Nabataean echoes in al-Ḥarrah: New evidence in light of recent field work†

ABSTRACT

During a survey conducted by the authors in the eastern part of al-?arrah in Jordan in 2017,¹1. The term al-?arrah is used to refer to the basalt steppe-desert located in northern Jordan and southern Syria. a number of new Safaitic and Nabataean texts were found. Some of them mention events dated during the reigns of ?r?t and rb?l, others refer to the revolt of dm?y. Other Safaitic texts contain references to the Nabataeans. Three Nabataean graffiti were also found and are presented here. These sixteen new texts constitute a remarkable addition to the corpus of Safaitic and Nabatean texts found in this region.     

Les puits nabatéens de Mad in āli (Arabie Saoudite)

Close to the monumental graves, numerous ancient wells, some of which reach a depth of 18 m, were found in the Nabatean site of Mad     in     āli     . Their fascinating study was begun by the author, a well-known speleologist. It required a geomorphological and hydrological approach of the site which established the groundwater level and piezometric contours. Furthermore, research was conducted on the palaeoclimates and present-day pluviometry, which has concluded that the fall in the groundwater level since antiquity is mainly the result of modern exploitation. Since 1975 the high-yielding submerged pumps have provided intensive irrigation to the important agriculture of el Hijr, close to the Nabatean site. The wells, their construction, their shape and ancient mechanism are described in this paper.     

Age determination of Petra's engineered landscape – optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon ages of runoff terrace systems in the Eastern Highlands of Jordan

The unfavourable mountainous environment of the Petra region in southern Jordan was modified by ancient engineers to supply the Nabataean/Roman city of Petra with food and water. The area was reclaimed by installing extended runoff terrace systems and hydraulic structures. The agricultural terrace systems have so far been dated based on surface pottery, and the chronology of the systems is under debate. In this study, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon dating techniques were successfully applied to date these terrace systems. Samples were taken from the fills of agricultural terraces and underneath their walls to determine the chronology of the construction, use and abandonment of the agricultural terraces. The results suggest that runoff farming in the Petra region started around the beginning of the Common Era, and construction, use and maintenance lasted at least until 800 AD.     

商周青铜器铸后制铭工艺考证

学界普遍认为商周时期青铜器的铸造铭文早于铸后制铭,并认为铸后制铭技术只出现在西周晚期以后。本文通过对商周时期若干铸后制铭青铜器的研究发现,铸后制铭可分为錾铭、刻铭与琢磨铭文三类,后两类的出现与应用不晚于铸造铭文。这些技术脱胎于夏商时期的玉器加工工艺,当与甲骨文的契刻技术同源,工匠至迟在商代晚期就已掌握,但出于生产效率与容错代价方面的考虑,选择了出现较晚但更为节省时间和人力的铸造铭文技术。铸后制铭因为其本身的缺陷,只作为一种边缘技术长期存在。     

论甲骨卜辞中的"稻"字

甲骨文中的“(?)”字旧释为黍是有问题的,从对贞卜辞、成套卜辞、相间卜辞、同期卜辞以及与水的亲密关系、古文献金文习语、种植方式来看,它符合水稻亲水的特征,应是五谷作物中的“稻”字。     

东突厥阿史那摸末墓志考述

本通过对阿史那王族成员郁射设阿史那摸末墓志的考述,分析了其家族世系中五代人的王位沿袭和兴衰演变,从中不仅可看到东突厥与隋唐王朝的密切关系,也可清楚他们降唐后的具体安置,有助于我们更全面地认识隋唐时期东亚地区各民族的历史作用以及中国北方政治、军事格局的变化。