BES20 1540

Siglum: BES20 1540
Transliteration: l ʿm bn ʾs¹ḥm w h yṯʿ {b}yʿ -h
Josef Bloomfield
Translation: By ʿm son of ʾs¹ḥm and O Yṯʿ {enter into a contract} with him
Josef Bloomfield

Interpretation

Commentary: The first letter of the word read as byʿ is unclear. The b in bn is triangular in shape, whereas the apparent b in byʿ is squared and seems to have a flick at the end of at least the bottom arm. This forms a very typical ẓ shape. Nevertheless, it is unclear what ẓyʿ would mean in this context. If the author did intend to carve a b with this shape, I suggest that the word should be seen as a parallel of the Classical Arabic bāyaʿa, to make a covenant with (Lane 285c). In this sense, it seems that the author would be asking the deity to accept an agreement through which the author would presumably do something on behalf of the deity in exchange for a blessing or material gain. The shape of the first letter means this reading is uncertain. Josef Bloomfield

Associated Signs

cartouche; seven lines

Associated Inscriptions

[BES20] Inscriptions recorded during the Badia Epigraphic Survey 2020 and published here

Updated 02 Jul, 2025 by OCIANA

Bloomfield, Josef. 'BES20 1540.' OCIANA. 02 Jul, 2025. https://ociana.osu.edu/inscriptions/45472. Accessed: 26 Feb, 2026.