Theonyms in Safaite inscriptions: preliminary remarks

Abstract

The present article reviews the theonyms mentioned in the corpus of Safaite epigraphic inscriptions. For the first time in the history of Russian Oriental Studies, the author conducts a comparative analysis of Safaite, Hismaite and Samudi texts and acquaints the Russian reader with the major deities of the North-Arabian pantheon. On the basis of this analysis, the work marks the two levels of Safaite Olympus: the cosmic one, represented by common Arab deities (al-Lat, Belshmin and Radw), and the tribal one, which includes the mythical characters of Salam, Yath, Dath and gadd-deities. In addition, the author observes the use of the reviewed theonyms by the denizens of pre-Islamic Arabia for the purposes of nomination.