The South-Nem itic group of inscriptions, though but little known until comparatively re cent times, have furnished valuable information in regard to the early history of Arabia, and their study has developed into a most important branch of Semitic research. This group may be provisionally divided into four sections: The Safaitic, the Lipjanian, the South-Arabian, and the Abyssinian. (1) The Safaitic inscriptions, found in the neighborhood of Es-Safa, south of Damascus, are chiefly epitaphs and contain littlo more than the names and genealogies of the de ceased whose memory they preserve. Apparently they do not antedate the first century of the Christian era. Consult: 11a1C-vy, Essai sur les inscriptions du Sofa (Paris, 1582) ; Littmann, Zur Entziffcrung der Safd•Inschrificn (Leipzig, 1901). (2) Libjanian is the name given to a class of inscriptions found in recent times at EI-Ocla, in Northern Hejaz, because the King of Lihjan (an Arabian tribal name) is mentioned in them as the ruler of the district in which they occur. They are not numerous, and the mutilated condition in which most of them have been found renders their interpretation extremely difficult. Their date is somewhat doubtful, but they seem to lie contemporary with the rule of the Ptolemies in Egypt. Consult: D. 11. 'Biller, Epigraphische Denkmaler aus Arable?, (Vienna, ISSN ; Niddeke, Dir Sem itischen Sprachcn (Leip zig. 1899). Far more important than the two classes just mentioned are (3) the Sou th-A rabian inscriptions, found principally in the southwest ern corner of the Arabian peninsula. These in scriptions. which are very numerous, refer chiefly to the dedication of buildings or the presentation of various objects to the gods, and they throw much light upon the religion of the ancient Arabians. They contain, moreover. many val uable historical and geographical allusions, and enable us to reconstruct at least an outline of the history of the country for a period which, until recent years. has been involved in complete obscurity. The South-Arabian inscriptions ex hibit several dialects, each possessing marked grammatical peculiarities. The oldest inscrip tions are composed in the dialect of the whose kings ruled over a large part of Arabia at least as early as the fourteenth century n.c., their influence extending as far north as the bor ders of Palestine. About the eighth century n.c. their dominion passed into the hands of the Saba; ans. In theme two dialects the great mass of the South-Arabian inscriptions are composed. The dialects of Kalaban and Iladranutut, in the extreme southern part of Arabia, are represented by a few inscriptions. Both those dialects seem to have been more closely related to Minivan than to Sabiran. Of the large nuitilm.r of South-Arabian inscriptions collected by various explorers notably by the Austrian scholar Glaser a very eonsiderable portion yet awaits publica tion. Consult : Weber. Arabien ror dent Islam (Leipzig, 1902) ; id., Studien zur Siidarabischen .1 her umskundc ( Berlin. 1a01) : Winckler, 3/118111, .11010111(1, (Berlin, 1898) ; Glaser, Skizze (k• Gcschichte um/ Geographic Arabicas (Ber lin, 1889-90) ; Hummel, Sadarabische rhresto mathic (Munich, 1893), contains a very complete bibliography of the subject. down to the (late of
publieat ion. See also 11 N .EAN S ; SA ILEA N S. (4) The Abyssinian inscriptions. found at the ancient capital Axum, are few in number and belong to a late period. The earliest date from about 350 Am., and are written in the Sabiean modification of the South-Semitic alphabet. In inscriptions of a later (late (about 500 A.D.) the Ethiopic system of writing, as used in the manu scripts, is found fully developed. Consult: Bent, The Sacred City of the Ethiopians (London, 1893); D. II. Epigraphischc Denkmahr ails' Abcssynien (Vienna, 1891) : Glaser, Die Abessynier in A rabien and Afrika (Munich, 1895). See also ETHIOPIA.
In recent years considerable attention has been paid to the study of the Hittite monuments, vhieh are found throughout Asia Minor as far west as Smyrna, though they occur most abun dantly around the Bay of Iskanderun, in Cappa docia, in Cilicia. and in Northern Syria. In 1899 a long Hittite inscription was found at Babylon, whither it had been conveyed as a trophy. The Hittite inscriptions employ a species of hiero glyphic writing, the diameters repre senting parts of the human body, animals, and other objects. In the older inscriptions the hieroglyphs are cut in relief. while in those of later date they are incised. :Man• attempts have Veen made to decipher these inscriptions, but, so far, with slight success. Professor Jensen of :Marburg has at least made a and his identifications of ideographs and sign groups for various countries seem to rest upon solid grounds. He believes that the language belongs to the Ar menian branch of the Aryan family, but the known facts are too scanty to warrant a definite conclusion upon this subject at present. Con sult : Messerschmidt, Die liettitcr (Leipzig, 1902) : Corpus Inscriptionam Ilettitiearum (Ber lin. 1900.02) ; Jensen, Hettiter und Armenier (Strasshurg, 189S) : Koldewey, Die hettitischc Inschrift gefunden in der Koniosburg con Baby /on (Leipzig, 1900). See also IfirmEs.
The Old Persian inscriptions are exclusively regal. The longest and most typical one is that at 13chistun (q.v.), which recounts the life and deeds of Darius I. The shorter inscriptions of the same king, as well as of his sueeessors. Xerxes I., and Artaxerxes I., II., and TH., are more occa sional in subject. They are in the main dedi catory tablets, set up at Susa, Persepolis, Elvand, Naqs-i-Rustem. and Suez. Like the Behistun inscription, these minor texts express a deep and unfeigned religious spirit. In style the Old Per sian inscriptions show in many phrases the in fluence of the earlier Assyro-Babylonian tablets, although the freer Aryan spirit is manifest throughout. The Old Persian inscriptions have been edited several times. The hest editions are by Raw'bison, "The Persian Cuneiform Inscrip tion at Behistun," in Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, old series (London, 1846) ; Spie gel, Alt persisehe Keilinsehrif ten (Leipzig, 1881) ; NVeissbach and Bang, A Itpersische Keilinsehrif ten (ib., 1803) ; Tolman, Persian Inscriptions (New York, 1892). Consult also the bibliography of