SS 3

Interpretation

Commentary: The text is carved on a fine limestone relief showing the god Baʿal-Šamīn in the centre with Aglibōl on his right and Malakbēl on the left. There are five Palmyrene graffiti (SS 1, 2, 4, 5, 7), one Greek (SS 6) and one Safaitic (SS 3) carved between the figures. The last is carved vertically on the lower right of the relief beside the sword of Malakbēl. For the bibliography on the relief and an excellent photograph see Dentzer-Feydy & Teixidor 1993: 144–145, no. 153 (but note that the transliteration of the Safaitic inscription contains a misprint in the second name). The same two names occur in both the Safaitic inscription and in one of the Palmyrene texts (SS 2). Starcky's copy of SS 3 shows a curving line at the end of the Safaitic inscription but this is not confirmed on the photograph.

Associated Inscriptions: Palmyrene SS.2 (which contains the same two names) and Palmyrene SS 1, 4, 5, and 7; Greek SS 6

Starcky, J. Appendice. Les inscriptions. Pages 35-41 in H. Seyrig, Antiquités syriennes, 41: Nouveaux monuments palmyréniens de Baalshamîn. Syria 26, 1949: 29-41, pls 2.
Dentzer-Feydy, J. & Teixidor, J. Les antiquités de Palmyre au Musée du Louvre. Paris: Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 1993.

Site: Said to have come from Wādī Miyāh, not far from Biʾr Wereb [Biʾr ʿUrayb ?], Ḥimṣ (Ḥomṣ) Governorate, the area around Palmyra, Syria