Musayqirah Tham 1

Text Information

Siglum
Musayqirah Tham 1
Transliteration
b- rḍw ḥ{g}l{t}
Ahmad Al-Jallad (OCIANA)
Translation
May {Ḥglt} be with Rḍw
Ahmad Al-Jallad (OCIANA)
Language and Script
Thamudic (uncertain)

Interpretation

Commentary

The resembles a sunburst, close in shape to the of Taymanitic. The reading of the final four letters is somewhat uncertain. The straightforward reading produces ʿ l and possibly {t} after the trident, in which case it cannot hold the value of due to Semitic root constraints. The trident signifies  in Safaitic and k in Thamudic D, but neither option produces an immediately recognizable name. It is possible that the circle glyph is a g in this variety, producing the name ḥglt. The epigraphic documentation from this region is extremely poor and so more examples are required to establish the correct glyph - phoneme correspondences.

Editio Princeps
OCIANA
Field Collector
Meinrat O. Andreae

Special Letter Forms
ḍ as sunburst
Technique
Hammered
Direction of Script
Right to left

Associated Drawings
Ibexes on the same panel

  • [Musayqirah Tham] Andreae, M.O., Al-Amri, A., Al-Jibrin, F.H. and Alsharekh, A.M. Iconographic and archaeometric studies on the rock art at Musayqira, Al-Quwaiyah Governorate, central Saudi Arabia. Arabian Archaeology Epigraphy, 2021, 32: 153-182.
Site
Musayqirah, Saudi Arabia
Date Found
2021
Current Location
In situ
Subjects
Deity, Isolated Prayer
Download Images
Updated 27 May, 2025 by Ahmad Al-Jallad

Cite this Site

Al-Jallad, Ahmad. 'Musayqirah Tham 1.' OCIANA. 27 May, 2025. https://ociana.osu.edu/inscriptions/44215. Accessed: 05 Jul, 2025.