MAKKAH: More than 13 types of inscriptions from ancient civilizations, mostly written in Arabic, have been found the Arabian Peninsula, experts have revealed.
The best known inscriptions are rock inscriptions on mountains, Dr. Sulaiman Al-Thiaeb, professor of ancient Arabic writings and cultural consultant at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, told Arab News.
“The oldest Arabian Islamic and Arabic-related inscriptions are the Thamudic inscriptions that date as far back as 1200 B.C.,” he said. “We did not find political Thamudic inscriptions because most of them are social and reflect the thoughts of ancient Thamudic or Arab individuals. We mostly find them in deserts, along trade routes and inside cities such as AlUla, Najran, Tayma and Al-Jouf, which were the capitals of kingdoms.”