Qasr al-Bint, tomb IGN39

Many of the tombs at Hegra bear an inscription that state some combination of the same type or formulation of information. This usually includes who the tomb was built for or commissioned by, the date of its construction, the ruler under whom it was built, and sometimes the craftsperson who was responsible for its construction and carving. A total of 36 tombs have formal Nabataean inscriptions that follow a legal formula to protect and govern their ownership. These may include a description of the fine or punishment that will be incurred by those who disturb the tomb or its contents.
Tomb IGN 39 is one of the earlier tombs from the peak tomb-building period of 1-75 CE, constructed in 1 BCE / 1 CE during the rule of ‘Aretas, king of the Nabataeans who loves his people’.
The inscription on tomb IGN 39 indicates that it is one of the smaller number of tombs at Hegra that were built for or commissioned by a woman: “Kamkam bint Waʾilat bint Haramū and her daughter Kulaybat, for themselves and their descendants”. Importantly, the inscriptions of tombs built for women illustrate that in Nabataean society women appear to have had full rights of ownership and making legal contracts on their own account.