Sinai Rock Inscriptions on the Road from Suez, Antique Print, 1776

This is an original antique copper engraving from 1776, plate XLIX of the first volume of Carsten Niebuhr's Voyage en Arabie. The caption below the image reads Opschriften aan den Weg van Sués naar den Berg Sinaï. in Dutch and Inscriptions sur le Chemin de Sués, vers la Montagne de Sinaï. in French, meaning inscriptions on the road from Suez to Mount Sinai.

The plate is printed across the width of the sheet. Inside a double border it sets out a series of inscriptions in an unfamiliar cursive script, each copied in its own ruled compartment and keyed by a letter. The left column holds A, B, C, D, E, M and N; the right column holds G, H, I, K and L. The script runs in one to four rows per compartment. In C and E a wavy line marks the broken edge of the rock, with the letters stopping against it, small patches of stippling in G and K and a dotted outline in I mark worn places in the stone. G and H also include small outline drawings of animals among the letters. Compartment L holds no writing: it shows two outline animals, each with a standing figure on its back holding a bow.

No artist's or engraver's name is lettered on the plate. The plate number Tab. XLIX. is engraved vertically in the lower right margin.

The plate belongs to the first volume of Niebuhr's Voyage en Arabie & en d'autres Pays circonvoisins, marked TOME PREMIER and Traduit de l'Allemand on its title page, which carries the imprint of S. J. Baalde at Amsterdam and J. van Schoonhoven and Comp. at Utrecht and the date MDCCLXXVI. Carsten Niebuhr (1733 to 1815) was a German born surveyor in Danish service and the only member of the Danish expedition to Arabia (1761 to 1767), sent by King Frederick V of Denmark, to return alive. The account was first published in German at Copenhagen; this is the French translation printed in Amsterdam and Utrecht.

Light uneven toning, browner toward the edges. Handling soiling along the left edge. Scattered light foxing in the margin. A tear with a small loss at the lower left corner, outside the printed area. Several larger brown marks.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.