Editor: Jérémie Schiettecatte
Ancient name | Unknown |
Country | Yemen |
Geographical area | al-Bayḍāʾ |
Governorate | al-Bayḍāʾ |
Kingdom | Ḥimyar |
Coordinates | Latitude: 14° 6' 30" Longitude: 45° 25' 10" |
Coordinates accuracy | approximate |
Type of site | Modern site with reemployed inscriptions or artefacts |
Tribe | Rdmn w-Ḫwln |
Deities | ʿṯtr bʿl k wr Ks¹dm ʿm ḏ-Rymtm bʿl ẓr Nwʾn ʿṯtr S²rqn |
Structures | Dwelling (indeterminate) Dwelling isolated Light hydraulic structure (ex. canal, well) Terrace cultivation Rock inscriptions |
Language | Sabaic |
Location and toponomy | Near 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 research | 1980: 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 description | A 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. |
Chronology | The text mentioning agricultural activities in this area is dated to the 2nd century AD (Robin & Bafaqih 1981). |
Robin and Bāfaqīh 1981: 67-73, pl. I | Robin, Christian J. and Bāfaqīh, Muḥammad ʿA. 1981. Deux nouvelles inscriptions de Radmān datant du IIe siècle de l'ère chrétienne. Raydān, 4: 67- 87. |