A worm that has not yet pleased a spouse: Satire in ancient Amazigh epigraphy A worm that has not yet pleased a spouse: Satire in ancient Amazigh epigraphy دودة لم تُرضِ بعدُ زوجًا: السخرية في النقوش الأمازيغية القديمة

The IKKI1_1 inscription (IKKI1_1) represents an example of ancient Amazigh literary expression that challenges conventional assumptions about the functional limitations of Libyco-Berber epigraphy. Located at 1900 meters elevation on the Yagour Plateau in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains, this 8th-century BCE inscription demonstrates sophisticated linguistic manipulation and satirical intent previously unrecognized in North African ancient literature. Through comparative Amazigh linguistics and contextual analysis, this study presents a novel decipherment revealing the text as UN WKK RT T GH that can be transcribed and vocalized as /un awkuk urta ehəl akna at giɣ/ ("a worm that has not yet entertained a spouse is what I am"), representing deliberate satirical commentary on accompanying anthropomorphic rock art with phallic characteristics. The analysis employs rigorous segmentation methodology based on cross-dialectal lexical attestation and applies the Full Interpretation Principle[1] to ensure comprehensive textual coverage. Results demonstrate that ancient Amazigh scribes possessed advanced literary competence extending beyond commemorative and administrative functions to include creative and humorous composition. The inscription's temporal-aspectual sophistication, metaphorical deployment of zoological imagery, and strategic visual-textual integration indicate a literate culture capable of producing complex satirical discourse. These findings expand understanding of ancient North African intellectual traditions and challenge prevailing characterizations of Amazigh society as fundamentally oral. The study contributes methodological innovations for Libyco-Amazigh decipherment while shedding light on previously unrecognized literary diversity in ancient North African epigraphy. Implications extend to broader questions of cultural sophistication, literary development, and the relationship between written and visual artistic expression in ancient North Africa.     Revue Etudes Langue et Littérature, Vol. 4 No 1 (2025): Etudes Langue et Littérature