On the origin of the deity Uzza
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-6573/16509Keywords:
early Islam, Proto-Sinaitic, UzzahAbstract
Early Islamic sources present the degrading of the goddess Uzza to a mere idol: al-Uzzah. A recently found Late Bronze Age inscription from Timna in the Wadi Arabah, written in the Proto-Sinaitic script, revealed a small piece of evidence for the prehistory of the deity Uzza. The inscription was written in two ovals and reads: R. ‘ZRMM; L. ŠKLḪ. I interpret this as ‘z-rmm škl(l)ḫ, “Az-Ramam, the scribe.” The theophoric element ‘z indicates that the deity Uzza was already venerated in the Late Bronze Age.
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