They were worn for aesthetic purposes by men and women alike. “They were worn on the fingers, on the arm or around the ankles. The golden rings equipped with locks at both ends show that they were used in different ways and places, along with the possibility of adjusting their sizes as needed. Talking about the three gold rings, Hawsawi said: “Through this discovery, we came to know the metals that were used by the people during that period. This is why it was given titles such as ‘The Wise,’ ‘The Truthful,’ ‘The Wise,’ ‘The Blessed,’‘The Helper,’ and ‘The Protector,’” she said. The moon held a very distinguished position, as it was a guide for trade caravans and travelers. It is commonly referred to as ‘Al’ or ‘El’, while the Arabs of the north called it ‘Baal’ or ‘Hubal’. “The moon is the eldest of deities and precedes them all. According to the Hawsawi, the moon was called “Wad” by the Minaeans, and it was known to the Sabaeans and others as “Warkh,” “Al-Maqah,” “Shahr,”“Kahl” and “Sun” in Hadramout. It symbolizes the moon because of the resemblance of the bull’s horns to the crescent. It was also known for its versatility in daily life, as it was used to plow the lands, its meat was eaten and its skin was used in various industries. It is said to have been a symbol of strength and fertility for pre-Islamic groups of South Arabians: Sabaeans, Minaeans, and Qatabanians. “The bull head drawings and statues first started to emerge in the south of the Arabian Peninsula around the first millennium BC,” she said. It also shows the common Arabic names of that period, as the owner of the inscription mentions his and his father’s name,” Hawsawi noted.Īnother interesting discovery was the bronze bull’s head that had traces of oxidation, a natural reaction when bronze is exposed to air, creating a patina coating that can range in colors. “The inscription also shows that watering was the profession of Wahb El, which consists of delivering water to the houses, including his own. “Commemorative inscriptions can be found across most of the Arabian Peninsula in great numbers, which reflects the advanced knowledge and cultural level that the society reached and how much it cared for writing and documenting. It belonged to a former resident of Al-Ukhdood, Wahb El bin Maqen. It is 230 cm long and approximately 48 cm high, with the length of the letters 32 cm, making it the longest Musnad inscription found in the region. The inscription is written with unique standing letters using an old South Arabian script, called Musnad. “Two commercial routes branch out from it, one of which is towards the northeast, passing through the village of Al-Faw, and ends in the east of the Arabian Peninsula, while the second road heads north to reach Petra and from there to the cities of the Levant and Mesopotamia,” she said. Salma Hawsawi, an associate professor of ancient history at King Saud University, told Arab News that Najran was a compulsory stop for caravans traveling from the south of the Arabian Peninsula. The rare finds are currently in the hands of professionals and undergoing restoration.ĭr. Ammon News - The Heritage Commission announced the discovery of three gold rings, a bronze bull’s head and a southern Musnad inscription on a granite stone - all dating back to the pre-Islamic era - at Al-Okhdood, a village in Najran, on Feb.15.
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