Aramaic inscription of Yanouh

The Aramaic inscription of Yanouh is a fragmentary two-line inscription written in the Aramaic alphabet, carved on a sandstone block, discovered in the 1960s in Yanouh, Lebanon. The inscription dates to the Hellenistic period. Found re-used in a Byzantine period basilica, the inscription provides critical insights into the linguistic, political, and cultural landscape of Mount Lebanon during the late 2nd century BC. The text is dated to the year 203 of the Seleucid era, corresponding to 110–109 BC. It mentions the construction of a temple, possibly by the Ituraeans, a people of Arab origin, who established a principality in the region. The inscription's script exhibits a unique blend of Nabataean, Edessan, and Palmyrene influences, suggesting a distinct local Aramaic tradition. The inscription is the first attested use of Aramaic as a public language in Mount Lebanon.