AAWHA 7

Siglum: AAWHA 7
Transliteration: l n{ẓ}r bn <<>>ʾdʿg bn ḫl h- ḫṭṭ w ʾḫḏ m- zd h- dmyt
Translation: By {Nẓr} son of <<>> ʾdʿg son of Ḫl is the carving and he made the drawing of Zd

Interpretation

Commentary: The second letter of the first name looks at first sight like a ḥ, but the middle stroke (which is like a very slim ṯ) does not reach the top where the outer strokes are joined, and so though its presence is strange, it is not part of the letter. After the first bn the figures of the two horsemen (above) and the smaller camel-rider (below) intervene and the space between the hind legs of the camel and the patronym, ʾʿdg, is damaged by lime, hiding anything that might have been there. The phrase w ʿḫḏ m- zd h-dmyt does not seem to have occurred before and it is not exactly clear what "taking from Zd the drawing" means. It would be strange if the author were saying that Zd had drawn the picture and he (the author) was now claiming it. We have therefore suggested very tentatively that Zd is the horseman whom the author has "captured" in the drawing.

Associated Signs: A sun sign and 7 vertical strokes with loops at their upper ends. A cartouche
Associated Drawings: A horseman raiding with a long lance a male camel (tail down) with a tassel on its hump and one at its throat. Beneath the horse is a smaller drawing of a cameleer with a camel stick. The long tail with abundant hairs would be more appropriate to a horse but the hump can be see below the damage and the attitude of the neck and head are similar to those of the larger camel.

Inscriptions recorded by Ali Al-Manaser in a tributary of Wādī al-Ḫuḍarī in September 2022