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Corpus of South Arabian Inscriptions

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GOAM 317


Arbach and Audouin 2007: 30, cat. 17

INSCRIPTION INFORMATION

LanguageAncient South Arabian » Minaic » Central Minaic
ScriptAncient South Arabian
Script typologyMonumental writing
Text directionRight-to-left
Text appearanceRecessed
Execution techniqueIncision
Measure of letters4
Chronology
PeriodB. Conjectural
Textual typologyDedicatory text

GENERAL NOTES

The graphic style of this inscription reminds that of YM 16620+16621, dedicated in the same temple. It is difficult to establish the exact chronology of these two texts: the graphic style does not seem to be typical of the Madhabaean period, but rather of period B; however, the god ʿṯtr ḏ-Rṣfm (or ḏ-Rṣfm) is not attested so far in Nashshānite texts of the Minaean period. We exclude a post-Minaean dating of this text, because of the reasons expressed in the remarks to the inscription as-Sawdāʾ 16. Therefore, these two text might date back to the beginning of period B, before the abandonment of the cultic activities in the temple of ʿṯtr ḏ-Rṣfm (Breton's phase C).

TEXT

marker


   1  Ṯwbʾl ḏ-Ẓrb s³lʾ (ḏ)-Rṣfm mṣrbn
   2  [w]-wld-s¹ S²ln w-ʾs²hrm w-ʿzʾl w-ʾws³→
   3  [b-]krb s¹brr ḏ-Rṣfm [... ...]—
   4  (y) w-b-ʾḏn ʿṯtr Ṯwb(ʾ)l w-
   5  wld-s¹ w-qny-s¹

Apparatus
This is Arbcah and Audouin's reading (ll.1-2 on the first face, ll. 3-5 on the second face of the altar). However, another edition of the text is possible, which envisages three lines: (the first two lines beginning on the first face and continuing on the second face):
1Ṯwbʾl ḏ-Ẓrb s³lʾ (ḏ)-Rṣfm mṣrbn [b]-krb s¹brr ḏ-Rṣfm [... ...]
2wld-s¹ S²ln w-ʾs²hrm w-ʿzʾl w-ʾws³[.]y w-b-ʾḏn ʿṯtr Ṯwbʾl w-
3wld-s¹ w-qny-s¹

TRANSLATIONS

English

   1  Ṯwbʾl ḏ-Ẓrb dedicated to ḏ-Rṣfm this altar,
   2  his children S²ln and ʾs²hrm and ʿzʾl and ʾws³,
   3  as obligaton from which ḏ-Rṣfm released him [... ...]
   4  and by the authority of ʿṯtr, Ṯwbʾl and
   5  his children and his possessions.
Translation of the alternative reading:
1Ṯwbʾl ḏ-Ẓrb dedicated to ḏ-Rṣfm this altar, as obligation from which ḏ-Rṣfm released him [... ...]
2his sons S²ln and ʾs²hrm and ʿzʾl and ʾws³[.]y and by the authority of ʿṯtr; Ṯwbʾl and
3his sons and his properties.

OBJECT INFORMATION

DepositṢanʿāʾ, The National Museum, GOAM 317
Support typeArtefact » Altar (mṣrb)
ShapeSquared
Dimensionsh. 14, w. 48, th. 38
Link to object record

ORIGIN AND PROVENANCE

Origin
Modern siteas-Sawdāʾ
Ancient siteNs²n
Geographical areaJawf - Wādī al-Buhayra
CountryYemen
Archaeological contextReligious context: Temple of ʿṯtr ḏ-Rṣf
Link to site record

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arbach and Audouin 2007: 30, cat. 17Arbach, Mounir and Audouin, Rémy 2007. Collection of Epigraphic and Archaeological Artifacts from al-Jawf Sites. Ṣanʿâʾ National Museum. 2. Ṣanʿāʾ: UNESCO-SFD / Ṣanʿāʾ: National Museum. [Text in English and Arabic]
Avanzini 2011: 48, photoAvanzini, Alessandra 2011. Les inscriptions. (Chapitre 4). Pages 43-55 in Jean-François Breton (ed.). Le sanctuaire de ʿAthtar dhû-Riṣâf d'as-Sawdâʾ. (Arabia Antica, 7). Rome: «L'Erma» di Bretschneider.
Breton 1992 bBreton, Jean-François 1992. Le sanctuaire de ʿAthtar dhû-Riṣâf (République du Yémen). Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres: 429-453.