Dating Systems and Calendars in the Minaean Region

This study examines the Minaean dating systems and calendar organization, addressing the methodological challenges posed by the fragmentary epigraphic evidence and complex interregional calendrical relationships in ancient South Arabia. The analysis focuses on three main areas: administrative dating systems involving kings and eponyms, seasonal divisions and terminology, and the annual calendar with its monthly structure, incorporating new evidence from recently published Minaic documents in the zabūr script. This investigation aims to clarify the internal organization of Minaean months, particularly whether they employed decade-based systems similar to other South Arabian practices, the nomenclature and structure of such temporal divisions, and the possible correspondence between Minaean months and other South Arabian systems.