Access and Understand the Sources

Paleo-Arabic is Now Enrolling

August 10-14, 2026

The Paleo-Arabic corpus (pre-Islamic Arabic inscriptions in the Arabic script from the 6th and early 7th c. CE) is perhaps the most important material witness to the immediate context of Islam's rise. While only a few decades ago, the number of Paleo-Arabic texts known numbered barely four inscriptions, today the corpus reaches nearly 100 specimens, ranging from the Yemeni frontier to Syria. This course introduces students to the Paleo-Arabic epigraphic corpus and its application to understanding the rise of Islam. Students will gain mastery over the script and its evolution from its Nabataean forebearer. Participants will conduct a comprehensive reading of the known corpus, critically examining issues of decipherment, interpretation, and historical contextualization. 7.5 contact hours + 1 office hour of of free discussion. All course materials are yours.