CC BY 4.0
The above license applies to the data in this record, but not to any images displayed. The images are the property
of third parties and are either used with permission or reproduced from publications (see the credits below each image).
Müller 1
Müller, Walter W. 1974 e: pl. X, fig. 35
INSCRIPTION INFORMATION
| Language | Ancient South Arabian » Sabaic » Central Middle Sabaic | ||
| Script | Ancient South Arabian | ||
| Script typology | Monumental writing | ||
| Text direction | Right-to-left | ||
| Text appearance | Recessed | ||
| Execution technique | Incision | ||
| Measure of letters | 3.2 | ||
| Chronology |
| ||
| Textual typology | Dedicatory text |
TEXT
1 Ms²nm w-Rbbm bny Rs¹mm ʾdm bn ʿṯkln hqnyw
2 ʾlmqh bʿl ʾwm ḫms¹t ʾṣlmn w-ṣlmtn ḏ-s²ft-hw
3 k-yḥmdnn mqm-hw b-kn yqnynn ʾwldm ʾḏkrm hn—
4 ʾn w-ḥmdw mqm ʾlmqh b-ḏt hwfy-hmw w-qnyw ḫms¹t
5 ġlmm w-mrʾtm bn ʾnṯt-hmw S²fns¹r l-wfy-h
6 w-wfy bny-hmw ʾls²rḥ w-Hwfʿṯt w-Whbʿṯt
7 w-Wdʾb w-Rs¹mm w-Mgdʿly b-ʿṯ{r}tr w-ʾlmqh
TRANSLATIONS
| English | |
1 Ms²nm and Rbbm, of the family Rs¹mm, vassals of ʿṯkln, dedicated 2 to ʾlmqh, Lord of ʾwm, five male statues and a female statue, that they promised Him 3 in order that they should praise His power when they would obtain male and healthy children, 4 and they praised the power of ʾlmqh because He gratified them (with this favour) and (because) they obtained five 5 male sons and a daughter from their wife S²fns¹r, (and) for her safety 6 and the safety of their sons ʾls²rḥ, Hwfʿṯt, Whbʿṯt, 7 Wdʾb, Rs¹mm and Mgdʿly. By ʿṯtr and ʾlmqh. |
| 2-4 | Nebes translation's "die fünf Statuetten und die weibeliche Statuette gewidmet, wie sie him verspochen hatten, daß sie (mit denselben) seiner Macht Dank abstatten würden (dann), wenn sie gesunde männliche Nach kommen bekämen". |
| Nebes 1994: 198 | Nebes, Norbert 1994. Verwendung und Funktion der Präfixkonjugation im Sabäischen. Pages 191-211 in Norbert Nebes. Arabia Felix. Beiträge zur Sprache und Kultur des vorislamischen Arabien. Festschrift Walter W. Müller zum 60. Geburtstag. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. |
OBJECT INFORMATION
| Support type | Artefact » Base » Of statue with dedicatory inscription |
| Material | Stone |
| Dimensions | h. 26, w. 50 |
| Link to object record |
ORIGIN AND PROVENANCE
| Modern site | Maḥram Bilqīs |
| Ancient site | ʾwm |
| Geographical area | Maʾrib |
| Country | Yemen |
| Archaeological context | Religious context: Temple of ʾlmqh bʿl ʾwm |
| Link to site record |
CULTURAL NOTES
This inscription is one of the most interesting examples of polyandry in South Arabia. The sons seem to have two fathers and one mother.
On the problem, see Avanzini 1991.
On the problem, see Avanzini 1991.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
| Müller, Walter W. 1974 e: 125-127, pl. X, fig. 35 | Müller, Walter W. 1974. Sabäische Texte zur Polyandrie. Neue Ephemeris für Semitische Epigraphik, 2: 125-138. |
| Avanzini 1991 | Avanzini, Alessandra 1991-1993 [1992]. Remarques sur le "matriarcat" en Arabie du sud. Pages 157-161 in Christian J. Robin (ed.). L'Arabie antique de Karibʾîl à Mahomet. Nouvelles données sur l'histoire des Arabes grâces aux inscriptions. (Revue du Monde Musulman et de la Mediterranée, 61). Aix-en-Provence: Édisud. |
| Nebes 1994: 198 | Nebes, Norbert 1994. Verwendung und Funktion der Präfixkonjugation im Sabäischen. Pages 191-211 in Norbert Nebes. Arabia Felix. Beiträge zur Sprache und Kultur des vorislamischen Arabien. Festschrift Walter W. Müller zum 60. Geburtstag. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. |
| Nebes 1995 a: 49 | Nebes, Norbert 1995. Die Konstruktionen mit /fa-/ im Altsüdarabischen. Syntaktische und epigraphische Untersuchungen. (Veröffentlichungen der Orientalischen Kommission, 40). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. |