Aslah Inscription at Petra
This dated inscription names a Nabataean king and his royal father, helping establish the kingdom’s chronology. It also records a dedication to Dushara and offers direct evidence of early Nabataean religious life at Petra.
About the Discovery
Near the entrance to Petra’s Siq, an inscription carved high on the wall of a rock-cut dining chamber records a dedication by Aslah, son of Aslah. The text dedicates the chamber to Dushara, an important Nabataean god, for the life of King Obodas, son of King Aretas. It dates the dedication to the first year of Obodas’s reign.
The inscription is generally dated to about 96/95 BC and is regarded as the earliest securely dated Nabataean inscription at Petra. It shows how religious dedications, royal authority, and community gatherings were connected in the early Nabataean kingdom.
Scripture Reference
2 Corinthians 11:32 (mentions the later Nabataean king Aretas; not a reference to this inscription).