MA 1

Siglum: MA 1
Transliteration: l ṯrm bn b{n}{n} w ṭhr w ḏbḥ {l-} rḍy w ġnm nqt
OCIANA
Translation: By Ṯrm son of {Bnn} and he was purified and he sacrificed to Rḍy and gained as booty a she-camel
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Language and Script: Safaitic

Interpretation

Apparatus Criticus: MA: l ṯrm bn rhṭ w bn[y] w ḏbḥ w rḍy w ġnm nqt "To ṯrm bn Rhṭ who built (married) scarified [sic "sacrificed"?] and was consequently satisfied. He gained a she-camel."
Commentary: The ed. pr reads the letters in a bizarre order (p. 34). The order suggested here seems more reasonable and produces better sense. On the photograph there are what look like two ns or possibly n{y} after the first letter of the second name. The letter before rḍy is unclear even on the stone (MA p. 34) but what is visible looks like a l. In Arabic ṭhr Form I means "become clean" in both a physical and a ritual sense (Lane 1886c) and ġnm Form I of course means "obtain booty". We would take nqt as an adverbial accusative "(in the form of) a she-camel". The authors say that the letters were "scraped on a solid chalky stone with a smooth surface". On the photograph they certainly do not look "scraped" at least in the sense we are using the term.

[MA] Al-Maʿānī [Maani, Al-Maʿani], S.ʿA. & Al-Aǧlūnī [Al-Ajlouni], F. Safaitic Inscriptions From the Eastern Part of Mafraq Governorate / Jordan. Adumatu 8, 2003: 33-49.

Site: Al-Ruwayšid (formerly H4), Wādī Salmā or Al-Ašāqif al-ǧanūbī (MA p. 33), Jordan

Updated 16 Sep, 2024 by OCIANA

OCIANA,. 'MA 1.' OCIANA. 16 Sep, 2024. https://ociana.osu.edu/inscriptions/2387. Accessed: 16 Feb, 2026.