The Maymūnah Stone (Maltese: il-Ġebla ta' Majmuna or il-Ħaġra ta' Majmuna, Arabic: شاهد قبر ميمونة)[1] is a 12th-century marbletombstone (of Roman origins) which is believed to have been discovered in Xewkija, Gozo, Malta. According to judge and historian Giovanni Bonello, the Majmuna Stone is a "spectacular visual relic of the Islamic presence in Malta." It is now exhibited in the Gozo Museum of Archaeology at the Cittadella of Victoria, Gozo.[2]
The marble stone was originally used in the Roman period as its backside indicates. A relief in the form of a rose was sculpted in the Roman architectural style. It was later reused as a tombstone. It is the only islamic funerary stone in Malta of its period to be still intact in its original size and the only one which gives a date.[3]
The Majmuna Stone is the tombstone of a girl called Majmuna, who died on 21 March 1174.[4] It is a marble slab which has Roman decorations on the back (such reuse was a common occurrence in Islamic North Africa). The KuficArabic inscription approximately translates to:[2][5]
In the name of Allah, the merciful and compassionate. May He be propitious to the Prophet Muhammad and to his followers and grant them eternal salvation.
God is great and eternal and He has decreed that his creatures should perish. Of this the prophet of Allah bears witness. This is the tomb of Maymūnah, daughter of Hassān, son of ‘Ali al-Hudali, known as Ibn as-Susi. She died – Allah's mercy be upon her – on Thursday 16th day of the month of Sha'ban in the year 569, professing that there is only one God who has no equal. Look around you! Is there anything everlasting on earth; anything that repels or casts a spell on death? Death robbed me from a palace and, alas, neither doors nor bolts could save me. All I did in my lifetime remains, and shall be reckoned.
Oh he who looks upon this tomb! I am already consumed inside it, and dust has settled on my eyes. On my couch in my abode there is nothing but tears, and what is to happen at my resurrection when I shall appear before my Creator? Oh my brother, be wise and repent.
The inscription is dated 1174, almost a century after the Norman invasion of Malta in 1091. It is believed that Islam remained the dominant religion in Malta until the Muslims were expelled in 1224.[6]
Recent history
Other visual Islamic funerary found at the Domvs Romana in Rabat, Malta
The date and location of discovery of the Majmuna Stone are unknown. It is traditionally held that the stone was found in an area known as Ta' Majmuna, between the Gozitan villages of Xewkija and Sannat. However, it is also possible that the stone was not found in Malta at all, and it might originate from Tunisia, North Africa.[7]
In his 1772 book Malta illustrata ovvero descrizione di Malta isola del Mare Siciliano e Adriatico, Count Giovannantonio Ciantar wrote about the stone and illustrated it, but he was not able to decipher its writing. Ciantar wrote that the tombstone was located in the courtyard of a private residence.[2]
In 1799, during the Maltese uprising against French occupation, Paul I of Russia sent the diplomat Andrey Italinski to ensure the insurgents that they had Russian protection. Italinski examined the stone during his stay in Malta, and was the first person who managed to decipher part of its inscription.[2]
In an undated early 19th century scrapbook, Father Giuseppe Carmelo Gristi recorded that the stone was discovered "in Malta," and was preserved at Baron Muscat's residence in Valletta. By 1839, the stone belonged to the Xara family, and it was eventually passed down to Baron Sir Giuseppe Maria de Piro. In 1845, de Piro donated it to the Public Library.[2][8]
The stone has been part of the collections of the Gozo Museum of Archaeology since 1960.[9] It has been called "the pride and joy" of the museum.[2]
Further reading
Zammit, Themistocles (1925). "Saracenic Remains in Malta" (PDF). The Arabs in Malta: Melita. 5: 1–3.
Rossi, E. (1931). "Le lapidi sepolcrali arabo-musulmane di Malta" (PDF). Rivista degli Studi Orientali (in Italian). 12: 428–444. [1]
Il-Hagra ta' Majmuna
John Shakespear, Copy of an Arabic Inscription in Cufic or Karmatic Characters, on a Tombstone at Malta; With Remarks and Translation, The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1841, Vol. 6, No. 1 (1841), pp. 173–181.
^ abcdefBonello, Giovanni (2000). (PDF). Histories of Malta: Deceptions and Perceptions. Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. 1: 9–12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2014.
^(PDF). thinksite.eu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2016.
^Debattista, Martin. . aboutmalta.com. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016.
^Buhagiar, Mario (2007). The Christianisation of Malta: catacombs, cult centres and churches in Malta to 1530. Archaeopress. p. 86. ISBN9781407301099.
^Hoe, Susanna (2015). "Valletta". (PDF). Oxford: Women's History Press (a division of Holo Books). pp. 370–371. ISBN9780957215351. OCLC 931704918. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2016.
^. Xewkija Local Council. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016.
February 18, 2023
maymūnah, stone, maltese, Ġebla, majmuna, Ħaġra, majmuna, arabic, شاهد, قبر, ميمونة, 12th, century, marble, tombstone, roman, origins, which, believed, have, been, discovered, xewkija, gozo, malta, according, judge, historian, giovanni, bonello, majmuna, stone. The Maymunah Stone Maltese il Ġebla ta Majmuna or il Ħaġra ta Majmuna Arabic شاهد قبر ميمونة 1 is a 12th century marble tombstone of Roman origins which is believed to have been discovered in Xewkija Gozo Malta According to judge and historian Giovanni Bonello the Majmuna Stone is a spectacular visual relic of the Islamic presence in Malta It is now exhibited in the Gozo Museum of Archaeology at the Cittadella of Victoria Gozo 2 Maymunah StoneThe Maymunah StoneMaterialMarbleWritingKufic Arabic scriptCreated1174 marble reuse of Roman period DiscoveredUnknown possibly near Xewkija and Sannat Gozo MaltaPresent locationGozo Museum of Archaeology Contents 1 Description 2 Recent history 3 Further reading 4 See also 5 ReferencesDescription Edit Copy of the tombstone from 1841 The marble stone was originally used in the Roman period as its backside indicates A relief in the form of a rose was sculpted in the Roman architectural style It was later reused as a tombstone It is the only islamic funerary stone in Malta of its period to be still intact in its original size and the only one which gives a date 3 The Majmuna Stone is the tombstone of a girl called Majmuna who died on 21 March 1174 4 It is a marble slab which has Roman decorations on the back such reuse was a common occurrence in Islamic North Africa The Kufic Arabic inscription approximately translates to 2 5 In the name of Allah the merciful and compassionate May He be propitious to the Prophet Muhammad and to his followers and grant them eternal salvation God is great and eternal and He has decreed that his creatures should perish Of this the prophet of Allah bears witness This is the tomb of Maymunah daughter of Hassan son of Ali al Hudali known as Ibn as Susi She died Allah s mercy be upon her on Thursday 16th day of the month of Sha ban in the year 569 professing that there is only one God who has no equal Look around you Is there anything everlasting on earth anything that repels or casts a spell on death Death robbed me from a palace and alas neither doors nor bolts could save me All I did in my lifetime remains and shall be reckoned Oh he who looks upon this tomb I am already consumed inside it and dust has settled on my eyes On my couch in my abode there is nothing but tears and what is to happen at my resurrection when I shall appear before my Creator Oh my brother be wise and repent The inscription is dated 1174 almost a century after the Norman invasion of Malta in 1091 It is believed that Islam remained the dominant religion in Malta until the Muslims were expelled in 1224 6 Recent history Edit Other visual Islamic funerary found at the Domvs Romana in Rabat Malta The date and location of discovery of the Majmuna Stone are unknown It is traditionally held that the stone was found in an area known as Ta Majmuna between the Gozitan villages of Xewkija and Sannat However it is also possible that the stone was not found in Malta at all and it might originate from Tunisia North Africa 7 In his 1772 book Malta illustrata ovvero descrizione di Malta isola del Mare Siciliano e Adriatico Count Giovannantonio Ciantar wrote about the stone and illustrated it but he was not able to decipher its writing Ciantar wrote that the tombstone was located in the courtyard of a private residence 2 In 1799 during the Maltese uprising against French occupation Paul I of Russia sent the diplomat Andrey Italinski to ensure the insurgents that they had Russian protection Italinski examined the stone during his stay in Malta and was the first person who managed to decipher part of its inscription 2 In an undated early 19th century scrapbook Father Giuseppe Carmelo Gristi recorded that the stone was discovered in Malta and was preserved at Baron Muscat s residence in Valletta By 1839 the stone belonged to the Xara family and it was eventually passed down to Baron Sir Giuseppe Maria de Piro In 1845 de Piro donated it to the Public Library 2 8 The stone has been part of the collections of the Gozo Museum of Archaeology since 1960 9 It has been called the pride and joy of the museum 2 Further reading EditZammit Themistocles 1925 Saracenic Remains in Malta PDF The Arabs in Malta Melita 5 1 3 Rossi E 1931 Le lapidi sepolcrali arabo musulmane di Malta PDF Rivista degli Studi Orientali in Italian 12 428 444 1 Il Hagra ta Majmuna John Shakespear Copy of an Arabic Inscription in Cufic or Karmatic Characters on a Tombstone at Malta With Remarks and Translation The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1841 Vol 6 No 1 1841 pp 173 181 See also EditIslam in MaltaReferences Edit Bonello Giovanni 2000 Histories of Malta Vol 1 Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti pp 9 11 ISBN 9789993210016 a b c d e f Bonello Giovanni 2000 New Light on Majmuna s Tombstone PDF Histories of Malta Deceptions and Perceptions Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti 1 9 12 Archived from the original PDF on 17 July 2014 Data PDF melitensiawth com page 37 Glossary of Placenames Related to Islam Christianity and Ethnicity PDF thinksite eu Archived from the original PDF on 17 January 2016 Debattista Martin Timeline of Malta History aboutmalta com Archived from the original on 1 January 2016 Buhagiar Mario 2007 The Christianisation of Malta catacombs cult centres and churches in Malta to 1530 Archaeopress p 86 ISBN 9781407301099 Hoe Susanna 2015 Valletta Malta Women History Books and Places PDF Oxford Women s History Press a division of Holo Books pp 370 371 ISBN 9780957215351 OCLC 931704918 Archived from the original PDF on 10 October 2016 Places of Interest Xewkija Local Council Archived from the original on 17 January 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Maymunah Stone amp oldid 1123554885, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
