l found in some of these in the south. The
famous well Zemzem at Mecca is said to belong to the early times, when
the eastern traffic passed from the south to the north-west of Arabia
through the Hejaz, and to have been rediscovered shortly before the time
of Mahomet. Among the most famous remains of Ma'rib are those of a great
dike reminding one of the restored tanks familiar to visitors at Aden.
These remains were first described by Arnaud (_Journal asiatique_,
January 1874, with plan). Their importance was afterwards emphasized by
Glaser's publication of two long inscriptions concerning their
restoration in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. ("Zwei Inschriften uber
den Dammbruch von Marib," in the _Mitteilungen der Vorderasiatischen
Gesellschaft_, Berlin, 1897). Another dike about 150 yds. long was seen
by W.B. Harris at Hirran in Yemen. Above it was a series of three tanks
(_A Journey through the Yemen_, p. 279, London, 1893).

_Stones and Bronzes._--The 19th century has brought to the museums of
Europe (especially to London, Paris, Berlin and Vienna) a number of
inscriptions in the languages of Minea and Saba, and a few in those of
Hadramut and Katabania (Qatta-bania). These inscriptions are generally
on limestone or marble or on tablets of bronze, and vary from a few
inches to some feet in length and height. In some cases the originals
have been brought to Europe, in other cases only squeezes of the
inscriptions. The characters employed are apparently derived from the
Phoenician (cf. Lidzbarski's _Ephemeris_, vol. i. pp. 109 ff.). The
languages employed have been the subject of much study (cf. F. Hommel's
_Sud-arabische Chrestomathie_, Munich, 1893), but the archaeological
value of these remains has not been so fully treated. Very many of them
are votive inscriptions and contain little more than the names of gods
and princes or private men. A few are historical, but being (with few
and late exceptions) undated, have given rise to much controversy among
scholars. Their range seems to be from about 800 B.C. (or 1500 B.C.
according to E. Glaser) to the 6th century A.D. Few are still _in situ_,
the majority having been taken from their original positions and built
into houses, mosques or wells of more recent date. Among these remains
are altars, and bases for statues of gods or for golden images of
animals dedicated to gods. The earlier stones are devoid of
ornamentation, but the later stones and bronzes are sometimes orna