A multidisciplinary team of epigraphists has successfully deciphered a cache of Zabur (cursive South Arabian) inscriptions found on palm-leaf stalks and wooden sticks. Unlike the formal monumental inscriptions found on stone, these wooden 'cigar-shaped' sticks served as the everyday documents of the Sabaean people, containing personal letters and business contracts from the 1st millennium BCE.
The analysis reveals a highly developed legal system, including laws governing irrigation rights and agricultural disputes. Researchers noted that the use of fresh wood cut specifically for writing suggests a high level of literacy among the general population, not just the elite. This find provides a rare 'bottom-up' perspective on the social dynamics of the Kingdom of Sheba and its neighbors.