The Jabeq [ⁿdʑɑ.ⁿbɛʔ] were a peoples who occupied the area around the Argakh river and were the precursor to all modern Sayetic peoples. They were a largely sedentary peoples that cultivated rice and taro as staples with supplementary hunting. They're known for their reverence of women in their culture though they have a largely patriarchal society.
Name[]
Jabeq [ⁿdʑɑ.ⁿbɛʔ] comes from the root J-B-Q "man" and means "man (plural), people, humans".
Climate and Geography[]
The Jabeq live in a relatively hilly area, though the area surrounding the Argakh river is largely flatlands, surrounded by a jungle where the average temperature is in the mid 70s°F to low 80s°F. It is recognised that there are only two seasons in their zone the wet (Ragikh) and dry (Zyatib) seasons where they go through periods of either extreme rain or extreme drought with rainfall averaging roughly between 180 - 210 cm per year.
Appearance[]
The Jabeq have an appearance reminiscent of a cross between an Asian and someone from the Mediterranean with an olive skin tone and strong jaw but long black or brown hair, generally wavy near the tips, large flat noses and lack of epicanthic folds. Men rarely reach taller than 170 cm and women taper off around 165 cm. Men are built stockily, with broad shoulders and women are slender with wide hips and small breasts.
Diet[]
The Jabeq diet consists mainly of rice and taro supplemented with beef and the various types of freshwater fish that can be found in the Argakh river while around the delta they also have access to fish from the ocean as well. Various types of fowl abound the most common of which is the Argakh chicken which is found roaming wild through the jungles, it's temperment does not allow it to be domesticated easily.
Structures[]
Jabeq villages, like most early society villages, are arranged in circles with their huts all opening out into a central commons. The most common building materials are brush and leaves which are readily available and provide insulation from the daily heat though stone usage is on the rise, especially in the newly forming cities along the upper river.
Culture and Religion[]
Jabeq culture is tightly woven in to the Argakh river considered where the goddess, Acäzbausy [ɑt͡ɕʌːⁿzⁿbɑwɕ] (hypothesised to come from *s-b-sy "the Sun"), poured forth the world from her magical vessel. The river is also the most important place for them dietarily due to it's constant source of fresh water which they use to cultivate their crops, mainly rice (or PS *sakyat [sɑcɑt], Örgaki socot [sɤtɕʰɤθ]) and taro.
The Role of Food[]
Jabeq culture was highly foodcentric in that they always, and this carries on into modern Niamberic cultures, found time to celebrate it. The second most important festival of the year was the one celebrating the goddess of rice and food, Acäsykyeut [ɑt͡ɕʌːɕcɛwt].
Organization[]
Clothing[]
Weapons and Tools[]
Language[]
main article: Proto-Sayetic
see also: Proto-Sayetic Swadesh list
Proto-Sayetic (from PS Sayiih [sɑ.ˈɥiːⁿɦ] "language" from root s-y-h "tongue") was a language spoken by the Jabeq of the Niamberia. The language is notable for it's transitive alignment system and it's triliteral root system. PS itself was split into many dialects which eventually evolved into the Eastern (Centered around the Argakh river delta and it's colonies overseas.) and Western (Centered around the lower Argakh river.) Sayetic languages.