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MQ-HK 7 CSAI I, 37
Arbach et al. 2001: 96, fig.41
INSCRIPTION INFORMATION
| Language | Ancient South Arabian » Qatabanic » Central Qatabanic | ||
| Script | Ancient South Arabian | ||
| Script typology | Monumental writing | ||
| Text direction | Right-to-left | ||
| Text appearance | Recessed | ||
| Execution technique | Incision | ||
| Measure of letters | 5.5 | ||
| Chronology |
| ||
| Textual typology | Construction text |
TEXT
1 ʾls²rḥ bn Ḍbʾm w-Zydʾl bn Hwkn bnw Hẓbr
2 ḏw ʾmnt mbʿl ʿm ḏ-Rymtm w-ʾs¹lmn bnyw w-gn(ʾ)
3 hgrn ḏ-S¹lmm bn mbʿl ʿm w-ʾḫyl s²ʿb-s¹m ʾs¹lmn rṯ—
4 dw ʿm hgrn ḏ-S¹lmm b-ʿm w-b ʾnby w-b ḏt Ṣntm w-ḏ—
5 t Ẓhrn w-b mrʾ-s¹m Ydʿʾb Ḏbyn w-bn-hw S²hrm mlkw Qtb(n)
| 1 | the name of the clan Hẓbr is attested only here in Qatabanic. |
TRANSLATIONS
| English | |
1 ʾls²rḥ, son of Ḍbʾn, and Zydʾl, son of Hwkn, both of the family Hẓbr, 2 those of the protection of the property of ʿm ḏ-Rymtm and of ʾs¹lmn, built and walled 3 the town ḏ-S¹lmm from the property of ʿm and the resources of their tribe ʾs¹lmn; they have com- 4 mitted to the protection of ʿm the town ḏ-S¹lmm; by ʿm and by ʾnby and by ḏt Ṣntm and ḏ- 5 t Ẓhrn and by their lord Ydʿʾb Ḏbyn and his son S²hrm, kings of Qatabān. |
OBJECT INFORMATION
| Support type | Architectural structure » Walls |
| Material | Stone |
| Dimensions | h. 37, w. 71 |
| Link to object record |
ORIGIN AND PROVENANCE
| Modern site | Hajar Kuḥlān |
| Ancient site | Tmnʿ |
| Geographical area | Wādī Bayḥān |
| Country | Yemen |
| Found | Reemployed. In modern times |
| Archaeological context | Urban context: City walls |
| Link to site record |
CULTURAL NOTES
This text is very interesting from a historical point of view. The two dedicants are "those in charge of the property of (the god) ʿm ḏ-Rymtm". They are, then, prominent figures, with an important religious function. But they also have a political role, as they celebrate the construction of the walls of a (newly founded?) city bearing the name of "that of peace". These construction works are paid for with temple funds and tributes exacted from a tribe, which has the same name as the city. One wonders if this texts commemorates the restoration or partial reconstruction of a pre-existing city, or whether, on the other hand, the tribe took its name from a newly founded city, both city and colonizing group emerging simultaneously.
It is noteworthy that the king mentioned at the end of the text is Ydʿʾb Ḏbyn, who made war in Ḥaḍramawt (see CSAI I, 115=Arbach-Sayūn 1).
We may hypothesize that the construction of the city "of peace" by the priests of god ʿm should be related to the thanksgiving for the divine protection granted to the king.
It is noteworthy that the king mentioned at the end of the text is Ydʿʾb Ḏbyn, who made war in Ḥaḍramawt (see CSAI I, 115=Arbach-Sayūn 1).
We may hypothesize that the construction of the city "of peace" by the priests of god ʿm should be related to the thanksgiving for the divine protection granted to the king.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
| Arbach et al. 2001: 66-67, fig. 41 | Arbach, Mounir, Avanzini, Alessandra, Bāṭāyiʿ, Aḥmed and Robin, Christian J. 2001. Matériaux pour le corpus des inscriptions qatabānites (II). Raydān, 7: 43-101. |