or “Baʿl Kahl.” De Lara wrote, “This could offer some evidence for an anthropomorphic representation of Kahl: a standing figure with a raised right hand and an extended left arm clutching an object.”
A small bronze figurine found near a temple in Qaryat al-Fāw displays a similar stance. “The posture of this figure mirrors the stance of the bʿl khl coins: it wields a raised club and a belt fastened around the waist,” the study stated. Nearby petroglyphs depict a large warrior figure overlooking the landscape, with the name khl carved into the rock.
The research identified parallels between Kahl’s iconography and smiting gods from the broader region. “Smiting deities are found across the Aegean, Anatolia, the Near East, Mesopotamia and Egypt—it should then not be surprising to find such an iconography in Arabia,” de Lara wrote.
The study also explored linguistic links, noting that khl in South Arabian inscriptions meant “ruler” or “powerful.” De Lara concluded that Kahl may have functioned as a divine protector associated with strength and warfare, shaped by regional religious and artistic traditions.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.