DASI

digital archive for the study of pre-islamic arabian inscriptions

Editor: Jérémie Schiettecatte


SITE INFORMATION

Ancient nameUnknown
CountryYemen
Geographical areaal-Bayḍāʾ
Governorateal-Bayḍāʾ
KingdomḤimyar
CoordinatesLatitude: 14° 6' 30"    Longitude: 45° 25' 10"    
Coordinates accuracyapproximate
Type of siteModern site with reemployed inscriptions or artefacts
TribeRdmn w-Ḫwln
Deitiesʿṯtr bʿl k wr Ks¹dm
ʿm ḏ-Rymtm bʿl ẓr Nwʾn
ʿṯtr S²rqn
StructuresDwelling (indeterminate)
Dwelling isolated
Light hydraulic structure (ex. canal, well)
Terrace cultivation
Rock inscriptions
LanguageSabaic
Location and toponomyNear the modern village of ad-Dimn, in the governorate of al-Bayḍâʾ, a few kilometers west of the airport of al-Bayḍâʾ, close to the border of the former PDRY / YAR.
Inscriptions were found on rocks bordering cultivated fields. In 1980, quarrying activities led to the progressive destruction of these rocks.
The rock inscription found there mentions the proximity of an ancient city called Mrbm. It can be associated with the modern village dhî-Marib which is located nearby.
History of research1980: the site was discovered by M. Georges Kozminski, a French geologist who signalled its existence to the French mission in the Yemen Arab Republic.
Visit by MAFRAY on 17th October 1980: copy of an inscription.
General descriptionA South-Arabian inscription has been located near a modern village.
The single long inscription MAFRAY-ad-Dimn 1 mentions the presence of a well, of cultivated fields and the building of a house in the area.
ChronologyThe text mentioning agricultural activities in this area is dated to the 2nd century AD (Robin & Bafaqih 1981).

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Robin and Bāfaqīh 1981: 67-73, pl. IRobin, Christian J. and Bāfaqīh, Muḥammad ʿA. 1981. Deux nouvelles inscriptions de Radmān datant du IIe siècle de l'ère chrétienne. Raydān, 4: 67- 87.