Even Briefer

Personal Names in the Nabatean Realm

Avraham Negev Qedem, Monographs of the Institute of Archaeology 32 (Jerusalem: Hebrew Univ., 1991)

The Nabateans, builders of magnificent Petra (now widely known as a setting for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), were masters of the desert as well, leaving caravan stops, burial grounds and graffiti over a wide area. This reference work by Avraham Negev (“Understanding the Nabateans,” BAR 14:06) lists 1,249 Nabatean personal names in Aramaic, indicating the geographic location in which they were found, the Arabic form of the name and an interpretation. Analytical tables divide the names by regional distribution, theophoric elements, ethnic origin, frequency of use and references to occupation, plants, animals, celestial bodies and physical and spiritual qualities. A valuable resource for understanding the long history (fourth century B.C.–second century A.D.) of the Nabateans.

Economic Texts From Sumer