The Bronze Frieze is one of the archaeological artifacts selected to participate in the Saudi Archeological Masterpieces Through the Ages Exhibition, held at the Louvre Museum in the French capital, Paris, in 2010. The exhibition featured three hundred pieces representing various materials and historical periods, sourced from different provinces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These artifacts are categorized according to their historical sequence into three groups: prehistoric artifacts, pre-Islamic artifacts, and Islamic-era artifacts.
Description of the frieze
The frieze is made of bronze and features raised ribs. It is engraved with an inscription in Musnad script, which reads as follows:
Qaaf, Noon, Yaa. Dhaal, Seen, Meem, Waaw, Yaa. Ayn, Daal ,Yaa. Kaaf, Alif, Baa, Taa, Noon. Haa, Faa, Noon, Noon, Haa, Noon. Baa, Noon. Faa, Raa. Ayn, Taa. Faa, Raa, Ayn, Haa, Waaw, Dhaal.
It was discovered in al-Okhdood Archaeological City, located in al-Qabil Village, on the southern bank of Wadi Najran, in Najran Province, in the southern part of Saudi Arabia. The area is rich in historical antiquities. The bronze frieze is registered under number 1327.
Dimensions of the frieze
Width: 9.5 cm.
Length: Fifty-three cm.
Thickness: 7.5 cm.
History of the frieze
The bronze frieze dates back to the period between two hundred BCE and one hundred CE. It is displayed at the Saudi National Museum in Riyadh. The discovery of the frieze resulted from archaeological survey and excavation efforts conducted by the antiquities and museums sector in Saudi Arabia over the past years. It is also part of the discoveries made by Saudi archaeologists and scientific expeditions.
Significance of the frieze
The discovery of the bronze frieze indicates the presence of metalworking in the Arabian Peninsula and highlights the skill of the scribe who engraved a full line of text onto it.
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