Before Rich reported Prof dr Nebes's opinion, I had asked my colleague Ahmad Al-Jallad, an expert in Arabian epigraphy, and he in turn asked a specialist, Dr. Alessia Prioletta, University of Pisa, from whom he received the following (since it does provide some additional information, I append it here although the main point has already been clarified):

I’ve never seen this text before, even though to be 100% sure I should check a few old publications, which I don’t have with me right now. 
The text is a fragment of dedication to Tʾlb Rymm master of Qdmn ḏ-Dmhn (ll. 3-4). From the name of the sanctuary, it comes from the city of al-Ḥuqqa north of Sanaa. It is not possible to determine the length of the lacuna on the top and the bottom of the text, whereas on the right only few letters should be missing (about two). The text should date around the end of 1st c. BC to 2nd c. AD. Finally, it is interesting because only a few bronze plaques have been found with dedication to Ta’lab, and none to Tʾlb of Qdmn ḏ-Dmhn.

Al-Jallad adds that since it seems to have been unpublished, the chances that it are fake are very small --i.e., it is not likely to be a copy of a known object.

Best, Jonathan


On Fri, Oct 30, 2015 at 8:01 PM, Richard Salomon <rsalomon@u.washington.edu> wrote:
Here is some authoritative information about the copper plate (reportedly) from Peshawar, provided by Professor Dr Norbert Nebes of the University of Jena, forwarded by M. Macdonald of Oxford:

"As far as I am aware  the fragment of the bronze plaque is unknown and has not been published yet. It comes from the sanctuary  QDMN of Ta'lab Riyam  which is  situated in Damhan, the ancient name of the present day al-Huqqa in the northern highlands of Yemen (about 20 km in the north of Sanaa).  Without any doubt,  it is a votive text probably dedicated by a female person. The text (Middle Sabaic, from the early centuries AD) also contains two or three interesting words."

[Prof. Nebes wishes it to be noted that "the information is not intended for the art market resp. for persons who are involved in this metier (in any way)."]

So my previous guess about the dating was way off -- please disregard it. The correct date proposed by Prof. Nebes, i.e. "the early centuries AD," makes a little more sense, in that this is the period when Peshawar (ancient Purusapura) was something of a metropolis. But it is still very surprising that this object from such a remote location should be found there. Of course it is possible that it was brought to Pakistan in modern times, but this seems hardly likely. If this really is what it seems, it might be somehow be a by-product of the widespread international sea and land trade between India and the west in the period concerned.

Rich Salomon

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: [INDOLOGY] copper plate
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:48:45 +0100 (CET)
From: Piotr Balcerowicz <p.balcerowicz@uw.edu.pl>
To: indology@list.indology.info 


Dear Colleagues,
Attached is a photograph of a copper plate found near Peshawar. Exact location of the fund is unknown. I thought this might be of some interested to some of you. If anyone can say more about the contents of the copper plate and its possible date, it’ll be appreciated. 
Regards,
Piotr Balcerowicz
--------------------------------
www.orient.uw.edu.pl/balcerowicz


<Peshawar.jpg><Attached Message Part.txt>




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J. Silk
Leiden University
Leiden University Institute for Area Studies, LIAS
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