SIJ 789

Siglum: SIJ 789
Transliteration: l mr{h}n bn ʿl{b} w gls¹ b- ḫl qṣṣ bʿ---- ʿm{r}{t}
Translation: By Mrhn son of ʿlb and he stopped at this empty area and he followed the traces .... of the lineage of ʿmrt

Interpretation

Apparatus Criticus: SIJ 789: only qṣṣ read. JSafN p. 48 note 41: l mrhn bn ʿql w gls¹ bḫl qṣṣ.
Commentary: The surface of the stone has been covered with later scorings and hammerings which have obscured parts of this text which is elegantly written in the semi- square script. B and r are carefully distinguished the former having a square form and the latter being rounded. The circles of the letters ʿ w g q ṣ are carefully drawn an this suggests that the fourth letter is probably a h rather than a y despite the fact that the prongs of the fork appear to be joined. Similarly the second letter of the patronym cannot be q as read by Jamme (cf. the large circle of the q of qṣṣ). Only one letter is obscured after bʿ and while in the context it is probably a d it is impossible to be sure. There are numerous lightly scratched letters on the same face but no coherent reading can be made from the photograph.

Winnett, F.V. Safaitic Inscriptions from Jordan. (Near and Middle East Series, 2). Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1957.