A highly striking and stylised stele, in the form of a rectangular face with large almond shaped eyes and detailed pupils. A rectangular nose joining with arched eyebrows. The forehead has been inscribed with the following: ?bs³l Grbm (Abiwasal Gharbum) The name ?bs³l (which is not attested) is probably a defective orthography of the known name?bws³l and can be compared to other known inscriptions ‘?ms³l’ and ‘?mws³l’. The ‘Gharbum’ lineage is Qatabanite. It is therefore likely that the stele comes from the necropolis of Timna which is called today ?ayd Ibn'Aqil.

Provenance

From Haid Bin Aqil, necropolis of Timna, capital of South Arabian Kingdom Qataban.
Private UK Collection, acquired in the early 1960’s (accompanied by export license dated 4th May 1962 from the Colony of Aden in the name of Major M.D Van Lessen, signed and translated by Donald Brian Doe, director of Antiquities, Aden).
London Art Market, 2011.
Private Collection.

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