Heritage Commission discovers ancient Arabic inscription in Najran

Heritage Commission discover an early Arab inscription in Najran. (SPA/File)

• The inscription, the sixth-oldest according to the latest records, is located in Al-Haqqan mountain
• Ka’b bin Amr bin Abd Manat, an Arabian merchant, initially recorded the inscription around the year 380

JEDDAH: One of the oldest known Arabic inscriptions in Saudi Arabia has been discovered during survey work, the Heritage Commission announced.
The inscription, the sixth-oldest according to the latest records, is located in Al-Haqqan mountain at the Hima cultural area of the Najran region in southern Saudi Arabia.
Ka’b bin Amr bin Abd Manat, an Arabian merchant, initially recorded the inscription around the year 380. He came across the inscription while traveling to his home in the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula.
Abd Manat recorded and sealed the Arabic inscription with the date of its implementation according to the Nabataean calendar, using the method of Nabataean symbols with numerical values.
The modern discovery of the Al-Haqqan inscription is a valuable historical addition to the register of early Arabic writings before Islam, the commission said.
The Al-Haqqan inscription also showcases an important stage in the development of Arabic writing.
Several inscriptions across the Kingdom predate the Al-Haqqan inscription, including three in AlUla governorate and another in Najran, as well as others in Jouf and Tabuk.
The discovery is part of the commission’s efforts to discover the heritage of various Saudi regions, as well as preserve protected areas.
The commission also seeks to benefit from antiquities and national heritage as an important cultural and economic resource within the National Strategy for Culture of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
With several ancient inscriptions and burial mounds, Hima cultural area is one of the largest open museums in the world. The area is registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Najran region.
It extends over an area of about 557 km, and includes caves and mountains containing rock art and thousands of inscriptions.