DASI: Digital Archive for the Study of pre-islamic arabian Inscriptions: Epigraph details

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Beeston and al-Ghūl 1984: 39
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Right side
Beeston and al-Ghūl 1984: 39
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Left side
Beeston and al-Ghūl 1984: 39
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INSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Language	Ancient South Arabian » Sabaic » Central Middle Sabaic
Alphabet	Ancient South Arabian
Script typology	Monumental writing
Writing technique	Incision
Textual typology	Legal text

GENERAL NOTES

According to W. W. Müller (1997), the toponym Yhrq at the l. 9 is, most probably, the ancient name of Shaqab al-Manaṣṣa.

TEXT

Apparatus

2	qnwym: P. Stein (2003) proposes to consider this word an error of the engraver, in place of qnym.
7-9, 12	P. Stein (2003) assumes that, most probably, the mimation is missed in ʾnṯt (l. 7), ʾlm (l. 8), tḥrm (l. 9) and in ʿqb (l. 12). And, because the text shows other orthographic peculiarities, he adds that these traits may be the result of a real language, rather than of superficialities of the writer, and could be regarded as dialectal peculiarities.
12	ḏbḥ: according to W. Müller (1997), is to be read ḏ-bḥ. w-tʾl: P. Stein (2003) supposes that the reading "Tʾlb" could be possible, because elsewhere too the name of the Tribe is missing the last letter, eg. l. 1 and 3 S¹mʾ, instead of S¹mʾy.
13	ʾs³wr: according to W. Müller (1997), it is to be considered the plural form of the root ʾs³r.

TRANSLATIONS

CSAI

English

   1  In accordance with this decree, Tʾlb Rym Yrḫm has ordained to His tribe S¹mʿy when He declared His will in the year of ʾws¹ʾl, of the family Yhs³ḥm: that S¹mʿy should not neglect in the month of ʾbhy to make a pilgrimage to ʾlmqh
   2  in Mrb, and that Tʾlb has forbidden the pilgrims to make trouble (?) in His territory and that Tʾlb has forbidden (the territory of) Rḥbtm to be grazed by livestock on the two days of Trʿt and Ẓbyn as well as the valley from (or: on the authority of) Nws²m, directly
   3  towards Rḥb and ʾṭmt, on the day of Trʿt and Ẓbyn. And Tʾlb has decreed, when the valley was reserved, to slaughter there - and S¹mʿ will slaughter in the valley - according to the decree of Tʾlb, seven hundred small animals in one
   4  day; and that Tʾlb, Lord of Trʿt, will receive the tithes of Ġlẓ, Nḍḥt, Brrn and Mnḫdm ḏ-Mnydʿ, and the tihes of Ḍrʿm, and the tithes of the irrigated field which runs alongside the canalization (or: Mṣyḥm) until the latter reaches the barrage Hgr and its
   5  two overflow channels. And the two qwl of Yhybb and Mḏnḥn and the (temple) officials shall control the property of Tʾlb, and anyone who fraudulently appropriates (something) from the property of Tʿlb, shall be denounced to Tʾlb forthwith; and that Tʾlb has forbidden
   6  capturing the remants of the female ibexes by the mṣr, when they are pregnants with offspring. And Tʾlb has forbidden the inhabitants of ḏ-Mḥrmm, Rymn and Mnttm to lead herds, that can cause damage, since (these territories) are in the sacral state. And S¹mʿy are not allowed
   7  to neglect the hunt of Tʾlb. And that He has forbidden that (those of) ʾlb have sexual intercourse with women on the seventh day of (tho month) ḏ-Ṣrr, while the pilgrims of Tʾlb make a visit at Ṯmt and at ʾtmn and stay in the sanctuary of ʾtmn until he (the qyl) of Mḏnḥn dismisses the pilgrims. And that
   8  Tʾlb will provide with the tithes - from Ḥmdn the sigle banquest in a year and from (each of) Yhybb and of Mḏnḥn two (banquests) in a year; so that the total of the banquests is five in one year, (to be held) in the day of Trʿt. And that ʿṯtr and the gods in Yhrq shall
   9  be notified of anyone who violates the ritual prohibition while in the sacral state. And that Tʾlb has appointed for Yhybb one arbitrator, and for Mḏnḥn and Yrs¹m one, for proclaming the decree of ʾlmqh
  10  and Tʾlb. And that Tʾlb has prohibited Rḥbtm from any fighting among themselves on the day of Trʿt and has prohibited disputes there. And that the tithes of ʾbs¹mʿ and the firstfruits of Ḥrmt, S²db, ʾbln, Mhns²y, S¹mrt,
  11   Ḏmḥṭ, Mdmmn, Qḥrt and ʾtwt shall be brought into ʾtwt and Rymt; and the tithes of Ḍrʿ, Mḥmtn, S¹rn and Mnḫd, and the firstfruits of Gḥfl shall be brought into Ẓbyn and in regarding the cattle,
  12  two men should free them; and furthermore the master of dependents of S¹mʿy and of the places shall enforce the proclamation and the decree of the priests of Trʿt and Ẓbyn for ten years (or: and Tʾlb should aid ...). And subsequent dispute is to be adjusted by him of Ḥdqn
  13  for Rḥbt; and the execution of this edict according to this is guaranteed on the day of Trʿt, autumn and spring. And the valley (agricultural produce) and crops, which are with the tithes in the third decade (of the month) on the basis of the reserve, which Tʾlb separated for His part and one third is granted for the share
  14  of the ʾqwl, of the tribal council and of the pilgrims of the tribe of S¹mʿy. They have validated and put into effect the edict promulgated for them by their Patron Tʾlb,
  15  Lord of Trʿt, on this rock.

1-2	l-k-ḏ ʾl yʿṭnn S¹mʿ b-ḏ-ʾbhy bn hḥḍrn ʾlmq{\|}h ʿdy Mrb: "that S¹mʿay shall not abide [here] during (the month) ʾAbhay because of the visiting of ʾIlumquh in Mārib" (A. Jamme 1985)
2	w-s¹rn ns¹rn Ns²m: "sowie das Tal Nasrān der Naušam" (W. Müller 1997).
3	ywm ḥgr s¹rn: "at the time of this closure of the valley" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984). ywm ḥgr s¹rn l-ġrḍ b-hw w-yġrḍw S¹mʿ b-s¹rn: "wenn Sirrān sich versammelt, dort zu schlachten, und zwar sollen sie dem Sāmiʿ in Sirrān" (N. Nebes 1994 a). s¹rn: W. Müller (1997) considers it as the proper name of the toponim "Sirrān". l-ġrḍ b-hw: "there shall be a slauhtering there" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984).
4-5	w-ʿs²r m[ḥ]mytn ḏ-rtʿ mṣyḥm ((Mṣyḥm)) ʿdy l-yrtʿ s³dn Hgr w-mdyh: "und den Zehnten von M[h]mytn erhalte, das sich an bewirtschafteten Feldern erstreckt, bis es den Damm Hgr un dessen beide Kanäle erreicht" (N. Nebes 1994 a); "und den Zehnten der durch Dammkanäle bewässerten Felder, die sich entlang geebneter Anlagen erstrecken, bis den Damm Hāgir erreichen und seine beiden Auslässe" (W. Müller 1997). mṣyḥm and s³dn: "canalization" and " barrage" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984). mdy-h: "its two overflow cannels", according to A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984, it is the dual form from root mdd, but a possible alternative would be also a singular comparable with madā "full extent".
5	l-ykwnw b-ʿly mbʿl Tʾlb: "shall control Taʾlab's property" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984); "seinen für den Besitz des Taʾlab verantwortlich" (N. Nebes 1995 a). l-ytʿlmn Tʾlb b-rṯyw: "der werde dem Tʾlb auf der Stelle zur Kenntnis gebracht" (W. Müller 1997); "shall be denounced to Taʾlab forthwith" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984 translation).
6	w-ḥẓr Tʾlb ḫlfn ḏ-Mḥrmm w-Rymn w-Mnttm bn hwḍʾn ʾs³rm ḏ-ys¹tʿ-ḏ-bn k-ḥrmw: und Tʾlb hat den Anwohnern von (Wild)reservaten, der Weidegründe (des Wildes) und von Jagdgebieten verboten, eine Herde hinauszuführen, die Schaden anrichten würden, da (jene Plätze) unverletzlich sind" (W. Müller 1997). hwḍʾn ʾs³rm: "to be driven at a (pace)" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984 translation). ʾs³rm: ?strenuous driving of animal (SD).
7	w-ḥẓr ʿlb bn ḫṭl ʾnṯt b-ywm s¹bʿ ḏ-Ṣrr: "and that He has forbidden ʿlb to hold/converse with women on/up to the seventh day from ṣrr" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984). "und es ist (denen von) ʿAlab verboten, dass Frauen (Vieh) auf die Weide führen am sieben Tag des Monats ḏ-Ṣrr" (W. Müller 1997). ʾtmn: according to Beeston (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984), since the root ʾtm is attested in the sense "gather, unite", it could be the name or the designation of the place where all the pilgrims assemble together. w-ns²ʾ ḏ-Mḏnḥn qs¹dn: "and (util) the dismissal of the pilgrims by the (qayl) of Mḏnḥn. ns²ʾ: "cause to depart, dismiss pilgrims" (SD);
8	ʾlm: "banquets" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984). w-bn Hmdn-ʾlmn b-ḫrf w-ḏ-yhybb-w-ḏ-mḏnḥn ṯny-b-ḫrf: "from Hamdan the single banquet in a year, and from (each of) ḏYhybb and ḏMḏnḥn two in a year" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984). w-kwn-mrtʿ ʾlmn ḫms¹t b-ʾḫd-ḫrf ym trʿt: "so that the amount of banquets would be five per year, on the day of Trʿt" (J. Ryckmans 1973); "so that the total is five in a year, (to be held) on the day of Trʿt" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984); "so daß der Unterhalt an Festmählern fünf in einem Jahr beträgt am (Fest)tag von Turʿat" (W. Müller 1997).
8-9	l-ytʿlmn: "shall be notified" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984). w-l-k-ḏ l-ytʿlmn ʿṯtr w-ʾlʾlt b-yhrq ḏ-ydkṯn tḥrm kḥrm: "Und es werde dem ʿṯtr und den Göttern in Yuharīq derjenige zur Kenntnis gebracht, der ein Verbot übertritt, da er im Weihezustand ist" (W. Müller 1997).
9-10	l-ṭbb mṣt: "um zu entscheiden nach der Verfügung" (W. Müller 1997); "for the understanding of the statute" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984).
10	ḥẓr Tʾlb Rḥbtm bn kl-tʾby ym trʿt w-ḥẓn-h nfs¹m: "Taʾalb has prohibited Rḥbtm from any tʾby on the day of Trʿt, and has prohibited disputes there " (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984); "Taʾalb (denen von) Raḥbatum verboten hat, daß sie sich untereinander bekämpfen am (Fest)tag von Turʿat, und er hat ihnen Streit verboten" (W. Müller 1997).
11	w-Mḥmtn: "und der durch Dammkanäle bewässerten Felder" (W. Müller 1997).
11-12	w-ḥg qnyn ḏbḥ-hw ṯny ʾs¹n: "and in the case of a best that two men immolate (jointly)..." (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984); "und entsprechend dem Kleinvieh (d.h. je nachdem, wieviel Kleinvieh vorhanden war) haben zwei Männer ihm (sic. dem Taʾlab) (immer) geschlachtet" (N. Nebes 1995 a); "und entsprechend das (Klein)vieh, das zwei Männer (rechtmäßig) freigegeben haben" (W. Müller 1997).
12	w-tʾl l-yhrdʾ mrʾ ʾrbbw S¹mʿy w-mʾtn dʿt w-mḥr ʾrs²wt Trʿt w-Ẓbyn ʿs²rt ḫrfn: "the seigneur of dependents of Samʿay and ?the Hundred? shall enforce the proclamation and decree of the priests of Trʿt and Ẓbyn for ten years" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984); "Und (was) sonst noch (anfällt), so unterstütze der (jeweilige) Herr der Schützlinge von Sumʿay und der Speicherplätze die Ankündigung un den Erlaß der Priester von Turʿat und Ẓabyān in (einem Zeitraum von) zehn Jahren.
12-13	w-ʿqb w-s¹ḫmm l-yrtʿ ḏ-ʾḫdqḥn l-Rḥbt: "and subsequent dispute is to be adjusted by someone having one of ?two qḥ? for Rḥbt" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984); "Vergehen und Ersatzansprüche soll der (Obmann) der Einwohner von Ḥadaqān nach Raḥbat vermelden" (N. Nebes 1995 a); "Und was Ersatz(ansprüche) und Vergehen betrifft, so setze der (Stammesführer) derer von Ḥadaqān Recht für Raḥbat" (W. Müller 1997).
13	w-hṯq b-hw-fyn b-ḥg ḏnmḥrn ym trʿt-b-ḫrf w-dṯʾ: "and (who) garantees due fulfilment of this edict on the day of Trʿt, autumn and spring" (A.Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984); "und es wird garantiert die Durchführung entsprechend diesem Erlaß am (Fest)tag von Turʿat im Herbst und Frühjahr" (W. Müller 1997).
13-14	w-ʾs¹rr w-ʾṯmr b-ʿs²r ḏ-ʾgby ʿln-ḥgr Tʾlb ʾs³wr-hw w-mrḍ ṯlṯ l-qs³m: "and the agricultural produce and crops (gathered) on the 30th day of a month are on the basisi of Taʾlab disposing of his own ʾs³wr but conceding a one-third part for the share of the qayls" (A. Beeston and M. al-Ghūl 1984); "Und die Täler und (Feld)früchte, die mit dem Zehnten in der dritten (Monats)dekade (fällig sind, sind) auf der Grundlage (geregelt), daß Taʾlab die ihm vorbehaltenen (Teile) absondert und ein Drittel gewährt zum Anteil der Stammesführer" (W. Müller 1997).

Beeston and al-Ghūl 1984: 33-39	Beeston, Alfred F.L. and al-Ghūl, Maḥmūd ʿA. 1984. The pilgrimage at Itwat. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 14: 33-41.
Jamme 1985: 176-181	Jamme, Albert W.F. 1985. Miscellanées d'ancient arabe XIV. Washington. 2019/07/23; https://cuislandora.wrlc.org/islandora/object/cuislandora%3A203545#page/1/mode/1up. [Privately printed]
Nebes 1995 a: 223, 227, 231	Nebes, Norbert 1995. Die Konstruktionen mit /fa-/ im Altsüdarabischen. Syntaktische und epigraphische Untersuchungen. (Veröffentlichungen der Orientalischen Kommission, 40). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
Nebes 1994 a: 194, 198-199	Nebes, Norbert 1994. Arabia Felix. Beiträge zur Sprache und Kultur des vorislamischen Arabien. Festschrift Walter W. Müller zum 60. Geburtstag. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
Nebes 1995 a: 223, 227, 231	Nebes, Norbert 1995. Die Konstruktionen mit /fa-/ im Altsüdarabischen. Syntaktische und epigraphische Untersuchungen. (Veröffentlichungen der Orientalischen Kommission, 40). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
Müller, Walter W. 1997: 89-110	Müller, Walter W. 1997. Das Statut des Gottes Taʾlab von Riyām für seinen Stamm Sumʿay. Pages 89-110 in Roswitha G. Stiegner (ed.). Aktualisierte Beiträge zum 1. Internationalen Symposion Südarabien, interdisziplinär an der Universität Graz mit kurzen Einführungen zu Sprach- und Kulturgeschichte. In memoriam Maria Höfner. Graz: Leykam.

OBJECT INFORMATION

Support type	Rock inscription
Link to object record

ORIGIN AND PROVENANCE

Origin and provenance

Modern site	Jabal Riyām
Ancient site	Trʿt
Geographical area	Arḥab
Country	Yemen
Found	In situ
Link to site record

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Beeston 1937 b: pp 62-74	Beeston, Alfred F.L. 1937. Two South Arabian inscriptions. Some suggestions. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society: 59-68.
Müller, Walter W. 1997: 89-110	Müller, Walter W. 1997. Das Statut des Gottes Taʾlab von Riyām für seinen Stamm Sumʿay. Pages 89-110 in Roswitha G. Stiegner (ed.). Aktualisierte Beiträge zum 1. Internationalen Symposion Südarabien, interdisziplinär an der Universität Graz mit kurzen Einführungen zu Sprach- und Kulturgeschichte. In memoriam Maria Höfner. Graz: Leykam.
Stein 2003 a: 95	Stein, Peter 2003. Untersuchungen zur Phonologie und Morphologie des Sabäischen. (Epigraphische Forschungen auf der Arabischen Halbinsel, 3). Rahden: Marie Leidorf GmbH / Westf.: Marie Leidorf GmbH.