Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

DURING 19'H CENTURY: ARABIA 719
searches in that region, while Huber returned to Hayil,
whence he travelled via Jebel Nir to Jidda. A full treatment
of the rich geographical results will not be possible until the
completion of Kuting's report, which is
not only beautifully
written but also illustrated by a number of fine drawings.
But even now we cannot put an estimate high enough
upon the epoch-making discovery of South Arabian inscriptions
in
the southeastern part of the Land of Midian (in the
above-mentioned El-'Ola). They belong to the flourishing
period of the Minean kingdom (about 1200-800 B.
C. ), and mention priests and priestesses of Wadd, the Minean
Moon-god. 1
A short excursion into the interior of 'Oman was made in
1884 by Colonel S. B. Miles, who but recently gave a personal
account of the same. 2 According to all descriptions,
including the earlier ones, 'Oman must be a veritable paradise
; and if ever there existed closer relations between ancient
Arabia and India, the principal rendezvous must have
been in this region, which as yet is far from being fully explored.
Whether the civilization of South Arabia extended
to 'Oman, we do not know, since unfortunately there has
been no search yet for inscriptions in that quarter.
Proceeding in chronological order, from this remote corner
of Arabia we must go to Mecca, the centre of Islam. There
in 1884-85 the Dutch Arabist C. Snouck Hurgronje stayed
for nearly a year, having embraced Mohammedanism for
this special purpose. To this man, who was already distinguished
for his knowledge of Islam, such a long sojourn
1
According to Burton, there is still in North Midian a well of Moses and
a chapel of Moses (musallat Musa, literally, the " praying-place of Moses ") ;
especially the chapels (salwat') play an important part in these Minean inscriptions.
2
" Journal of an Excursion in Oman, in South-East Arabia," with
map, in the "Geographical Journal," vol. vii., London, 1896, pp. 522-
537. Concerning Miles' tour to Hadhramot see record for 1870, above.