Tayma

Tayma

تيماء
Tayma تيماء
	Old Town of Tayma
	Tayma Tayma
	Coordinates:27°37′47″N38°32′38″E/ 27.62972°N 38.54389°E
Country	Saudi Arabia
Province	Tabuk province
Time zone	UTC+3(AST)

Tayma/ˈteɪmə/(Taymanitic:𐪉𐪃𐪒,TMʾ,vocalized as:Taymāʾ;^[1]Arabic:تيماء,romanized:Taymāʾ) is a largeoasiswith a long history of settlement, located in northwesternSaudi Arabiaat the point where the trade route betweenMedinaandDumah(Sakakah) begins to cross theNafud desert.Tayma is located 264 km (164 mi) southeast of the city ofTabuk,and about 400 km (250 mi) north ofMedina.^[2]^[3]It is located in the western part of the Nafud desert.

History

The historical significance of Tayma is based on the existence there of an oasis, which helped it become a stopping point on commercial desert routes.^[4]An important event was the presence there ofNabonidus,the lastNeo-Babylonian emperor,who took residence there in the mid-6th century BC.^[4]

Bronze Age: Egyptian inscription

Recent archaeological discoveries show that Tayma has been inhabited since at least theBronze Age.In2010,theMinistry of Tourism of Saudi Arabiaannounced the discovery of thePharaonic Tayma inscriptionbyRamesses III.This was the first confirmed find of ahieroglyphicinscription on Saudi soil. Based on this discovery, researchers have hypothesized that Tayma was part of an important land route between theRed Seacoast of theArabian Peninsulaand theNile.^{[citation needed]}

Assyrian, Babylonian, and biblical sources

The oldest mention of the oasis city appears as "Tiamat" in Neo-Babylonian inscriptions dating as far back as the8th century BC.The oasis developed into a prosperous city rich inwellsand handsome buildings.Tiglath-pileser IIIreceived tribute from Tayma^[5]andSennacherib(r. 705–681 BC) named one ofNineveh's gates the Desert Gate, recording that "the gifts of the Sumu'anite and the Teymeite enter through it". It was rich and proud enough in the seventh century BC forJeremiahto prophesy against it inJeremiah 25:23:"Dedan,Tema, and Buz, and all those who have their hair clipped ". It was ruled then by a local Arab dynasty known as theQedarites.The names of two8th century BCqueens,ŠamšiandZabibe,are recorded.^{[citation needed]}

Emperor Nabonidus (ruled c. 556–539 BC) conquered Tayma, and for ten years of his reign retired there to worship and search for prophecies, entrusting the kingship of Babylon to his son,Belshazzar.^[5]Taymanitic inscriptions also mention that the people of Tayma fought wars with Dadān (Lihyan).^[6]^{[clarification needed]}

Cuneiforminscriptions possibly dating from the6th century BChave been recovered from Tayma.^[7]They are known as theTayma stones.

Tayma is mentioned several times in theHebrew Bible.The biblicaleponymisTema,one of the sons ofIshmael,after whom theLand of Temais named.^{[citation needed]}

Jewish community: classical period and 12th century

According to Arab tradition, Tayma was inhabited by aJewishcommunity during the lateclassical period,but whether they were exiledJudeansor the Arab descendants of converts is unclear. TheJewish diasporaat the time of theTemple's destruction,according toJosephus,was inParthia,Babylonia, Arabia, as well as some Jews beyond theEuphratesand inAdiabene.In Josephus' own words, he had informed "the remotest Arabians" about the destruction.^[8]So, too, inpre-Islamic poetry,Tayma is often referred to as a fortified city belonging to the Jews, as an anonymous Arab poet wrote, "Unto God will I make my complaint heard, but not unto man; because I am a sojourner in Taymā, Taymā of the Jews!"^[9]

As late as the6th centuryAD, Tayma was the home of a wealthy Jew,Samaw'al ibn 'Adiya.^[10]^[11]

Tayma and neighboringKhaybarwere visited byBenjamin of Tudelasometime around 1170. He claimed that the city was governed by a Jewish prince. Benjamin was a Jew fromal-Andaluswho travelled to Persia and Arabia in the 12th century.

Crusader threat

In the summer of 1181,Raynald of Châtillon,Prince of Antiochand Lord ofOultrejordain,attacked a Muslim caravan near Tayma during a raid of theRed Seaarea despite a truce betweenSaladinandBaldwin IV of Jerusalem.^[12]

Climate

In Tayma, there is a desert climate. Most rain falls in the winter. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification is BWh. The average annual temperature in Tayma is 21.8 °C (71.2 °F). About 65 mm (2.56 in) of precipitation falls annually.

Climate data for Tayma
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	17.7 (63.9)	21.1 (70.0)	24.2 (75.6)	29.4 (84.9)	32.8 (91.0)	36.1 (97.0)	36.9 (98.4)	37.1 (98.8)	35.8 (96.4)	31.5 (88.7)	24.2 (75.6)	18.9 (66.0)	28.8 (83.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	4.5 (40.1)	6.9 (44.4)	9.8 (49.6)	14.5 (58.1)	18.9 (66.0)	22.2 (72.0)	23.3 (73.9)	23.3 (73.9)	20.9 (69.6)	16.5 (61.7)	10.7 (51.3)	5.8 (42.4)	14.8 (58.6)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches)	9 (0.4)	4 (0.2)	10 (0.4)	9 (0.4)	3 (0.1)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	7 (0.3)	16 (0.6)	7 (0.3)	65 (2.6)
Source:Climate data

Archaeology

The site was first investigated and mapped by Charles M. Doughty in 1877.^[13] The Taymastelediscovered by Charles Huber in 1883, now at theLouvre,lists the gods of Tayma in the 6th century BC: Ṣalm of Maḥram and Shingala-and-Ashira (or rather, Ashima).^[14]This Ashira may beAthirat/Asherah.

Archeological investigation of the site, under the auspices of theGerman Archaeological Institute,is ongoing.^[15]^[16]

Clay tabletsand stone inscriptions usingTaymaniticscript and language were found in ruins and around theoasis.Nearby Tayma was aSabaeantrading station, whereSabaean languageinscriptions were found.

Economy

Historically, Tayma is known for growingdates.^[17]The oasis also producedrock salt,which was distributed throughoutArabia.^[18]Tayma also minedalum,which was processed and used for the care ofcamels.^[19]

Points of interest

Qasr Al-Ablaq (قصر الأبلق) is aqasrlocated on the southwest side of the city. It was built by the Arab Jewish poet and warriorSamaw'al ibn 'Adiyaand his grandfather 'Adiya in the 6th century.
Qasr Al-Hamra (قصر الحمراء), a palace was built in the 7th century BC.
Tayma has an archaeologically significantperimeter wallbuilt around three sides of the old city in the 6th century BC.
Qasr Al-Radhm (قصر الرضم)
Haddaj Well (بئر هداج)
Cemeteries
ManyAramaic,Lihyanite,Thamudic,andNabataean inscriptions
Qasr Al-Bejaidi (قصر البجيدي)
Al-Hadiqah Mound
Al Naslaarock formation
Many museums. Although Tayma has museums of its own such as the "Tayma Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography", many artifacts from its history have been spread to other museums. Early finds such as the "Tayma Stele" are at the Louvre in Paris among others while large museums of national importance in Saudi Arabia, such as theNational Museum of Saudi Arabiain Riyadh and theJeddah Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnographyalso have significant collections of items from or related to ancient Tayma.

References

^Kootstra 2016.
^"Tema - Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible -".Retrieved2021-03-27– via StudyLight.org.
^"Tema in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Online.Retrieved2021-03-28.
^^a ^b"Tayma - Arabian Rock Art Heritage".Retrieved2019-02-10.
^^a ^b"Tayma - Arabian Rock Art Heritage".Retrieved2023-07-17.
^"krc2.orient.ox.ac.uk"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2016-10-19.Retrieved2019-08-14.
^Folmer, M. L. (1995).The Aramaic Language in the Achaemenid Period: A Study in Linguistic Variation.Peeters Publishers.ISBN 978-90-6831-740-4.
^Josephus.The Jewish War.Translated byWhiston, William.1.1.5 – via PACE: Project on Ancient Cultural Engagement.Greek: Ἀράβων τε τοὺς πορρωτάτω = Preface to Josephus'De Bello Judaico,paragraph 2, "the remotest Arabians" (lit. "the Arabian [Jews] that are further on" ).
^Yāqūt, Šihāb al-Dīn ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Ḥamawī (1995). "Taimā".Mu'jam al-Buldān.Vol. II. Beirut. p. 67;{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)cf. al-Ṭabbā‘ in his Forward to Samaw’al 1997, p. 7^{[full citation needed]}
^Margoliouth, David Samuel (1906). "A poem attributed to Al-Samau'al".Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.London: 363–371.JSTOR 25210253.
^A‘šā (1968). Muḥammad Muḥammad Ḥusayn (ed.).Dīwān al-a'šā al-kabīr maymūn bn qays: šarḥ wa-ta'līq(in Arabic). Beirut. pp. 214, 253.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Leiser, Gary La Viere (1977). "The Crusader Raid in the Red Sea in 578/1182–83".Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt.14:87–100.doi:10.2307/40000370.JSTOR 40000370.
^Dougherty, Raymond P. (1930). "A Babylonian City in Arabia".American Journal of Archaeology.34(3): 296–312.doi:10.2307/497985.JSTOR 497985.S2CID 191390322.
^Miller II, Robert D. (2021).Yahweh: Origin of a Desert God.Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. p. 124.ISBN 9783647540863, 3647540862.{{cite book}}:Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help)
^Hausleiter, A. (2010). "L'oasis de Tayma". In al-Ghabban, A. I.; et al. (eds.).Routes d'Arabie. Archéologie et Histoire du Royaume Arabie-Saoudite(in French). Somogy. pp. 218–239.ISBN 978-2-7572-0393-4.
^Hausleiter, A. (2010). "La céramique du début de l'âge dur Fer". In al-Ghabban, A. I.; et al. (eds.).Routes d'Arabie. Archéologie et Histoire du Royaume Arabie-Saoudite(in French). Somogy. p. 240.ISBN 978-2-7572-0393-4.
^Prothero 1920,p. 83.
^Prothero 1920,p. 97.
^Prothero 1920,p. 98.

Sources

Kootstra, Fokelien (2016)."The Language of the Taymanitic Inscriptions & its classification".Arabian Epigraphic Notes.2:67–140.Retrieved14 December2022.
Prothero, G.W. (1920).Arabia.London: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 83.

External links

Media related toTaymaat Wikimedia Commons

Deutsches Archäologisches Institut:Tayma
Nabatea:The 12 Tribes of Ishmael: Tema
about Jouf district
Verse account of Nabonidus,translation at Livius.org
Chronicle of Nabonidus Archived2016-12-08 at theWayback Machine,translation at Livius.org
Travel through the province of Tabuk,Splendid Arabia: A travel site with photos and routes

27°37′47″N38°32′38″E/ 27.62972°N 38.54389°E/27.62972; 38.54389

[FOOTNOTEKootstra2016-1] Kootstra 2016.

[2] "Tema - Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible -".Retrieved2021-03-27– via StudyLight.org.

[3] "Tema in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Online.Retrieved2021-03-28.

[Rock-4] "Tayma - Arabian Rock Art Heritage".Retrieved2019-02-10.

[:0-5] "Tayma - Arabian Rock Art Heritage".Retrieved2023-07-17.

[krc2-6] "krc2.orient.ox.ac.uk"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2016-10-19.Retrieved2019-08-14.

[7] Folmer, M. L. (1995).The Aramaic Language in the Achaemenid Period: A Study in Linguistic Variation.Peeters Publishers.ISBN 978-90-6831-740-4.

[8] Josephus.The Jewish War.Translated byWhiston, William.1.1.5 – via PACE: Project on Ancient Cultural Engagement.Greek: Ἀράβων τε τοὺς πορρωτάτω = Preface to Josephus'De Bello Judaico,paragraph 2, "the remotest Arabians" (lit. "the Arabian [Jews] that are further on" ).

[9] Yāqūt, Šihāb al-Dīn ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Ḥamawī (1995). "Taimā".Mu'jam al-Buldān.Vol. II. Beirut. p. 67;{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)cf. al-Ṭabbā‘ in his Forward to Samaw’al 1997, p. 7^{[full citation needed]}

[10] Margoliouth, David Samuel (1906). "A poem attributed to Al-Samau'al".Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.London: 363–371.JSTOR 25210253.

[11] A‘šā (1968). Muḥammad Muḥammad Ḥusayn (ed.).Dīwān al-a'šā al-kabīr maymūn bn qays: šarḥ wa-ta'līq(in Arabic). Beirut. pp. 214, 253.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[12] Leiser, Gary La Viere (1977). "The Crusader Raid in the Red Sea in 578/1182–83".Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt.14:87–100.doi:10.2307/40000370.JSTOR 40000370.

[13] Dougherty, Raymond P. (1930). "A Babylonian City in Arabia".American Journal of Archaeology.34(3): 296–312.doi:10.2307/497985.JSTOR 497985.S2CID 191390322.

[14] Miller II, Robert D. (2021).Yahweh: Origin of a Desert God.Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. p. 124.ISBN 9783647540863, 3647540862.{{cite book}}:Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help)

[15] Hausleiter, A. (2010). "L'oasis de Tayma". In al-Ghabban, A. I.; et al. (eds.).Routes d'Arabie. Archéologie et Histoire du Royaume Arabie-Saoudite(in French). Somogy. pp. 218–239.ISBN 978-2-7572-0393-4.

[16] Hausleiter, A. (2010). "La céramique du début de l'âge dur Fer". In al-Ghabban, A. I.; et al. (eds.).Routes d'Arabie. Archéologie et Histoire du Royaume Arabie-Saoudite(in French). Somogy. p. 240.ISBN 978-2-7572-0393-4.

[FOOTNOTEProthero192083-17] Prothero 1920,p. 83.

[FOOTNOTEProthero192097-18] Prothero 1920,p. 97.

[FOOTNOTEProthero192098-19] Prothero 1920,p. 98.

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