This dissertation is the first systematic investigation of the materiality of Safaitic inscriptions, which were carved by ancient nomads in the Ḥarrah, a basaltic desert stretching from southern... Show moreThis dissertation is the first systematic investigation of the materiality of Safaitic inscriptions, which were carved by ancient nomads in the Ḥarrah, a basaltic desert stretching from southern Syria, through north-eastern Jordan, into northern Saudi Arabia. The thesis focuses on graphic variation and palaeographic development in the Safaitic inscriptions, seeking to analyse different levels and patterns of variation in the Safaitic script(s). By using the long genealogies of several texts by members of the lineage of Ḍf as chronological framework, it describes and measures the palaeographic development from the ‘common’ to the ‘fine’ script across generations. In addition, the information from the Ḍf lineage-tree and the attested generations is combined with the dated texts by members of the same lineage in order to provide a working chronological framework for Safaitic writing among the Ḍf. The thesis also deals with other aspects of the materiality of Safaitic texts which have never been treated systematically, such as carving techniques, text layout, writing styles, and disruptive practices towards the texts, that is, their effacement and modification. Show less
The Dadanitic inscriptions were carved in stone between 600 and 100 BCE in the north-west of the Arabian Peninsula. Most of the inscriptions are found in and around the ancient oasis of Dadān,... Show moreThe Dadanitic inscriptions were carved in stone between 600 and 100 BCE in the north-west of the Arabian Peninsula. Most of the inscriptions are found in and around the ancient oasis of Dadān, modern-day Al-ʿUlā. The inscriptions display a remarkable amount of variation in both their language and level of execution. This work consists of two parts, part one contains a description and grammatical analysis of the corpus. This part will help contextualize the variation discussed in part two, by giving an overview of common and less common forms of the grammar, but also of the formulaic parts of and writing styles found in the inscriptions. Part two deals exclusively with the variation attested in the corpus, building on the description in part one. It offers a quantitative analysis of the variation in the corpus in an attempt to move beyond impressionistic accounts of its distribution and possible causes. Show less
This paper examines three Safaitic graffiti recently discovered during a survey of the Wādī Salmā area in the ḥarrah desert, north-eastern Jordan. While one of these texts consists exclusively of... Show moreThis paper examines three Safaitic graffiti recently discovered during a survey of the Wādī Salmā area in the ḥarrah desert, north-eastern Jordan. While one of these texts consists exclusively of onomastica, the other two contain new references to the Ḥwlt tribe, one of which is in a prayer asking Dushara to avenge the Nabataeans against them. This provides further evidence of a conflict that took place between the Nabataeans and the Ḥwlt, a mysterious event that has recently been brought to attention by Sabri Abbadi. The decipherment of the texts is followed by an updated list of the documents referring to this war and by some remarks on its historical context. The question that is asked is whether it could have occurred during the Nabataean takeover of northern Arabia during the first century bc. Show less
This paper edits twenty-one previously unpublished Ancient North Arabian (Safaitic) inscriptions discovered in 2015 in Jordan, one of which mentions the Nabataean Damaṣī.
This paper contains updates to the grammar sections of An Outline of the Grammar of the Safaitic Inscriptions (Brill SSLL, 2015) based on newly published and unpublished inscriptions, and a... Show moreThis paper contains updates to the grammar sections of An Outline of the Grammar of the Safaitic Inscriptions (Brill SSLL, 2015) based on newly published and unpublished inscriptions, and a supplement to the dictionary with nearly 200 new entries. Show less
This paper aims to study a new Safaitic inscription documented from the eastern Jordanian Badiyah. The inscription is written in the square-script by a member of the lineage of ʿmrt and includes a... Show moreThis paper aims to study a new Safaitic inscription documented from the eastern Jordanian Badiyah. The inscription is written in the square-script by a member of the lineage of ʿmrt and includes a rare expression of "longing". Show less
This article is an edition of an inscription in a variety of Thamudic that contains several glyph shapes that have not been found together in the same inscription, and are typical of inscriptions... Show moreThis article is an edition of an inscription in a variety of Thamudic that contains several glyph shapes that have not been found together in the same inscription, and are typical of inscriptions from central and southern Arabia. Interesting glyph shapes include the glyph shapes for ', w, and g. A personal name formed on a morphological H-Causative verb, familiar from the South Arabian, as well as Dadanitic inscriptions, is attested in this inscription. The formula found in the inscription is paralleled most closely by those typical of Thamudic C inscriptions. Finally, the article discusses the implications of the combination of these features, typically associated with different scripts and geographic distribution, for the field of ANA epigraphy. Show less
This work comprises a linguistic survey of the Ancient North Arabian (ANA) epigraphic material from Taymāʾ, conventionally known as Taymanitic (Macdonald 2000: 28-9). A grammatical sketch, based on... Show moreThis work comprises a linguistic survey of the Ancient North Arabian (ANA) epigraphic material from Taymāʾ, conventionally known as Taymanitic (Macdonald 2000: 28-9). A grammatical sketch, based on the linguistic features in the Taymanitic corpus is presented, followed by a discussion of the linguistic features of Taymanitic that are relevant to its linguistic classification. Two appendices follow: a compilation of all previously published inscriptions with grammatical content, and a glossary Show less
This contribution is devoted to four Dadanitic graffiti from the Region of Taymā ʾ – North-West Arabia and will provide a new philological treatment of them. They were published by M. Kh. Eskoubi... Show moreThis contribution is devoted to four Dadanitic graffiti from the Region of Taymā ʾ – North-West Arabia and will provide a new philological treatment of them. They were published by M. Kh. Eskoubi in his work entitled Dirāsa Taḥlīlīya Muqārina li-Nuqūš min Minṭaqat (Ramm) Ğanūb Ġarb Taymāʾ , which appeared in al-Riyāḍ in 1999. It is worth mentioning here that the Taymāʾ region witnessed a diversity of written epigraphical types that can be called Ancient North Arabian. Show less
