The Amarna corpus contains several references to maritime conflict and related activities in the 14th century BCE, including blockades, the movement of troops, the capturing of ships at sea, and seaborne evacuation. While most of these are encountered in the context of conflicts between Levantine polities, there are clear references to what might on the one hand be called piracy, but on the other hand either acts of naval warfare or naval elements of a larger war effort, on both land and sea. This paper considers the martial maritime activities discussed in the Amarna letters, with particular emphasis on two uniquely controversial groups mentioned in this corpus in the context of maritime violence: the ‘ships of the men of the city of Arwad’ and the ‘miši-men.’ While the men of Arwad are identified with a polity on the Phoenician coast, they are referred to only by this collective term, even when mentioned in lists that otherwise contain only rulers. The miši, on the other hand, are not associated with any specific name or toponym. The purpose of this study is to identify just what can be determined about the roles and affiliations of these two groups in their Amarna context in this period.
{"title":"Sea Raiders in the Amarna Letters?","authors":"J. Emanuel","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2020-0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2020-0002","url":null,"abstract":"The Amarna corpus contains several references to maritime conflict and related activities in the 14th century BCE, including blockades, the movement of troops, the capturing of ships at sea, and seaborne evacuation. While most of these are encountered in the context of conflicts between Levantine polities, there are clear references to what might on the one hand be called piracy, but on the other hand either acts of naval warfare or naval elements of a larger war effort, on both land and sea. This paper considers the martial maritime activities discussed in the Amarna letters, with particular emphasis on two uniquely controversial groups mentioned in this corpus in the context of maritime violence: the ‘ships of the men of the city of Arwad’ and the ‘miši-men.’ While the men of Arwad are identified with a polity on the Phoenician coast, they are referred to only by this collective term, even when mentioned in lists that otherwise contain only rulers. The miši, on the other hand, are not associated with any specific name or toponym. The purpose of this study is to identify just what can be determined about the roles and affiliations of these two groups in their Amarna context in this period.","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/aofo-2020-0002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48006352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The article presents an edition of a new manuscript of the Old Babylonian Sumerian myth Ninĝišzida’s Journey to the Netherworld from the Louvre museum. The article deals with the complex literary transmission of this composition, known in different versions with much variation. The myth, lamentful in tone, and including Emesal vocabulary and litanies, is compared to the corpus of Emesal prayers, especially the laments over Damu. The myth is also examined in light of an Old Babylonian Akkadian myth on Ninĝišzida’s descent to the netherworld.
{"title":"A New Manuscript of Ninĝišzida’s Journey to the Netherworld","authors":"U. Gabbay","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2020-0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2020-0005","url":null,"abstract":"The article presents an edition of a new manuscript of the Old Babylonian Sumerian myth Ninĝišzida’s Journey to the Netherworld from the Louvre museum. The article deals with the complex literary transmission of this composition, known in different versions with much variation. The myth, lamentful in tone, and including Emesal vocabulary and litanies, is compared to the corpus of Emesal prayers, especially the laments over Damu. The myth is also examined in light of an Old Babylonian Akkadian myth on Ninĝišzida’s descent to the netherworld.","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/aofo-2020-0005","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46624852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper publishes a praise poem of Warad-Sîn, king of Larsa. The manuscript, a one-column tablet, comes from a private collection and is unprovenanced. The text might be an excerpt from a longer composition. Its 20 lines long text praises first Nippur, the city of Enlil, then Warad-Sîn speaks in the first person about the commission given to him by Enlil, about his deeds to the city, and about their permanence. The author of this text appears to be familiar both with the literary corpus and the royal inscriptions of the early Old Babylonian period.
{"title":"A Praise Poem of Warad-Sîn, King of Larsa, to Nippur","authors":"Zsombor J. Földi, G. Zólyomi","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2020-0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2020-0004","url":null,"abstract":"This paper publishes a praise poem of Warad-Sîn, king of Larsa. The manuscript, a one-column tablet, comes from a private collection and is unprovenanced. The text might be an excerpt from a longer composition. Its 20 lines long text praises first Nippur, the city of Enlil, then Warad-Sîn speaks in the first person about the commission given to him by Enlil, about his deeds to the city, and about their permanence. The author of this text appears to be familiar both with the literary corpus and the royal inscriptions of the early Old Babylonian period.","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44114607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract This paper studies some Cilician names attested in Greek sources that contain the element ζαρμα-. The two main interpretative hypotheses – a connection to Luwian zalma-, or a connection to the god name Šarruma/Šarma- – are critically analysed. The conclusion reached is that while the ambiguity of ζαρμα- cannot be resolved, it is highly likely that both -sarma and -zarma really existed as different elements in the formation of personal names in Iron Age Hieroglyphic Luwian. There was probably a tendency towards confusion between -sarma and -zarma, caused by phonological proximity and semantic crossing of certain names.
{"title":"The Survival of the God Name Šarruma in Cilician Names in the Greek Sources","authors":"I. Adiego","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2019-0010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2019-0010","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This paper studies some Cilician names attested in Greek sources that contain the element ζαρμα-. The two main interpretative hypotheses – a connection to Luwian zalma-, or a connection to the god name Šarruma/Šarma- – are critically analysed. The conclusion reached is that while the ambiguity of ζαρμα- cannot be resolved, it is highly likely that both -sarma and -zarma really existed as different elements in the formation of personal names in Iron Age Hieroglyphic Luwian. There was probably a tendency towards confusion between -sarma and -zarma, caused by phonological proximity and semantic crossing of certain names.","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/aofo-2019-0010","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48351651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract This article discusses the use of the sign (L.225) in Anatolian Hieroglyphic. In particular, it analyzes the attestations and contexts of use of the sign employed in combination with (L.391) (§ 2). It is well-known that the self-standing sign was used as a determinative for city names, while the form with ligature +MI was employed as a logogram. A systematic analysis of the Anatolian Hieroglyphic corpus shows that this convention was very consistent. This article provides an updated corpus of attestations of the logographic usage; it is also shown that a less common form of this sign combination, without ligature (), was an alternative logographic writing in the early stage of the script, but the form with ligature () became the standard after the 12th century. Possible exceptions to this convention and other inconsistent or problematic uses are discussed (§ 3). Conclusions include some considerations on the possible phonetic quality of the ligature +MI, and on the form of the Luwian word for “city” (§ 4). The final section discusses the use of the sign in the spelling of the name Mursili, in light of the present analysis (§ 5).
{"title":"Notes on the Use of the Sign URBS (L.225) in Anatolian Hieroglyphic","authors":"Andrea Trameri","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2019-0017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2019-0017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article discusses the use of the sign (L.225) in Anatolian Hieroglyphic. In particular, it analyzes the attestations and contexts of use of the sign employed in combination with (L.391) (§ 2). It is well-known that the self-standing sign was used as a determinative for city names, while the form with ligature +MI was employed as a logogram. A systematic analysis of the Anatolian Hieroglyphic corpus shows that this convention was very consistent. This article provides an updated corpus of attestations of the logographic usage; it is also shown that a less common form of this sign combination, without ligature (), was an alternative logographic writing in the early stage of the script, but the form with ligature () became the standard after the 12th century. Possible exceptions to this convention and other inconsistent or problematic uses are discussed (§ 3). Conclusions include some considerations on the possible phonetic quality of the ligature +MI, and on the form of the Luwian word for “city” (§ 4). The final section discusses the use of the sign in the spelling of the name Mursili, in light of the present analysis (§ 5).","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/aofo-2019-0017","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45925985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The chalcedony amulet MFA 98.697, which originates from the famous Tyszkiewicz Collection, has been kept in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts since 1898. The object bears a Sumerian Kultmittelbeschwörung on a thorn bush (Sum. ĝeškiši16, Akk. ašāgum), a shorter version of which was published by A.R. George in 2016. The present paper provides editions of both incantations, including some new readings. In addition to the philological analysis, it explores the magical-medical application of the thorn bush, which might have had an apotropaic use. The object presented here is of great importance, since it provides the first occurrence of an incantation on a particular plant written on a pendant that was used as an amulet during magical-medical activities in ancient Mesopotamia.
{"title":"The Tyszkiewicz Amulet, a Chalcedony Pendant Inscribed with an Incantation on Thorn Bush","authors":"A. Bácskay, Z. Niederreiter","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2019-0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2019-0012","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The chalcedony amulet MFA 98.697, which originates from the famous Tyszkiewicz Collection, has been kept in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts since 1898. The object bears a Sumerian Kultmittelbeschwörung on a thorn bush (Sum. ĝeškiši16, Akk. ašāgum), a shorter version of which was published by A.R. George in 2016. The present paper provides editions of both incantations, including some new readings. In addition to the philological analysis, it explores the magical-medical application of the thorn bush, which might have had an apotropaic use. The object presented here is of great importance, since it provides the first occurrence of an incantation on a particular plant written on a pendant that was used as an amulet during magical-medical activities in ancient Mesopotamia.","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/aofo-2019-0012","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44265535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Neo-Assyrian letters are a broad and interesting corpus of data to investigate how ancient Assyrians dealt with the manufacture of statues, the shaping of royal and divine effigies, and the final arrangement of sculptures. This paper aims to analyse the ritual and practical aspects of the making of images in the Neo-Assyrian period with reference to this corpus of letters, which reveals how Assyrian kings, officials and sculptors worked together for this purpose. It explores the role of the personnel involved, the process of the creation, and the final display of statues. Based on the interplay of texts and archaeological data, the study reveals the intense activity of making statues of gods and kings in Assyria, with the administration supervising both projects for new statues and the maintenance of already existing ones.
{"title":"Neo-Assyrian Statues of Gods and Kings in Context","authors":"Davide Nadali, Lorenzo Verderame","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2019-0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2019-0016","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Neo-Assyrian letters are a broad and interesting corpus of data to investigate how ancient Assyrians dealt with the manufacture of statues, the shaping of royal and divine effigies, and the final arrangement of sculptures. This paper aims to analyse the ritual and practical aspects of the making of images in the Neo-Assyrian period with reference to this corpus of letters, which reveals how Assyrian kings, officials and sculptors worked together for this purpose. It explores the role of the personnel involved, the process of the creation, and the final display of statues. Based on the interplay of texts and archaeological data, the study reveals the intense activity of making statues of gods and kings in Assyria, with the administration supervising both projects for new statues and the maintenance of already existing ones.","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/aofo-2019-0016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47379165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The rock reliefs of Sirkeli represent an important testimony among the Hittite monuments with hieroglyphic inscriptions. In addition to the relief of King Muwatalli, a second relief was identified in 1994, whose hieroglyphic inscription seemed irretrievably lost. Based on a cooperation between the Swiss Archaeological Mission at Sirkeli and the Centro Interistituzionale Euromediterraneo of the University Suor Orsola in Naples, a 3D survey with technologically advanced instruments was carried out in 2017. This contribution presents the first results of this project and the new perspectives that they offer for further research.
{"title":"Neue Untersuchungen zu den Felsreliefs von Sirkeli","authors":"Massimiliano Marazzi, N. B. Guzzo, L. Repola","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2019-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2019-0015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The rock reliefs of Sirkeli represent an important testimony among the Hittite monuments with hieroglyphic inscriptions. In addition to the relief of King Muwatalli, a second relief was identified in 1994, whose hieroglyphic inscription seemed irretrievably lost. Based on a cooperation between the Swiss Archaeological Mission at Sirkeli and the Centro Interistituzionale Euromediterraneo of the University Suor Orsola in Naples, a 3D survey with technologically advanced instruments was carried out in 2017. This contribution presents the first results of this project and the new perspectives that they offer for further research.","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/aofo-2019-0015","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43096401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract This article treats a composition that was probably dedicated to Nergal, a god with a long cultic tradition in ancient Mesopotamia who was mainly related to war and death. The text was first edited by Böhl (1949; 1953: 207–216, 496–497), followed by Ebeling (1953: 116–117). Later, Seux (1976: 85–88) and Foster (2005: 708–709) translated and commented upon it. I will present a new reading of the invocation on the tablet’s upper edge, which confirms that the tablet originated in Uruk during the Hellenistic period. Furthermore, I will discuss the many Neo-Babylonian and Late Babylonian grammatical elements of this composition. The high frequency of these elements, typical of the vernacular language, is unusual for a literary text and suggests that not only the tablet, but also the composition of the text stems from the first millennium BCE, and perhaps, just like the tablet, from Hellenistic Uruk. The purpose of this contribution is, therefore, to show through an analysis of this text, that the conservative and poetic literary language was reworked and adapted to the cultural situation of the late period in Mesopotamian literary production.
{"title":"A Late Composition Dedicated to Nergal","authors":"Ludovica Cecilia","doi":"10.1515/aofo-2019-0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/aofo-2019-0014","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article treats a composition that was probably dedicated to Nergal, a god with a long cultic tradition in ancient Mesopotamia who was mainly related to war and death. The text was first edited by Böhl (1949; 1953: 207–216, 496–497), followed by Ebeling (1953: 116–117). Later, Seux (1976: 85–88) and Foster (2005: 708–709) translated and commented upon it. I will present a new reading of the invocation on the tablet’s upper edge, which confirms that the tablet originated in Uruk during the Hellenistic period. Furthermore, I will discuss the many Neo-Babylonian and Late Babylonian grammatical elements of this composition. The high frequency of these elements, typical of the vernacular language, is unusual for a literary text and suggests that not only the tablet, but also the composition of the text stems from the first millennium BCE, and perhaps, just like the tablet, from Hellenistic Uruk. The purpose of this contribution is, therefore, to show through an analysis of this text, that the conservative and poetic literary language was reworked and adapted to the cultural situation of the late period in Mesopotamian literary production.","PeriodicalId":53535,"journal":{"name":"Altorientalische Forschungen","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/aofo-2019-0014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41492016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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