- Museum number
- 125051
- Description
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Red limestone slab engraved with 6 line South Arabian inscription in Qatabanian; only right hand edge of text remains.
- Dimensions
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Height: 4.50 centimetres (letter height)
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Height: 29 centimetres
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Width: 23 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
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Description as "Himyaritic" is an archaism for "South Arabian" rather than being a description of the language.
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A photograph of this inscription (and eight other ancient South Arabian inscriptions) was sent to The British Museum by Captain R. Lambert Playfair when it was described as "No. 28. Red Sandstone Slab from the neighbourhood of TA'EZ in YEMEN in the possession of Captain R. L. Playfair" (Central Archives; copy in ANE Archives 173.6).
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(Central Archives, Original Letters & Papers, vol. 73, April-July 1862, no. 144): Letter to A. Panizzi, from Capt. R.L. Playfair, Aden Political Residency, dated 31 March 1862, reads thus: "I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th ultimo. I fear that you have formed an exaggerated estimate of my collection of Himyaritic inscriptions - the originals in my possession are few in number and hardly worthy of presentation to the British Museum, but I think that the collection of rubbings and photographs of the Bronzes and inscribed slabs which I have made is unique - unfortunately I am under promise to the owner of some of the most remarkable bronzes, not to give away copies without his authority, but this is the less to be regretted as I am informed that he will himself publish them soon, and make over his invaluable collection to some Public institution in England. I have sent in a separate packet by this mail, rubbings of some very fine slabs lately brought from Mareb [i.e. Marib] by one Michael Joseph, a Colporteur in the employment of the Bible Society, who is, as far as I am aware, the only Christian, with the single exception of M. Arnaud, who has ever visited that interesting locality. These inscriptions are still in Aden, and are intended for the Reverend Dr Wilson of Bombay. I also enclose photographs of these inscriptions, and of one or two others of my collection, together with my rendering of them into the Arabic character. If any orientalist should succeed in translating them I should esteem it a great obligation if I could be favored with the result. The country round Mareb teems with inscriptions, but it would be a hopeless task for a European to attempt to penetrate that inhospitable region. Michael Joseph, though a native of Baghdad, speaking Arabic as his mother tongue, had the greatest difficulty in doing so, and greater difficulty in bringing away these slabs; - I think however that by holding out inducements to some of the inhabitants of Aden, natives of Sanaa, many interesting antiquities could be obtained. If the trustees of the British Museum are anxious to obtain a collection of Himyaritic inscriptions, and authorize me to send agents in search of them, I shall be happy to use all my influence to insure success. I would propose that certain natives of the localities where they exist should be tempted by what would be to them high pecuniary rewards, to bring them to Aden, and that they should be paid one or two pounds for each fairly perfect slab. Thus a valuable collection might be made, at very little expense, and even if my anticipations should not be realized, no harm would be done, as I should make their several contingent on success. Such slabs as I possess are very much at the service of the British Museum and I shall send them by some favourable opportunity. I lately found an old Hebrew tomb-stone here, curious in as much as it proves what indeed was never doubted that colonies of Jews were established here upwards of two thousand years ago - this also I can send if you should consider it of sufficient interest. I enclose a photograph - the size is 17 1/2 inches by 15 inches, and the translation is as follows ... I hope at a future period to be able to send some more photographs of inscriptions".
- Bibliographic references
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Jamme 1971a / Miscellanees d'ancient arabe II (p.39, 41, 55-56)
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Kitchen 2000a / Documentation for Ancient Arabia (p. 30, 31, 32, 33) (wrongly notes RES 2693)
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Avanzini 2004a / Corpus of South Arabian Inscriptions I-III, Qatabanic, Marginal Qatabanic, Awsanite Inscriptions (pp. 208, 582)
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Birch S & Franks A W 1863a / Inscriptions in the Himyaritic character, now deposited in the British Museum, chiefly discovered in Southern Arabia (pl. XV, no. 31)
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Prideaux W F 1877b / A sketch of Sabaean grammar; with examples of translation (no. XXXV, pp. 413)
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Osiander E 1865 / Zur himjarischen Alterthumskunde (no. 28)
- Location
- On display (G1/wp72/sh1)
- Exhibition history
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Exhibited:
2003- Nov-, BM, Enlightenment gallery
- Condition
- Incomplete; right hand edge of text only remains.
- Acquisition notes
- Reference to Egyptian Register 1:31. Reported to the Trustees, 11 February 1863, as "Two blocks of calcareous stone with Himyaritic inscriptions. Presented by Captain R. Lambert Playfair (Aden)". The acquisition was reported in the BM Return for 1864/65 (p.13).
- Department
- Middle East
- BM/Big number
- 125051
- Registration number
- 1863,0205.1
- Additional IDs
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Miscellaneous number: CSAI I, 181 (Corpus of South Arabia Inscriptions, I)
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Miscellaneous number: Os. 28 (Osiander)
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Miscellaneous number: Q 10
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Miscellaneous number: RES 2692 (siglum (Kitchen 2000a wrongly notes RES 2693))
