Epigraphica Dusaria I. Some Nabataean, Hismaic and Hismaic/Nabataean inscriptions with rock drawings from the Ḥismā desert, north-west of Tabūk (Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

This paper studies a group of inscriptions and rock drawings from Ṭūr al-Qawwās in the Ḥismā desert (Saudi Arabia). These include two Nabataean and three Hismaic inscriptions, in addition to a Hismaic/Nabataean bilingual. The presence of Hismaic and Nabataean texts carved side by side as well as this new ANA/Nabataean bilingual raise the question of the linguistic diversity in northern Arabia and that of the relationships between the Nabataeans and their nomadic neighbours. From the point of view of Nabataean grammar, the texts provide us with new lexical items at the same time as they illustrate a new example of an optative use of the prefix conjugation. One of the inscriptions is a prayer to Dushara that exhibits a unique religious formula requesting the deity’s protection. Leading to reflect on the association of rock art with Nabataean inscriptions, the drawings are also of interest. They include a rare representation of a bird, possibly an eagle, which could find its source of influence in the Nabataean sculpture. Just as interesting are a cameleer dressed with izār and ridāʾ, and the figure of a saddled equid which suggests, for the first time, an occasional employment of horse saddles among the Nabataeans.