of the University of Victoria, is working on the local rock-cut tombs. The other, M. Barbara Reeves of Victoria University, is studying the petrogylphs and inscriptions.
The incentive for that study was the discovery of a detailed petroglyph that Reeves subsequently interpreted as showing a Roman officer carrying out a religious ceremony at a location on one of Humayma’s sandstone ridges.I noted an article on the site of Hawara recently here. Hawara is the ancient name of the city. The modern name of the site in Jordan is Humayma (or Humeima). It is not to be confused with the Hawara (Huwara) on the West Bank (see here and here).
“I returned in 2014 to survey the ridge associated with the petroglyph, along with some sites on the adjacent landmasses,” Reeves said.
“During that survey, more than 150 petroglyphs, 20 inscriptions [Greek, Nabataean and Thamudic], 2 betyl niches and numerous recent Arabic inscriptions were documented in association with 15 human activity areas.
“The petroglyphs were carved into vertical and horizontal faces and on both natural and human-modified surfaces, showing wild and domesticated animals, hunting scenes, armed humans standing and riding, human worshippers, human footprints, gods, and symbols,” she said.
The Nabateans spoke Arabic but wrote in a dialect of Aramaic. Media stories about them usually involve Petra, so it's nice to be getting information about a different site. For many past posts on the Nabateans (Nabataeans) and their language, start here and follow the links or search the PaleoJudaica archive.
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