The
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rich in ancient inscriptions. They
form a priceless resource for the study of the region's cultural
and linguistic heritage. Throughout the country, inscriptions
were etched, engraved, pecked, or even sometimes carved in
bas-relief on stones or on the rock-faces of cliffs and hills.
Epigraphy is the study of such texts, the science of deciphering
and interpreting them. This "virtual exhibition"
presents some examples of the Epigraphy Collections of the
National Museum of Saudi Arabia, many published here for the
first time.
We present and examine 54 museum objects which bear examples
of ancient epigraphy. This is a small selection from over
9,000 catalogued epigraphic objects within the two relevant
collections ("Pre-Islamic Epigraphy" and "Islamic
Epigraphy") of the Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and
Museums (which includes the National Museum as well as regional
museums). |
