Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian

[irosie91]

wrong again. Arabia was a diverse land in which Pagan, and Jewish, and
Christian tribes MAINTAINED their own DIFFERENT customs especially in terms
of religious practice. Of course there were some superficial "meldings"----as in
cuisine, crafts and styles of dress. The confusion those more superficial
"meldings" have produced have even led to the idiot concept that there is something properly called "Islamic architecture"-------Islamic architecture is a tent in the desert. BYZANTINE architecture is NOT "Islamic"

It's easy to know when I have caught you in a BS lie.

You start posting wildly inaccurate off topic nonsense to cover your tracks.

Quite amusing.......

"inaccurate" what? my comment is quite accurate. In arabia-----'arabs'---
were completely illiterate except for the few that learned languages other than
Arabic until about 300 AD-----when some people began to develope a written
language for ARABIC -----based on the various written languages of non-arabs
who resided in the area. Zoroastrians still used their FARSI-----Christians
tended toward Greek and Latin ---and jews did their Hebrew. What are you
calling "inaccurate" Despite the fact that an Arabic written form got developed---
most "arabs" remained illiterate

 

[Sally]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

 

[Pogo]

You do understand that "Arabic" is not a religion --- right?

of course Arabic is not a religion----it was spoken by lots of people but INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH-----muslims have developed a kind of misapprehension
that ARABIC IS MUSLIM. There are lots of historic figures called "muslim"
in the Islamic version of history simply because they wrote in Arabic. Did
anyone say Arabic is a "religion"

The bizarre comparison in the OP between "Arabic writing" (which is a language) and "Christian" (which is a religion) heavily implies that, yes. Obviously an Arab may be a Muslim or not, and certainly was not before Islam existed. And just as obviously a Christian may or may not be an Arab. The two entities have nothing to do with each other, so what the point of this thread is remains an unknown.

muslims have developed a kind of misapprehension that ARABIC IS MUSLIM

Again, no idea where you're pulling this from, but no Arab I've ever met ever claimed or implied that, even when they were teaching me Arabic phrases. We spoke much (in English or French) about the language, but never about the religion. Moreover that would be impossible, as it would mean that before Islam, Arabs didn't speak. Which is absurd.

you have not met enough arabs or muslims in general. I have described a naïve
but prevalent misapprehension amongst muslims world wide---which is----people who spoke or wrote in Arabic were------"ISLAMIC" This particular misapprehension is actually taught to school children in muslim schools. Another ---somewhat obscure idea is that Hebrew as a language is a dialect of Arabic.
It is an ethnocentric concept

I reeeeally don't know where you pull these cockamamie ideas from but no, nobody claims Hebrew is a dialect of Arabic, nor vice versa. They are related being Semitic but one isn't a dialect of the other, any more than you could call Spanish a "dialect" of French. And yes I have met, worked with and lived with a slew of Arabs/Muslms, and not one of them ever even slightly implied "Arab is Muslim". And if I was ignorant enough to suggest that they would have guffawed.

They're two different things. "Arab" is a geographic/ethnic group; "Muslim" is a religion. You don't need to be one to be the other. Matter of fact the most populous predominantly Muslim country in the world is Indonesia --- they ain't "Arabs".

 

[aris2chat]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

Most of my friend are happy with the mix of groups. They also like to preserve history not destroy it.

sadly war ravaged a lot of history, and especially tourism back home. I empathize with syria and iraq on that point.

 

[aris2chat]

You do understand that "Arabic" is not a religion --- right?

of course Arabic is not a religion----it was spoken by lots of people but INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH-----muslims have developed a kind of misapprehension
that ARABIC IS MUSLIM. There are lots of historic figures called "muslim"
in the Islamic version of history simply because they wrote in Arabic. Did
anyone say Arabic is a "religion"

The bizarre comparison in the OP between "Arabic writing" (which is a language) and "Christian" (which is a religion) heavily implies that, yes. Obviously an Arab may be a Muslim or not, and certainly was not before Islam existed. And just as obviously a Christian may or may not be an Arab. The two entities have nothing to do with each other, so what the point of this thread is remains an unknown.

muslims have developed a kind of misapprehension that ARABIC IS MUSLIM

Again, no idea where you're pulling this from, but no Arab I've ever met ever claimed or implied that, even when they were teaching me Arabic phrases. We spoke much (in English or French) about the language, but never about the religion. Moreover that would be impossible, as it would mean that before Islam, Arabs didn't speak. Which is absurd.

you have not met enough arabs or muslims in general. I have described a naïve
but prevalent misapprehension amongst muslims world wide---which is----people who spoke or wrote in Arabic were------"ISLAMIC" This particular misapprehension is actually taught to school children in muslim schools. Another ---somewhat obscure idea is that Hebrew as a language is a dialect of Arabic.
It is an ethnocentric concept

I reeeeally don't know where you pull these cockamamie ideas from but no, nobody claims Hebrew is a dialect of Arabic, nor vice versa. They are related being Semitic but one isn't a dialect of the other, any more than you could call Spanish a "dialect" of French. And yes I have met, worked with and lived with a slew of Arabs/Muslms, and not one of them ever even slightly implied "Arab is Muslim". And if I was ignorant enough to suggest that they would have guffawed.

They're two different things. "Arab" is a geographic/ethnic group; "Muslim" is a religion. You don't need to be one to be the other. Matter of fact the most populous predominantly Muslim country in the world is Indonesia --- they ain't "Arabs".

You have miss a lot of discussion on the topic. Linguistically, they are both Semitic, but they did not originate at the same time or place. To those speaking and listening.......... there are many words that are very similar between modern arabic, aramaic and hebrew.

Muslims tend to believe quraysh is perfect language and exclusive to the tribe

Were some of those discussions on other forums?

 

[Pogo]

You have miss a lot of discussion on the topic. Linguistically, they are both Semitic, but they did not originate at the same time or place. To those speaking and listening.......... there are many words that are very similar between modern arabic, aramaic and hebrew.

Yes I know. That is my point. The poster (Rosie) is trying to tell us Hebrew is a dialed (derivative) of Arabic, rather than a separate language branch of the same family.

Were some of those discussions on other forums?

I don't know. I studied languages long long before I ever came here.

 

[irosie91]

You have miss a lot of discussion on the topic. Linguistically, they are both Semitic, but they did not originate at the same time or place. To those speaking and listening.......... there are many words that are very similar between modern arabic, aramaic and hebrew.

Yes I know. That is my point. The poster (Rosie) is trying to tell us Hebrew is a dialed (derivative) of Arabic, rather than a separate language branch of the same family.

Were some of those discussions on other forums?

I don't know. I studied languages long long before I ever came here.

wrong POGO----Rosie posted the FACT that according to the Islamic version
of "history"-----Hebrew is a dialect of Arabic. The idea is an example of ethnocentricism. Both Arabic and Hebrew developed-----from earlier
"proto-languages"-----like Amharic.

 

[Pogo]

You have miss a lot of discussion on the topic. Linguistically, they are both Semitic, but they did not originate at the same time or place. To those speaking and listening.......... there are many words that are very similar between modern arabic, aramaic and hebrew.

Yes I know. That is my point. The poster (Rosie) is trying to tell us Hebrew is a dialed (derivative) of Arabic, rather than a separate language branch of the same family.

Were some of those discussions on other forums?

I don't know. I studied languages long long before I ever came here.

wrong POGO----Rosie posted the FACT that according to the Islamic version
of "history"-----Hebrew is a dialect of Arabic. The idea is an example of ethnocentricism. Both Arabic and Hebrew developed-----from earlier
"proto-languages"-----like Amharic.

Bullshit. No one ever claimed that except you just now. That's a classic strawman, and as such, dismissed.

 

[Roudy]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Very interesting but does not come as a surprise. Islam itself is a hijacking of other faiths.

 

[Roudy]

Many muslims like to believe history began with islam.

--- Link?

ibadurrahman: Jahiliyyah Period: Arabs before Islam

Calendar begins with the hajj.
Only a handful of arabs, apart from jews and christians could read or write.
The final destruction of the great library was at the hands of muslims in 642 on orders of Omar.
Muslims have systematically destroyed may things before islam, erasing all history.
We still see the destruction of history in afghanistan, iraq, syria and Israel
Most of the muslim world's history was buried in the sand for millennia.

Everything before Islam is irrelevant or ignorant

Muslims are still trying to destroy everything and everybody who isn't a Muslim. But president Hussien Obama has told us that it has nothing to do with Islam. We need to provide more jobs for Islamic terrorists. LOL

 

[Coyote]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

Most of my friend are happy with the mix of groups. They also like to preserve history not destroy it.

sadly war ravaged a lot of history, and especially tourism back home. I empathize with syria and iraq on that point.

I don't think the world will ever truly recover from the damage - whether destruction or looting - ISIS has done to archaeological treasures that have been preserved for thousands of years. It's truly a tragedy

 

[Coyote]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

The problem isn't the Muslim culture, I think people forget that it is Muslims who preserved this history, as well as much learning, and kept it safe for over a thousand years. The problem is extremists, who's religious world view is so destructive.

 

[Pogo]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

Most of my friend are happy with the mix of groups. They also like to preserve history not destroy it.

sadly war ravaged a lot of history, and especially tourism back home. I empathize with syria and iraq on that point.

I don't think the world will ever truly recover from the damage - whether destruction or looting - ISIS has done to archaeological treasures that have been preserved for thousands of years. It's truly a tragedy

Absolutely. Religious wackadoodlism always is It's inevitable.

 

[aris2chat]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

Most of my friend are happy with the mix of groups. They also like to preserve history not destroy it.

sadly war ravaged a lot of history, and especially tourism back home. I empathize with syria and iraq on that point.

I don't think the world will ever truly recover from the damage - whether destruction or looting - ISIS has done to archaeological treasures that have been preserved for thousands of years. It's truly a tragedy

they want the west to pay to rebuild syria.
$15 trillion + to rebuild syria

If we have a problem with the refugees, each nation should pay to rebuild syria so they have a place

............ Assad has said they can return now, no place to put them or supplies they would need.

 

[Coyote]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

Most of my friend are happy with the mix of groups. They also like to preserve history not destroy it.

sadly war ravaged a lot of history, and especially tourism back home. I empathize with syria and iraq on that point.

I don't think the world will ever truly recover from the damage - whether destruction or looting - ISIS has done to archaeological treasures that have been preserved for thousands of years. It's truly a tragedy

they want the west to pay to rebuild syria.
$15 trillion + to rebuild syria

If we have a problem with the refugees, each nation should pay to rebuild syria so they have a place

............ Assad has said they can return now, no place to put them or supplies they would need.

Two things occur to me...

The archaeological treasures belong, in a sense, to the world - they are part of the foundations of western civilization. In that sense - donations from around the world, would be good (assuming a stable situation is achieved).

Also, I can't help but wonder if something like a "Marshall Plan" might not be helpful? But so much depends on what kind of political solution comes out of the carnage.

There are far too many refugees for the surrounding countries and Europe to absorb now, far far too many, and too much instability.

 

[aris2chat]

History did begin before Mohammad, christian use of Arabic 150 before Islam

Archaeologists Discover that Earliest Known Arabic Writing Was Penned by a Christian
www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-discover-earliest-known-arabic-writing-was-penned-christian-020778

21 March, 2016 - 23:51 Sam Bostrom
(Read the article on one page)

The oldest known Arabic writing found in Saudi Arabia, from ca. 470 AD belong to a Christian context and predates the advent of Islam with 150 years.

In December 2015, researchers from a French-Saudi expedition studying rock inscriptions in southern Saudi Arabia published a 100-page-long report in France’s Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres that reported that the oldest Arabic text, carved on a large rectangular stone that was found in Saudi Arabia, is simply of a name, “Thawban (son of) Malik,” decorated with a Christian cross. The same cross systematically appears on the other similar stelae dating more or less to the same period.

The discovery is sensational since it shows that the origins of the Arabic alphabet used to write the Koran belongs to a Christian context. This pre-Islamic alphabet is also called Nabatean Arabic, because it evolved from the script used by the Nabateans, the once-powerful nation that built Petra and dominated the trade routes in the southern Levant and northern Arabia before being annexed by the Romans in the early 2nd century.

Example of Nabatean script to the god Qasiu. Basalt, 1st century AD. Found in Sia in the Hauran, Southern Syria. (Public Domain)

The ancient text is a legacy of a once flourishing Christian community in the area also linked to the rise of an ancient Jewish kingdom that ruled over much of what is today Yemen and Saudi Arabia

• Oldest Arabic inscription provides missing link between Nabatean and Arabic writing
• Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?

Christians in the Desert
The Muslim tradition preserved in the book of Koran portrays the pre-Islamic region as chaotic and filled with unrest that Mohammed manages to unify with the help of the powerful message of Islam

However, the Islamic text makes no mention of the numerous Christian and Jewish communities across the Saudi peninsula that flourished during the days of Mohammed.

Recent studies of works by ancient Christians and Muslim records have re-shaped our image of the societies that existed in the region and shed new light on the complex history of the region before the advent of Islam. One of the important kingdoms in Arabia at the time was the Jewish kingdom of Himyar.

A bronze statue of Dhamar Ali Yahbur II, a Himyarite King who probably reigned in late 3rd or early 4th century AD. Displayed in Sana'a National Museum. (CC BY 2.0)

The kingdom was founded in the 2nd century AD, and around 380 AD the elites of the kingdom of Himyar converted to some form of Judaism. By the 4th century,

Himyar had become an important player in the struggle for regional power. The Kingdom of Himyar’s headquarters was situated in what is today Yemen, from where its expansionist rulers led a series of campaigns conquering into its neighboring states, including the legendary biblical kingdom of Sheba.

• The Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans
• Is there truth to the Bedouin Legend of the Great River in the Desert?

Royal inscriptions found in the Saudi capital of Riyadhand and Bir Hima, north of Yemen, attest how the Himyarite kingdom during the 5th century expanded its influence into central Arabia, the Persian Gulf area, and into the region of Mecca and Medina, known as Hijaz.

Pre-Islamic rock art of Arabia at Bir Hima, carved into the eastern foothills of the Asir Mountains of Saudi Arabia. (CC BY 2.0)

According to ancient Christian sources, the Christians of the nearby city of Najran suffered a wave of persecution by the Himyarites in 470. The name of Thawban son of Malik appears on eight inscriptions, along with the names of other Christians. The French experts believe these inscriptions are a form of commemoration of Thawban and his fellow Christians that were martyred as they refused to convert to Judaism.

The researchers believe that the Christians choice of the early Arabic script to memorialize their comrades was an act of resistance that stood in sharp contrast to the inscriptions left by Himyarite rulers in their native Sabaean. To adopt a new writing system was a way of manifesting a separation from Himyar, and at the same time, a means to approach the rest of the Arabs to unify against their common enemy.

A portion of a war scene from the Himyarite era. (CC BY SA 3.0)

The growing resistance and outside pressure eventually brought down Himyar. In the years around 500, it fell to Christian invaders from the Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. For the next century, Himyar was a Christian kingdom that continued to exert control over Arabia. During the latter half of the 6th century, one of its rulers, Abraha, marched through Bir Hima, conquering, Yathrib, the desert oasis that 70 years later would become known as Medina – The City of the Prophet.

Featured Image: A photo showing some stelae found with Arabic inscriptions. Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

By Sam Bostrom

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

Most of my friend are happy with the mix of groups. They also like to preserve history not destroy it.

sadly war ravaged a lot of history, and especially tourism back home. I empathize with syria and iraq on that point.

I don't think the world will ever truly recover from the damage - whether destruction or looting - ISIS has done to archaeological treasures that have been preserved for thousands of years. It's truly a tragedy

they want the west to pay to rebuild syria.
$15 trillion + to rebuild syria

If we have a problem with the refugees, each nation should pay to rebuild syria so they have a place

............ Assad has said they can return now, no place to put them or supplies they would need.

Two things occur to me...

The archaeological treasures belong, in a sense, to the world - they are part of the foundations of western civilization. In that sense - donations from around the world, would be good (assuming a stable situation is achieved).

Also, I can't help but wonder if something like a "Marshall Plan" might not be helpful? But so much depends on what kind of political solution comes out of the carnage.

There are far too many refugees for the surrounding countries and Europe to absorb now, far far too many, and too much instability.

As long as Assad is there, it would be filling Assad's and alawite pockets

 

[Coyote]

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

Most of my friend are happy with the mix of groups. They also like to preserve history not destroy it.

sadly war ravaged a lot of history, and especially tourism back home. I empathize with syria and iraq on that point.

I don't think the world will ever truly recover from the damage - whether destruction or looting - ISIS has done to archaeological treasures that have been preserved for thousands of years. It's truly a tragedy

they want the west to pay to rebuild syria.
$15 trillion + to rebuild syria

If we have a problem with the refugees, each nation should pay to rebuild syria so they have a place

............ Assad has said they can return now, no place to put them or supplies they would need.

Two things occur to me...

The archaeological treasures belong, in a sense, to the world - they are part of the foundations of western civilization. In that sense - donations from around the world, would be good (assuming a stable situation is achieved).

Also, I can't help but wonder if something like a "Marshall Plan" might not be helpful? But so much depends on what kind of political solution comes out of the carnage.

There are far too many refugees for the surrounding countries and Europe to absorb now, far far too many, and too much instability.

As long as Assad is there, it would be filling Assad's and alawite pockets

Ya, that's a big part of the problem with any solution

 

[montelatici]

Interesting, Aris, in light of the fact that there are Muslims in the Middle East engaged in persecuting and/or murdering Christians and there are those who are trying to wipe out any evidence of Christians or other ancient cultures which were there. By the way, since your roots are in the Middle East, you probably have had interesting conversations with your Muslim friends and acquaintances during your years there as to how they look upon their religion and the religions of others.


5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation


by Uzay Bulut
November 29, 2015 at 4:00 am

5000-year-old Assyrian Culture Facing Devastation

Most of my friend are happy with the mix of groups. They also like to preserve history not destroy it.

sadly war ravaged a lot of history, and especially tourism back home. I empathize with syria and iraq on that point.

I don't think the world will ever truly recover from the damage - whether destruction or looting - ISIS has done to archaeological treasures that have been preserved for thousands of years. It's truly a tragedy

they want the west to pay to rebuild syria.
$15 trillion + to rebuild syria

If we have a problem with the refugees, each nation should pay to rebuild syria so they have a place

............ Assad has said they can return now, no place to put them or supplies they would need.

Two things occur to me...

The archaeological treasures belong, in a sense, to the world - they are part of the foundations of western civilization. In that sense - donations from around the world, would be good (assuming a stable situation is achieved).

Also, I can't help but wonder if something like a "Marshall Plan" might not be helpful? But so much depends on what kind of political solution comes out of the carnage.

There are far too many refugees for the surrounding countries and Europe to absorb now, far far too many, and too much instability.

As long as Assad is there, it would be filling Assad's and alawite pockets

Why do you support Jewish rule over non-Jews and have a problem with Alawite rule over non-Alawites? What is the difference? Is it the fact that the Israeli Jews are better at keeping the non-Jews they rule over unarmed and maintain better control over the non-Jews than the Alawites keep over the non-Alawites?

 

[Roudy]

Off topic again. The Jooos....the Joooos....the Joooos! It's always the Joooooos.

Sick.

 

[montelatici]

I am asking the Jew worshipping Christian Lebanese a simple question. Why do you feel a need to interfere?