https://arab.news/rbw7e
- Prof. Suleiman Al-Theeb made the assertion during a panel discussion on "Ancient Arabic Writings" at the cultural program of the Riyadh International Book Fair
- The fair was organized by the Kingdom's Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission between September 26 and October 5.
RIYADH: Only Arabs inhabited the Arabian Peninsula both in ancient and modern times, and that other ethnicities that lived there did so temporarily, a leading Saudi historian has said.
Dr. Suleiman Al-Theeb made the assertion during a panel discussion on "Ancient Arabic Writings" at the cultural program of the Riyadh International Book Fair, which dealt on the deep-rooted cultural heritage of the Kingdom and the Arabian Peninsula, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The fair was organized by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission between September 26 and October 5.
At the discussion, Al-Theeb talked about the meanings of ancient Arab inscriptions, writings in the Arabic script, and the region's heritage and antiquities.
As narrated in the SPA report, Al-Theeb noted that the term "Arab" was first used to describe a group of tribes during the Assyrian era, in the 8th and 9th centuries BCE.
Prof. Suleiman Al-Theeb said the term "Arab" was first used to describe a group of tribes during the Assyrian era, in the 8th and 9th centuries BCE. (SPA)
Migrations from the Arabian Peninsula began from the central region, moving northward to Mesopotamia, Greater Syria, and Egypt, where immigrants settled and established kingdoms, said Al-Theeb, who is a professor of ancient Arabic inscriptions at King Saud University.
Al-Theeb pointed out that the oldest known Arab inscription, found in the city of Lachish in Palestine, is a Thamudic inscription dating back to 1300 BCE.
"Initially, it was believed to be Phoenician and dated to 1509 BCE, but it was later confirmed to combine South Arabian script and Thamudic letters," the report said.
Al-Theeb has written extensively about civilizations dating back thousands of years in the Arabian Peninsula, exploring various social dimensions.
He is a writer, historian, researcher, and an expert in archaeology and ancient languages of the Arabian Peninsula.
He presented part of the history of the Arabian Peninsula, and its cultural and civilizational role, highlighted the region's language and identity, and shed light on social, religious, and economic aspects, inscriptions, rock and wall art, and artifacts.
Al-Theeb said these writings and inscriptions testify to the Arabic Peninsula's deep historical roots and its rich cultural heritage.