Al-Mafraq Museum 14

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Siglum
Al-Mafraq Museum 14
Transliteration
l kḥs¹mn bn gnʾl bn s²ʿr bn gnʾl ḏ- ʾl kn w tʾmr h- s²nʾ s¹nt qṣr w h- mḏy f h lt w gdḍf s¹lm w ʿwr l- ḏ ʿwr h- s¹fr
Ahmad Al-Jallad
Translation
By Kḥs¹mn son of Gnʾl son of S²ʿr son of Gnʾl of the lineage of Kn and he feared adversity the year of Caesar and the Persians so, O Lt and Gdḍf, may he be secure; and may he who would efface this writing go blind
Ahmad Al-Jallad
Language and Script
Safaitic 2

Interpretation

Commentary

This text belongs to a growing corpus of inscriptions dated to a conflict between Caesar (Rome) and the Persians, likely referencing Shāpūr I’s Syrian military campaign in 252-3 or 260. The inscription is partially obscured by a later, superimposed Arabic graffito.

tʾmr: This verb is a virtual synonym of ḫrṣ 'to anticipate, fear'. See Al-Jallad (2025c) for a detailed discussion.

h-s²nʾ: Given that the object of tʾmr is usually abstract, 'enmity' or 'adversity' is the preferred understanding over the literal 'enemies' in this instance.

mḏy: The Iranians, Persians; the term frs¹ /fāris/ is not used in Safaitic. Compare with Hebrew māḏî; Aramiac mdy; Minaic mḏy ‘Medes’.

Ahmad Al-Jallad

Editio Princeps
OCIANA
Field Collector
ʿAbd al-Qāder Al-Huṣān

Technique
Rocking blade
Direction of Script
Boustrophedon

  • Al-Jallad, A. Ancient Allah: An Epigraphic Reconstruction. Journal of Semitic Studies, 2025c: 1-56.
  • [Al-Mafraq Museum] Inscriptions kept at the Al-Mafraq Antiquities Office and Museum of uncertain provenances
Site
Al-Mafraq Governorate, Jordan
Current Location
Al-Mafraq Antiquities Office and Museum
Subjects
Curse, Date (s¹nt), Deity, Genealogy, Lineage (ancestor), Outside peoples, Prayer
Old OCIANA ID
#0034791
Download Images
Updated 27 Mar, 2026 by Ahmad Al-Jallad

Cite this Site

Ahmad Al-Jallad, 'Al-Mafraq Museum 14,' ed. A. Al-Jallad and M.C.A. Macdonald, OCIANA, 27 Mar, 2026. https://ociana.osu.edu/inscriptions/40813. Accessed: 27 Mar, 2026.