There is
only one large conglomerate of graffiti known on the temple of Osiris in the 5th – 3rd
century BC. CIS I 99-101 Eph.III 93-116
KAI 49. Abydos
is located c.100 km northwest of Thebe. There are temples of Osiris, Seti I, Ramses II and cenotaph temples. It
contains the oldest cemeteries of Egypt. Between the 5th
and 3rd century BC Phoenician people marked their presence with
graffiti. They came from Arwad, Kition, Tyrus and Heliopolis. We know now also some
professions: sailors, musician, plasterer, interpreter, spice-trader,
cultivator of date-palm trees, carpenter and servants.
49 graffiti
and 78 personal names.
Name x = the father
|
ph: Phoenician
Name y = the son
| pu: punic
Name z = the grandson
1. bd?mqrr ?
2. Ṣnr (vocalisation and
meaning uncertain) the sailors (Benz p.177) ph,pu
| (Krahmalkov
p.418). This is the father.
|
----- dn ?
the sailors. This is the
son.
4. ’šmnšlk ’Ešmunšillek (Esmun save me)
(Benz p.73, Krahmalkov p.84)
5. mlk meaning: king, but it
could be a part of a personal name.
6. b‘lskr Ba‘al-Sakor
(Ba‘al remember him/me/you) (Benz p.96,
Krahmalkov
p.117) ph.
7. b‘lytn Ba‘al-yaton
(Baal grant!). Exceedlingly
common. Musician on
| tympano.
(Benz p.177, Krahmalkov p.408) pu.
|
psr misspelling
for pšr (vocalisation and meaning uncertain). (Benz p.177)
(Krahmalkov p.408) pu. In Egyptische taal: the
Prince? (Ranke II 189).
8. [.]ḥšq ?
|
‘bdršp ‘Abdrešef
(servant of Rešef) (Benz p.163) CIS I 93.4, 2628. RES 1353.
1357,
1360. Krug.27.2.
9. ‘z’ ?
10. prsy Parsay (vocalisation and
meaning uncertain) (Benz p.176,
Kramalkov
p.407) ph,pu.
11. ‘zrtb‘l ‘Izrati-ba‘al (Baal is help). (Benz
p.170, Krahmalkov p.365)
| Cis
I 88, RES 1309
|
‘bdssm ‘Abd-Sasom
(servant of Sasom) (Benz p.162, Krahmalkov p.357)
12. b‘lytn Ba‘al-yaton
(Baal grant!). Exceedlingly
common.
| (Benz
p.177, Krahmalkov p.408) pu.
|
Mnḥm Meneḥḥem
(comforter). (Benz p.141, Krahmalkov p.294) pu
Perhaps
a hebrew influence ?
13. šlm ? Salom, Sallum, Sillem.
He comes from Kition. Meaning: peace.
| (Several
names may be encompassed by the spelling šlm.
| (Benz
p.180, Krahmalkov p.464) ph, pu.
‘bd’šmn ‘Abd-’Esmun
(servant of Esmun). Exceedingly common. A lot of
misspellings
with this name. Historical person: Abdeshmun
DCPP
2-3 (Benz p.150-153, Krahmalkov p.354).
14. gr’hl Ger-‘Ohel (fearer of ’Ohel)
(Benz p.103, Krahmalkov p.142) ph.
15. b‘lpls Ba‘al-pilles (Baal save
him/me/you) (Benz p.97, Krahmalkov p.117)
|
ph. Pu.
|
Yḥlb‘l ?
16. grhkl Ger-Hêkal (Fearer of
Hêkal) (Benz p.104, Krahmalkov p.143) ph
| He
is a plasterer / stucco-worker
|
Bnḥdš Bin-ḥodeš
(son of the new moon) (Benz 89. Krahmalkov p.106) pu
17. ’gn? Vocalisation and meaning
uncertain (Krahmalkov p.31). He is an
| Interpreter / translator.
|
’bnšmš ?
abonšemeš (stone of the sun??). Perhaps a misspelling for ’bnn, of
| whom
the vocalisation and meaning are uncertain.
| For
’bnn see: Krahmalkov p.29
|
‘bdršp ‘abdrešef
(servant of Resef). (Benz p.163) CIS I 93.4, 2628. RES 1353.
1357,
1360. Krug.27.2.
18.
mlqrt‘ms milqart-‘amos
(Milqart support him/me/you). (Benz 141,
| Krahmalkov
p.292). ph,pu. A common name.
|
‘bdmlkt ‘Abd-Milkot
(servant of Milkot) (Benz 155, Krahmalkov p.356) ph, pu.
| Contradictions
and many misspellings. Exceedingly common.
|
‘bdṢpl ?
‘AbdṢpl (servant of Ṣpl?). perhaps ‘bdṢapon (Benz p.163)
A
misreading?
19. ‘bqm ?. Completely unknown, but
he is a servant of ḥpn.
|
Gr’ Gera (short form of the
name-type gr-DN) (Benz p 103-104,
Krahmalkov
p.142) ph,pu. Worshipper of a god.
20. pls. Pilles- (shortform of
the name-type pls-DN (DN save him/me!).
(Benz p.176,
Krahmalkov p.397). Historical person: Phelles DCPP 348.
There is
letter after pls, but what is unknown.
21. bnb[‘l] bin-ba‘al (son of Baal) (Benz
p.89, Krahmalkov p.106) ph.
22. ‘r[m?]y ? perhaps ‘rṭm (vocalisation
and meaning uncertain) (Benz 150-153)
(Krahmalkov
p.354) or a misspelling ’ršy/’rš? (RES 1316)
The spice-mixer/trader
24.
’b‘lšm.. This can be
Ba‘al-samo (Baal hear me) (Benz p.100, Krahmalkov
p.120) ph,pu.
Or it can be Ba‘al-samor (Baal protect me) (Benz p.100,
Krahmalkov
p.120).
25. ’šmnb[rk] ’Ešmun-berek?
Esmun blesses.
26. ḥqrh,
mšpn ? (vocalisation and meaning
uncertain) (Benz p.125, Krahmalkov
|
p.195) ph.
|
Rmb‘l rm
= ram (hb) = high, lofty Baal (Krahmalkov p.444) No personal
| name?
(RES 1303+1359)
|
Nps[.] ?
wellicht: npš =person, emotion, tombstone. Nepeš (hb)
(Krahmalkov
p.333)
27. y[.]m[.] ? perhaps yḥmlk or y‘ms
|
Rmb‘l rm
= ram (hb) = high, lofty Baal (Krahmalkov p.444) No personal
name?
(RES 1303+1359). He is a cultivator of palmtrees.
28. ‘zrb‘l ‘Azruba‘al (Baal is his
help). Exceedingly common. (Benz p.167-170,
| Krahmalkov
p.364) ph,pu. Historical person: Hasdrubal DCPP 211-212.
| Or:
‘Azorba‘al (Baal help!). Historical person: DCPP 338.
|
Mtny Mittunay
(short form of the name-type mtn-DN), Very common name.
| (Benz
p.143,146, Krahmalkov p.321) ph,pu. Historical person: Mattan
| DCPP
280-281.
|
’šmn’dny ’Esmun-’Adoni
(Esmun is my lord) (Benz p.70, Krahmalkov p.82.
Historical person: Eshmunadon DCPP 160.
29. ‘bdšmš ‘Abdšemeš (servant of Semes)
30. mtl ?
|
’b‘l ?
misspelling ’bb‘l = ’Abi-ba‘al (Baal is my father). (Benz p.54,
Krahmalkov
p.28) ph,pu. Historical person: Abibaal DCPP 3-4.
31. ‘bdmlqrt ‘Abdmilqart (servant of
Milqart).
32. ‘bdh’ ‘Abd-H’(servant of H’)
(Benz p.154, Krahmalkov p.355) ph,pu.
33. ‘bdršp ‘Abdrešef (servant of Rešef)
(Benz p.163) CIS I 93.4, 2628. RES 1353.
1357,
1360. Krug.27.2.
34. grṢd Ger-Ṣid (fearer of Sid)
(Benz p.107, Krahmalkov p.144) ph.
|
Ṣdytn Ṣid-yaton
(Sid gives) (Benz p.177, Krahmalkov p.412) ph, pu.
| Sidiathones
|
P‘l’bst Pa‘ol-ubast
((u)bastis act) (Benz p.176, Krahmalkov p.403) ph.
He comes from Tyre,
civilian of Heliopolis,
liberated by ‘bdmnqrt,
also from Heliopolis. This is a
misspelling for ‘bdmlqrt = ‘Abdmilqart
(Benz p155, Krahmalkov p.356) pu.
35.
mnqrtḥny ? monqartḥanni?
Misspelling for Milqart-ḥanni (Milqart favour me!)
| (Benz
p.141, Krahmalkov p.292).
|
B‘lyḥn Ba‘al-yaḥon
(Baal be gracious to me/him/you) (Benz p.94,
Krahmalkov
p.114) pu.
36. bd’ Bodo (short for common
name-type bd-DN (in the service of DN).
| (Benz
p.74-75, Krahmalkov p.98) ph, pu. In reality he is a servant of
|
ḥpṢb‘l from Memphis.
ḥepṢiba‘al (Baal is my joy) (Benz p.125,
|
Krahmalkov p.193) ph.
|
Mgn Magon
(short form of the name mgnb‘l (Baal grant!) (Benz p.133-137,
Krahmalkov
p.270) Exceedingly common. Historical person: Magon.
DCPP 268-269.
37. Ṣdytn Ṣid-yaton (Sid gives) (Benz
p.177, Krahmalkov p.412) ph, pu.
| Sidiathones
|
‘bdbst ‘Abd-ubast
(servant of [u]bastis)
38. Only the date: 3
of the month HYR
39.
b‘lšl[m] Ba‘al-šillem
(Ba‘al grant peace/prosperity!) (Benz p.100,
| Krahmalkov
p.119) ph,pu. Ba‘al-šillek is also possible.
|
’rš ’Ariš
(Requested <of god>). Exceedingly common.
40. ’rš ’Ariš (Requested
<of god>). Exceedingly common.
|
Bd’ Bodo
(short for common name-type bd-DN (in the service of DN).
| (Benz
p.74-75, Krahmalkov p.98) ph, pu. In reality he is a servant of
|
ḥpṢb‘l from Memphis.
ḥepṢiba‘al (Baal is my joy) (Benz p.125,
|
Krahmalkov p.193) ph.
41. trt’ ?
|
’šmn’dn ’Ešmun-’Adoni
(Esmun is my lord). (Benz p.70, Krahmalkov p.82)
Ph, pu. Historical person: Eshmunadon DCPP
160.
42. bgd’ ? Persian ?
43. ’bqm ’Abi-qom (My <divine>
father has arisen). (Benz p.55, Krahmalkov
p.30) ph, pu.
47. ‘bdssm ‘Abd-sasom (servant of Sadom)
(Benz p.162, Krahmalkov p.357)
| Ph,
pu.
|
Šlm ?
Salom, Sallum, Sillem (Benz p.180, Krahmalkov p,464) ph, pu.
48.
b‘l[.]Ṣr ? Baal of
Sour ?
|
‘bdḥ’ ‘Abd-H’
(servant of ḥ’) (Benz p.154, Krahmalkov p.355) ph.
49. […]ršp ? …rešef
|
T’[…] ?
Not
readable: nrs 3,23, 45, 46.
DCPP = E.Lipinski
ed. Dictionnaire de la civilisation phénicienne et punique, Brepols, Turnhout,
1992.
Benz: PERSONAL NAMES IN THE PHOENICIAN AND
PUNIC INSCRIPTIONS
Frank L.Benz,
Studia Pohl, Rome, Biblical Institue Press, 1972. Studia Pohl: Dissertations
scientificae de rebus orientis antique. A cataloque, Grammatical Study and Glossary of
Elements.
Krahmalkov:
PHOENICIAN - PUNIC DICTIONARY
Charles
R.Krahmalkov. OLA 90. Studia Phoenicia XV.
Uitgeverij Peeters en Departement
Oosterse studies. Leuven 2000.
