--- title: Libyan' Inscriptions in Numidia and Mauretania author: Jona Lendering source: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/252/libyan-inscriptions-in-numidia-and-mauretania/ format: machine-readable-alternate updated: 1970-01-01 --- # Libyan' Inscriptions in Numidia and Mauretania _Authored by Jona Lendering_ When the Numidian king Massinissa (c.241-148) died, the people of [Dougga](https://www.worldhistory.org/Dougga/) (or: Thugga) decided to build a monument in his honour. A bilingual inscription (RIL 2, KAI 101) says the building was erected in the tenth reign year of his successor Micipsa (139/8 BC). One part of the inscription was written in [Punic](https://www.worldhistory.org/carthage/). The other part looks like a series of geometrical shapes (strokes, circles, dots and the like). This lesser known type of [writing](https://www.worldhistory.org/writing/), which was already mentioned by Fulgentius the Mythographer and Corippus in antiquity (Chaker), is usually called the 'Libyan' [alphabet](https://www.worldhistory.org/alphabet/). Archaeologists have uncovered more than a thousand 'Libyan' inscriptions throughout Northern [Africa](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/africa/). [ ![Mausoleum, Germa Libya](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/5490.jpg?v=1775036671-1775036671) Mausoleum, Germa Libya George Brigham (CC BY) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5490/mausoleum-germa-libya/ "Mausoleum, Germa Libya")Unfortunately, the Massinissa text is not very representative of the whole collection. There are but a few bilingual (Libyan-Punic or Libyan-Latin) texts to be studied upon. In addition, most documents are very short: "here lies X". To make things worse, the 'Libyan' alphabet comes in a number of variants (mostly containing some 23 symbols), while it is far from sure that one and the same symbol has the same sound value everywhere. Even the dating of many texts raises problems. So, only a part of this set of inscriptions (the 'oriental' part) can be deciphered with reasonable certainty. Obviously, modern scholars are curious to know what ancient language goes with this type of writing. (Perhaps one should even say: what languages, for little is known with certainty.) It is tempting to hypothesize that these 'Libyan' inscriptions were actually written in some ancient form of [Berber](https://www.worldhistory.org/Berbers/) (or some supposed predecessor). After all, the [Berbers](https://www.worldhistory.org/Berbers/) are known to have inhabited the region for quite a long time. Moreover, their language (that is, the set of mutually unintelligible 'Berber' or 'Tamazight' dialects) seems to have originated in Northern Africa itself, unlike the 'imported' languages Punic, Latin, Arabic and French. Some ancient variety of the Berber language may well have been spoken in antiquity already, for the set of Berber dialects constitutes a separate branch of the so-called Afro-Asiatic NoteThe older term "Hamito-semitic" should be avoided. It wrongly suggests that this language family would consist of two branches, a Semitic and a "Hamitic" branch. In reality, no less than six branches have been distinguished. language family (just like the set of Semitic languages or ancient [Egyptian](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Egyptian/), for instance). There is even more reason to guess that 'Libyan' was in fact (some kind of) Berber. Tuareg people (i.e. nomadic Berber tribes living in Southern Algeria and adjacent countries) traditionally use to exchange short and friendly messages in exactly that sort of alphabet, which they call Tifinagh NoteSince 2003, an (artificially) modernised and standardised version of this Tifinagh alphabet is in use in Berber language school education in Morocco. (which is presumably derived from 'Punic' (sc. letters)). As a matter of fact, it is widely believed that the well-known Punic consonantal alphabet served as a 'model' for the Libyan writings of Antiquity. And, moreover, modern scholars (like Werner Pichler) tend to speak of "Libyco-berber [script](https://www.worldhistory.org/script/)", meaning 'Libyan' and/or Tifinagh writings. But one cannot be too cautious. The existence of a "Libyco-berber script" doesn't necessarily imply a Libyco-berber linguistic continuity. In the first place, Berber was not recorded before the Middle Ages. So, in the best case, one has to resort to non-attested, reconstructed words and expressions instead of 'real' Berber, and it is questionable whether those reconstructions reflect the actual language situation of [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) age [Mauretania](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mauretania/) and/or Numidia. (Compare, for example, Robert Kerr's (2010:21-22) scepticism and methodological criticism with Salem Chaker's moderate optimism.) Nevertheless, the idea that MSNSN GLDT W GJJ reflects something like 'Massinissa the king (Tashelhit Berber: agellid), son of (TB: u) [Gaia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Gaia/)', is exciting. **Abbreviations** KAI = Donner, H. & W. Röllig (1962-4): Kanaanäische und aramäische Inschriften (3 volumes). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. RIL = Chabot, J.-B. (1940): Recueil des inscriptions libyques. [Paris](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/paris/), Imprimerie nationale. #### Editorial Review This human-authored article has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## Bibliography - [Centre de Recherche Berbère - Ecriture Libyco-Berbère](http://www.centrederechercheberbere.fr/lecriture-libyco-berbere.html "Centre de Recherche Berbère - Ecriture Libyco-Berbère"), accessed 1 Dec 2016. - [Reference books - Theology : Latino-Punic Epigraphy : Reference Works](http://www.mohr.de/en/theology/reference-works/buch/latino-punic-epigraphy.html "Reference books - Theology : Latino-Punic Epigraphy : Reference Works"), accessed 1 Dec 2016. - Bohec, Yann Le. *Histoire de l'Afrique romaine.* Paris, éd. Picard, 2005 - [Flavius Cresconius Corippus. *The Iohannis, Or, De Bellis Libycis.* Edwin Mellen Press, 1998.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0773482423/) - Fulgentius. *De aetatibus.* - Kossmann. "Essai sur la phonologie du proto-berbère." *Grammatical analysis of African Language*, vol. 12, pp. Köln/Cologne. - M. G. Kossmann and H. Stroomer et al. (ed). *Essais sur des variations dialectales et autres articles.* Köln/Cologne: Köppe Verlag, 41-68. - [Michael Brett. *The Berbers.* Wiley-Blackwell, 1997.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0631207678/) - Pichler, Werner. "Origin and development of the Libyco-Berber script." *(Berber Studies*, vol 15, pp. Köln: Koeppe. ## Cite This Work ### APA Lendering, J. (2011, August 08). Libyan' Inscriptions in Numidia and Mauretania. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Lendering, Jona. "Libyan' Inscriptions in Numidia and Mauretania." *World History Encyclopedia*, August 08, 2011. . ### MLA Lendering, Jona. "Libyan' Inscriptions in Numidia and Mauretania." *World History Encyclopedia*, 08 Aug 2011, . ## License & Copyright © Jona Lendering of [Livius.org](http://www.livius.org/ "Livius"). Republished with the author's permission.' sfdffdsgsgssd Original article by **Jona Lendering**. Submitted by [Jan van der Crabben](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jvdc/ "User Page: Jan van der Crabben"), published on 08 August 2011. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Copyright](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright). You cannot use, copy, distribute, or modify this item without explicit permission from the author. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.