DASI

digital archive for the study of pre-islamic arabian inscriptions

Editor: Jérémie Schiettecatte


SITE INFORMATION

Ancient nameTlfm ḏt-Ḥwkm
CountryYemen
Geographical areaWādī Shirjān
Governorateal-Bayḍāʾ
KingdomḤimyar
CoordinatesLatitude: 13° 58' 30.432"    Longitude: 45° 47' 58.056"    
Coordinates accuracycertain
Type of siteHydraulic structure
TribeTribe: Mḍḥym
Lineage: Ṯʿlbm w-Ṣwbn
Lineage: Klʿn w-Ṯʿlbm
Deitiesʿm ḏ-Ẓwrm
StructuresLarge hydraulic structure (ex. dam)
Terrace cultivation
Rock inscriptions
LanguageSabaic
Location and toponomyAl-Ḥât is located 24 km E of al-Bayḍâʾ and 12 km NW of Lawdar, in the wâdî am-Thaffa, a tributary of the wâdî Shirjân. The ancient dam is located in a narrow valley extensively cultivated in terraces near the village of al-Ḥât.
History of research2004: visit by the Mission Qatabân (French archaeological mission in the ancient kingdom of Qatabân, dir. Ch. Robin).
General descriptionA small dam crosses a narrow valley. The structure is accompanied by a foundation inscription (MQ-am-Ḥât 1) which designates it as a mʾḏnt (retention dam). The structure is called Tlfm. It was built by members of banû Ṯʿlbm and Ṣwbn on behalf of their master, the prince Frʿn of the family of Ḏrnḥ and Hṣbḥ, leader of the tribe of Maḍḥâ.
ChronologyThe inscription MQ-am-Ḥât 1 dates the dam to the year 301 of the Maḍḥâ era, i.e. 268 AD (+-11 years).

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RELATED MATERIAL

Epigraphs in CSAI
Objects in CSAI

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Robin and Dridi 2004: 89Robin, Christian J. and Dridi, Hédi 2004. Deux barrages du Yémen antique. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres: 67-121.