Riyadh: The Heritage Commission has announced the discovery and documentation of a bilingual inscription in the village of Alqan in the Tabuk Region. The discovery forms part of the archaeological survey works conducted by the commission across various regions of the Kingdom. According to studies of letter forms and their development, the inscription dates back to the 5th century AD.
The commission noted that the recently discovered inscription is composed in both the Thamudic script and early Arabic script. Its historical significance lies in confirming the continued use of the Thamudic script in the 5th century AD, contributing to a series of bilingual inscriptions found in the Kingdom.
Furthermore, the commission stated that the inscription consists of three lines, two of which are written in Thamudic script and one in early Arabic script. This discovery offers new scientific insights into the historical coexistence of Thamudic and early Arabic writing, as well as the continuity of Thamudic script know
ledge among ancient communities until the 5th century AD.
This finding illuminates the history of early Arabic scripts in the Arabian Peninsula and represents a significant addition to the series of ancient Arabic inscriptions and writings recently documented by the commission. The inscription holds particular importance for studying the evolution of Arabic letter forms throughout history.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
