CSAI

Corpus of South Arabian Inscriptions


INSCRIPTION INFORMATION

LanguageAncient South Arabian » Qatabanic » Central Qatabanic
AlphabetAncient South Arabian
Script typologyMonumental writing
Writing techniqueIncision
Measure of letters3
Chronology
PeriodC
Textual typologyDedicatory text

TEXT


   1  ʾbḥmd ḏt Hbrrm s¹qnyt Rbs² w-ʾhl(n)[ w-S²ms¹ R]—
   2  bs² w-ʾlhy bytn ywm rs²wt s²lṯtm ʿm Lḥyʿ(m)[ w-W]—
   3  (h)bʾl w-Ys²rḥʾl bnw Nbṭʿly bn Hbrrm ṣl(mt)[ ḏ]—
   4  hbn rṯdt ʾbḥmd Rbs² w-ʾhln w-S²ms¹ Rbs² ʾḏ(n)-[s¹ w-]
   5  ʾbʿl by(t)-(s¹)m rṯdt s¹qnyt-s¹ (bn m)s¹nkrm w-ms¹fʾy(m )[bn brṯ-s¹]

Apparatus
In an other side of the stone: ʾlwkl; perhaps the engraver's signature.

TRANSLATIONS

English

   1  ʾbḥmd of the family Hbrrm dedicated to Rbs² and ʾhln and S²ms¹ R-
   2  bs² and the gods of the temple when she was priestess for the third time with Lḥyʿm and W-
   3  hbʾl and Ys²rḥʾl sons of Nbṭʿly from the family Hbrrm a bronze sta-
   4  tue. ʾbḥmd has committed to the protection of Rbs² and ʾhln and S²ms¹ Rbs² her person and
   5  the men of the house (lit: of their family). She committed her dedication against anyone who may damage or move it from its place.

OBJECT INFORMATION

DepositBayḥān, Museum, 409
Support typeArtefact » Base » Of statue with dedicatory inscription
MaterialStone
Measuresh. 20, w. 36.5
Link to object record

ORIGIN AND PROVENANCE

Origin
Modern siteUnknown
Ancient siteUnknown
Geographical areawādī Bayḥān
CountryYemen
Archaeological contextReligious context: Temple
Link to site record

CULTURAL NOTES

The dedicant performs her priestly office for three times together with three other members of her family, probably the brothers of her husband.
It proves that the function of Priest (rs²w) is not linked to the eponym. It is also another example of religious offices carried out within the same family.
The divinities mentioned: Rbs² w-ʾhln w-S²ms¹ Rbs² are worthy of note.
In this text, two things are noteworthy: a woman holds the title of priestess for the third time, and she commits to the protection
of her gods "the men of their family".

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Avanzini et al. 1994: 26-27, pl. 10/1Avanzini, Alessandra, Bāfaqīh, Muḥammad ʿA., Bāṭāyiʿ, Aḥmed and Robin, Christian J. 1994. Materiali per il Corpus Qatabanico. Raydān, 6: 17-36.