CSAI
Corpus of South Arabian Inscriptions

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CIH 20


INSCRIPTION INFORMATION

LanguageAncient South Arabian » Sabaic » Central Middle Sabaic
ScriptAncient South Arabian
Script typologyMonumental writing
Text directionRight-to-left
Text appearanceRecessed
Execution techniqueIncision
Measure of letters5.5 (on the basis of the "estampage").
Chronology
PeriodC
Textual typologyConstruction text - fragmentary

GENERAL NOTES

This inscription in all likelihood comes from Shibam al-Ġirās, where a temple of Tʾlb Rymm bʿl Kbdm is attested.
The stone was seen reemployed in Ṣanʿāʾ.

TEXT

marker


   1  [... ...ʿ]mkrb w-bny-hmw ʾbkrb w-ʾlkr(b)
   2  [... ...] ʿs¹ʾw w-nqz mqbr-hm<w> Rbḫm b-mqm
   3  [... ... Tʾlb Rymm bʿl] Kbdm w-b-mqm mrʾ-hmw ʾgrm (Yg)ʿr
   4  [... ...] w-r(ṯ)dw mqbr-hmw ʿṯ(tr)( )S²rqn bn( m)hbʾs¹m

Apparatus
2Rbḫm as tomb name is also found in CIH 286. It is interesting to notice that etymologically the word rbḫ is interpreted as "comfort, revival, survival" (SD: 114).
3ʾgrm Ygʿr is the reading of CIH also accepted by Mordtmann and Mittwoch; less likely, ʾlrm could also be possible (but see the comment below).
4On the basis of MM 24, Mordtmann and Mittwoch (1931: 38-39) suggest to integrate [bny S¹ḫym]m at the beginning of the line. ʾgrm Ygʿr could be then the chief of this family, to which the qayls of S¹mʿy belong.

TRANSLATIONS

English

   1  [... ...] ʿmkrb and their sons ʾbkrb and ʾlkrb
   2  [... ...] made and excavated their tomb Rbḫm, by the power
   3  [... ...] of Tʾlb Rymm, Master of Kbdm, and by the power of their lord ʾgrm Ygʿr
   4  [... ...] and they committed their tomb to ʿṯtr S²rqn against anyone who may damage (it).

OBJECT INFORMATION

Support typeStone piece
MaterialStone
Dimensionsh. 27, w. 56
Link to object record

ORIGIN AND PROVENANCE

Origin. Conjectural
Modern siteShibām al-Ghirās / Shibām Sukhaym
Ancient siteS²bmm
Geographical areaBanī Ḥushaysh
CountryYemen
Archaeological contextFunerary context: Tomb Rbḫm
Link to site record

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Beeston 1937 a: 6Beeston, Alfred F.L. 1937. Sabaean inscriptions. Oxford.
Mordtmann and Mittwoch 1931Mordtmann, Johannes H. and Mittwoch, Eugen 1931. Sabäische Inschriften. Rathjens-v. Wissmannsche Südarabischen-Reise. 1. Hamburg: Friederichsen, De Gruyter.