958 



Ancient Inscription found at Aden. Communicated to the Asiatic 

 Society by the Government of India. With a plate. 



No. 29 of 1842. 

 From Captain S. B. Haines, Political Agent at Aden, 



To J. P. WlLLOUGHBY, ESQ. 



Secretary to Government of Bombay, dated 29th September, 1842. 



Political Department. 



Sir, — I have the pleasure to forward to you the accompanying copy 

 of an ancient inscription recently discovered in Aden, by the work- 

 people employed in excavating the new road leading up from the 

 Custom House. 



2d. It is an interesting fact, that though Aden in its most flourish- 

 ing era was the principal sea-port of the ancient Hymyari kings, that 

 no Hymyaritic inscriptions previous to this have ever been discovered, 

 either in the ruins of the ancient town, or its immediate vicinity ; 

 though on the shores of Hadramaut, and inland as far as Sana, many 

 beautifully executed inscriptions have been found, and transmitted 

 to Bombay. In every other case, however, the characters have been 

 found on oblong marble blocks, generally forming part of a gateway, 

 as at Nukbel Hajar, on the Hadramaut Coast ; whereas, in the spe- 

 cimen now brought to light from a depth of twenty feet beneath the 

 present surface of Aden, we have a circular slab of pure, and very 

 compact white marble, with a raised rim round it, and apparently 

 forming part of an altar. The inscription is not so well executed as 

 many others that I have seen, but it is perfectly clear, without flaw 

 or injury. In removing the stone, part was unfortunately broken off 

 by the work people. 



3d. The antiquity of this specimen may very safely be dated from 

 the first year of the Hijera, when the last of the Hymyari princes 

 reigned in Yemen. After the conversion of the Sabeeans to the Moslem 

 faith, the altars erected to their gods were overthrown, and the reli- 

 gion of Islam universally prevailed. The character gradually became 

 lost, as the Kufic writing spread over the southern and hitherto 

 unconquered country of Yemen and Nedjran, and is now extinct. The 

 learned professor, Gesenius of Germany, has succeeded in decyphering 



