Language | Ancient South Arabian » Qatabanic » Central Qatabanic | ||
Alphabet | Ancient South Arabian | ||
Script typology | Monumental writing | ||
Writing technique | Incision | ||
Chronology |
| ||
Textual typology | Legal text | ||
Royal inscription | Yes |
The original text is today almost completely lost. We edited the text offered by Rhodokanakis (RES). | |
4 | Rhodokanakis reads [... ... ʾ]ḫm ʾḫ-s¹; the sign ḫ is, however, not readable; an alternative restoration could be [... ... ʾns¹]m ʾḫ-s¹. |
6 | The integration ʿ]kr is probable. |
12-13 | Jamme 1972: 73-74 mentioned the existence of two fragments TS 104 and 105. The lines could be read: w-ḏm b-yhrg fl [.]m bn mts¹km b-ʾrḍm b-s¹ b-yhrg nḥql bn ʾrbʿ ywmytm n-l yntwḥ ʿd [m]ḥrm ʾlhn ḏtw mʿbrn. See Mazzini 2020: 79-80. |
English | |
1 [... ...] and decreed Ydʿʾb Ḏbyn son of S²hr king of Qataban and Qataban the Council 2 and the Fqḍtn and the Btln and Rdmn and ʾlmlk and Yḥr and Bklmy and ... 3 [... ...] and Bklnhn and all the tribes, over which Ydʿʾb rules, as the king by full assembly and united community, 4 [if anybody kills (?)] somebody else from Qataban and these tribes, then let that one who kills be interdicted 5 [... ...] as the king orders and decrees and puts into effect and proclaims from Timnaʿ and 6 [whenever there is an appeal] against (?) the public declaration (of the death sentence) and compensation without the public declaration (of the death sentence), which the king decrees and puts into effect and proclaims 7 [... ...] let that individual who is the transgressor be condemned to death as (the king) rules indeed his life is at the mercy (of anyone) 8 [... ...] death penalty or compensation as to the life of the transgressor; witnesses 9 [... ...] its month of Ms¹ʿlt the year of Ġwṯʾl he of Ġ- 10 [... ... on the gate of (?)] the city of Timnaʿ and Wʿln and S³yrm and 11 [... ...] (as the king) orders and commands from the city of the tribes of ʿm; and the one who kills 12 [without being apprehended (?)] in the territory in which he kills unless (within a period) of four days, then let there be mourning until (?) 13 [... ...] compensation until the king proclaims it as he (the king) puts into effect and prescribes; and the signature (was made by) the 14 hand of Ydʿʾb and the signature (was made by) the hands of (then list of witnesses' names). |
Mazzini 2020: 33-35 | Mazzini, Giovanni 2020. The Ancient South Arabian royal edicts from the Southern Gate of Timnaʿ and the Ǧabal Labaḫ. (Epigraphische Forschungen auf der Arabischen Halbinsel, 8). |
Deposit | Aden, The National Museum, NAM 2381+NAM 2433=AM 60.1311A |
Deposit | Wien, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Sem 701 |
Support type | Inscription on architectural structure » Gate |
Material | Stone |
Link to object record |
Modern site | Hajar Kuḥlān |
Ancient site | Tmnʿ |
Geographical area | Wādī Bayḥān |
Country | Yemen |
Found | In situ |
Archaeological context | Urban context: City gate ḏ-S³dw |
Link to site record |
Pirenne 1956: pl. XXXIV/b | Pirenne, Jacqueline 1956. Paléographie des inscriptions sud-arabes. Contribution à la chronologie et à l'histoire de l'Arabie du sud antique. (Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België. Klasse der letteren, 26). Brussels: Paleis der Academiën. |
Jamme 1972: 73-74 | Jamme, Albert W.F. 1972. Miscellanées d'ancient arabe III. Washington. 2019/07/23; https://cuislandora.wrlc.org/islandora/object/cuislandora%3A206336#page/1/mode/1up. [Privately printed] |
Mazzini 2020: 33-86; fig. 27-32, 34 | Mazzini, Giovanni 2020. The Ancient South Arabian royal edicts from the Southern Gate of Timnaʿ and the Ǧabal Labaḫ. (Epigraphische Forschungen auf der Arabischen Halbinsel, 8). |