>In any case, _`uqbAn_ here, is explained in the Arabic text as:
>`awn (assistant) `ariyf (reeve or prefect) al-qariyah (the
>village) reproduced here in Arabic script.
It was only this secondary element (in connection with the
village chief) that was interesting in my context - that fits
the German Vogt or Schultheiss context.
So, this similarity, in two different cultural areas, is there,
regardless of the origin of the German notion discussed in the
thread: Schöffe (i.e., whether Iranian tchuban and Protobulgarian
župan or the Semite shopet/shupet "judge" are to be taken into
consideration).
>Compare with (figs. 1 & 5): échevin, Schäffe, Schöffe)
Has échevin of Frankish origin?
(Thank you very much for your input!)
George