Many of you have heard of the band Steely Dan. But have you ever wondered what Ancient Near Eastern scholars think of this rock group?
You probably haven't. Well, I'm still not sure if they think of this band, but I did study the Ancient Near East in college. Therefore, this is what I think of when I hear this band's name:
It's the Tel Dan Stele. This is a stele (steles are tall inscribed stone slabs, much like Hammurabi's Code) that was found in the north of Ancient Israel in the region controlled by the tribe of Dan. It is notable due to its use of the Hebrew term for the House of David, which is the oldest such mention outside the Bible.
Anyway, this "Stele Dan" is what I think of when listening to Rikki Don't Lose That Number. But it is not what Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were thinking of. They apparently named their band after a sex toy.
Top Image: Mr. Mystery/Flickr/CC | Stele Image: בית השלום/Wikipedia/CC
