Hatran inscriptions are a corpus of Aramaic inscriptions discovered primarily at the ancient city of Hatra in northern Iraq. The texts date mainly from the 1st–3rd centuries CE and are written in the Hatran Aramaic dialect using the distinctive Hatran script. The inscriptions constitute one of the most important sources for the language, religion, and political organization of the semi-independent kingdom of Hatra during the Parthian and early Sasanian periods.

More than 450 inscriptions and graffiti are known, mostly carved on stone monuments within the sacred precincts of Hatra, as well as at nearby sites such as Assur and elsewhere in northern Mesopotamia. TSSI IV, p.27: "The Hatran material is much more restricted and at the moment we do not have any compensating help from documentary materials (as in Nabataean and Syriac). There are some 450 inscriptions and graffiti on stone from Hatra itself and a number of others from nearby, notably from Ashur (also some dipinti) (Aggoula 1985) and other less important sites (e.g. Tille: C. S. Lightfoot and Healey 1991). The inscriptions are mostly commemorative, but often contain reference to the rulers and religion of Hatra. A few texts: (76–80) are legal, having been set up as regulations connected with temples and building works (Healey 2005b; Kaizer 2006a)."

Together with the inscriptions of Palmyra, Nabataea, and Edessa, the Hatran texts form one of the main corpora of Aramaic epigraphy from the Roman and Parthian Near East.

The inscriptions are typically short and formulaic, and include building inscriptions, statue dedications, religious dedications, funerary texts and legal regulations concerning temples and property. Many of the inscriptions are preserved in the Mosul Museum and the Iraq Museum.

Corpora The first published inscription is today known as KAI 257. It was found in 1937 during excavations at the Temple of Atargatis and Hadad in Dura-Europos (Salhije); its script style and language correspond to the rest of the Hatra inscriptions.Mesnil du Buisson, Syria 19 (1938) 147–152; R. Dussaud, same journal, p. 152. A. Caquot, Syria 30 (1953) 245f.

The first set of inscriptions from Hatra was published by Fuad Safar in the journal Sumer, beginning in 1951. They numbered sequentially as excavation finds, and this numbering system has since been extended by later scholars as the H-number.TSSI IV, 47: "Note the standard numbering of Hatran inscriptions with an H-prefix, seen most fully in Beyer 1998" KAI Nr. 237—257: Erstveröffentlichung und Abb.: F. Safar, Sumer 7 (1951) 170—184 (Nr. 1—27); 8 (1952) 183—195 (Nr. 28—38); 9 (1953) 240—249, 271 (Nr. 1—57); 11 (1955) 3—14 (Nr. 58—78); 17 (1961) 9—42 (Nr. 79—105). — Ferner: A. Caquot, Semitica 4 (1951/52) 55—58. — Ders., Syria 29 (1952) 89—118; 30 (1953) 234—246. — O. Krückmann, AfO 16 (1952) 141—148. — A. Maricq, Syria 32 (1955) 273—288. — J. Hoftijzer, JEOL 15 (1957/58) 124f. Im Folgenden jeweils in eckigen Klammern die Nr. der Originalpublikation. Nr. 257 ist 1937 während der Ausgrabungen am Tempel der Atargatis und des Hadad in Dura-Europos (Salhije) gefunden worden. Schriftduktus und Sprache entsprechen den Inschriften von Hatra. Erstpublikation und Abb.: Mesnil du Buisson, Syria 19 (1938) 147—152. — Ferner: R. Dussaud, ebenda 152. — A. Caquot, Syria 30 (1953) 245f. The table below shows a concordance with those inscriptions which were also mentioned in significant corpora of Aramaic inscriptions.

H number Image TSSITextbook of Syrian Semitic Inscriptions, Vol. IV KAI Description No. lines 1 237 Wall of Room 5 in the B-LSMJN Temple 3 4 238 Statue of the goddess Nanaya 9 5 239 Marble statue 4 13 240 Marble altar 3 16 241 In the south of the temple 2 20 242 Statue on the east wall of the temple 5 21 243 Marble statue 2 23 67 244 Memorial Prayer from a Temple; east wall of the temple 5 24 245 East wall of the temple 4 25 246 North wall of the temple 3 29 80 247 On Not Wearing Shoes in a Temple; Outer palace sanctuary No. 4 6 30 72 248 Statue of Woman with a Curse on Those Who Killed Her 10-12 34 74 “For the Life of …” Dedication 8 35 75 “For the Life of …” Dedication 8 35 249 Statue of a woman 8 36 250 Marble statue 6 52 251 Graffito in palace sanctuary No. 3 5 60 252 Lintel of palace sanctuary No. 9 1 62 253 Marble tablet from palace sanctuary No. 9 3 67 254 Threshold in palace sanctuary No. 10 1 71 255 Alabaster base in palace sanctuary No. 10 1 74 68 256 Temple Dedication; Marble slab from the tiles of the southern portico in the central palace sanctuary 8 79 70 Royal Statue Dedication 1+14 107 64 Building Inscription 8 139 73 Dedication for the Life of the King 4 232 69 Altar Inscription 22 272 65 Building Inscription Dated 138 CE 3 281 76 Employee Regulations 12 342 78 A Law Concerning Temple Slaves 14 344 77 A Temple Regulation 13 408 66 Building Inscription Dated 235 CE 9 343, 336 79 A Law on Theft 9 345, 353 71 Royal Statue Dedication 7 - 257 Stone slab from the Atargatis–Hadad Temple in Dura-Europos 4

Gallery - unidentified inscriptions

See also Assur ostracon and tablets

Bibliography Initial publications F. Safar, Sumer 7 (1951) 170–184 (nos. 1–27); 8 (1952) 183–195 (nos. 28–38); 9 (1953) 240–249, 271 (nos. 1–57); 11 (1955) 3–14 (nos. 58–78); 17 (1961) 9–42 (nos. 79–105).

Later studies A. Caquot, Semitica 4 (1951/52) 55–58; also Syria 29 (1952) 89–118; 30 (1953) 234–246. O. Krückmann, AfO 16 (1952) 141–148. A. Maricq, Syria 32 (1955) 273–288. J. Hoftijzer, JEOL 15 (1957/58) 124f. Vattioni, F. Le iscrizioni di Hatra.

Aggoula B., Inventaire des inscriptions hatréennes, Paris, 1991.

References