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FROM CHRISTIAN J. ROBIN, ALI IBRAHIM AL-GHABBĀN, AND SA‘ĪD F. AL-SA‘ĪD, “INSCRIPTIONS ANTIQUES DE LA RÉGION DE NAJRĀN (ARABIE SÉOUDITE MÉRIDIONALE): NOUVEAUX JALONS POUR L‘HISTOIRE DE L‘ÉCRITURE, DE LA LANGUE ET DU CALENDRIER ARABES,” COMPTES RENDUS DE L‘ACADÉMIE DES INSCRIPTIONS ET BELLES-LETTRES (2014), P. 1043

THE EARLIEST ARABIAN CHRISTIANS left their unmistakable traces around the city of Najran, in southern Arabia. Dating to 470 C.E., this particular rock inscription, written in early Arabic script, commemorates one Thawban son of Malik and features a large cross. It attests to missionizing efforts among the Arabians that until recently have been known only from literary sources written by outsiders.