The Stone Waqf Inscription of Ibn Shawsh in Dhamar City (1004 AH / 1596 CE): An Archaeological Stud

Abstract

This study examines a stone endowment inscription dated 1004 AH/1596 CE, recording the endowed property, its conditions, and regulations governing its administration. The endowment was established by Muhammad ibn Husayn Shawsh in the city of Dhamar. Its significance lies in the rarity of stone-inscribed waqf documents in Yemen, as it is the only known example of its kind in Dhamar to date. The inscription possesses both archaeological and artistic value through its decorative elements, as well as historical importance through its textual content, which serves as a documentary record of the city. The study adopts a descriptive and analytical archaeological approach to examine its form and content, including endowment terminology, personal names, titles, and place names, while identifying and tracing them in the present day. The findings indicate that the inscription’s design and decorative features follow the stylistic traditions of tombstones produced during the eleventh century AH/seventeenth century CE. This is attributed to its maker, Abdullah ibn Ahmad al-Mutallali, a prominent tombstone craftsman from Sa'dah. The inscription also combines commemorative epigraphic conventions with documentary formulas characteristic of property deeds and paper waqf records, while preserving valuable information on notable individuals and agricultural localities associated with Dhamar and al-Millah village during the late tenth and early eleventh centuries AH.