KhU 8

Interpretation

Commentary: There seem to be faint traces of what could be a n after the y of the last word and we have tentatively suggested that this could be the -n marking the determinate state in South Arabian. Thus mʿnyn would be a South Arabian nisba form (as in CIS IV 84/1 and GIED.I 26) equivalent to Safaitic h-mʿny "the Minaean". On the other hand it should be emphasized that the final -n is by no means certain and that the names Nẓr and ʾḫḏ are unknown in South Arabian. Moreover it is very unusual for an individual to identify himself simply as a “Minaean” though so far from home it would be understandable and one of the South Arabian examples (GIED.II 26) is from the eastern desert of Egypt (see also MNBS p. 106-108). See also Sima WZKM 88 1998 246. However if the apparent -n is not intentional the final word would be an undefined nisba. This would be extremely unusual in Safaitic and would presumably mean "a Mʿnite". In this case it is more likely that it would refer to a social group or place in Syria-Palestine or northern Arabia much closer to Khirbat al-Umbashi (for some possible sites see KMAD).