Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum Palaestinae, Addendum: Squeezes in the Max Van Berchem Collection (Palestine, Trans-Jordan, Northern Syria) Squeezes 1 ... Studies: Section 1; The Near and Middle East)

During his research of the Arabic inscriptions in the Middle East at the end of the 19th century, Max van Berchem collected many squeezes of inscriptions. These squeezes are stored in the archives of the Fondation Max van Berchem in Geneva. The present publication wishes to present a scholarly record of these squeezes, many of which represent inscriptions that do no longer exist. This publication is the first of, hopefully, two addenda which will constitute a full record of one of the few treasures left by the great epigrapher in his archives. For many students of Arabic epigraphy these squeezes afford the only opportunity to have a close glimpse of the originals as possible, and learn about their contents with the aid of the photographs and studies which accompany them in this volume. Western Palestine is extremely rich in Arabic inscriptions, whose dates range from as early as CE 150 until modern times. Most of the inscriptions date from the Islamic period, for under Islam the country gained particular religious and strategic importance, even though it made up only part of the larger province of Syria. This historical importance is clearly reflected in the hundreds of inscriptions, the texts of which cover a variety of topics: construction, dedication, religious endowments, epitaphs, Qur'anic texts, prayers and invocations, all now assembled in the Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum Palaestinae (CIAP). The CIAP follows the method established at the end of the 19th century by Max van Berchem, namely, the studying of the Arabic inscriptions 'in context'. Van Berchem managed to publish two volumes of the inscriptions from Jerusalem: the CIAP covers the entire country. The inscriptions are arranged according to site, and are studied in their respective topographical, historical and cultural context. In this way the CIAP offers more than a survey of inscriptions: it represents the epigraphical angle of the geographical history of the Holy Land. Contents List of squeezes. Alphabetically arranged according to site Squeezes in the original order Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction Sites ABU GHUSH 'AKKO ('AKKA, ACRE) 'AMMAN ASHQELON ('ASQALAN, ASCALON) BALATUNUS (antique PLATANUS) BUSRA CAESAREA (QAYSARIYYAH) DAR'AH (ADHRI'AT) DAYR AL-QALT DIHHIS FIQ HAIFA – SHIQMONAH – TALL AS-SAMAK HEBRON (AL-KHALIL) HUNIN JAFFA (YAFA) JERUSALEM KARAK KAWKAB AL-HAWA MASHATTA (MUSHATTA) AL-MU'ARRIBAH QAL'AT AL-HASA RAMLAH SAFAD (SEFAT, SAFED) SALAMIYYAH (SALAMYAH) ZABAD ZUR'AH (ZURA' AZRA') BALAD (BALAT) or TAKRIT Bibliography Index Index of Arabic Names, Places and Terms Squeezes The squeezes of the Arabic inscriptions collected by Max van Berchem in the Middle East are presented here in a systematic way accompanied by their studies and photographs. This is the first of hopefully two volumes which will cover all the existing squeezes in the Archives, representing many inscriptions which do no longer exist. Registered, Photographed And Studied By Moshe Sharon. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [179]-181) And Indexes.