Karakala (A 8-15)
The rock inscription from Karakala (Karakale) is on the east bank of the Araxes River, about 21 km west of Armavir, at the beginning of the canal diverted from the Araxes to Armavir and Sardarapat. The inscribed area is 38 cm high and 67 cm wide. It is inaccessible due to its location in a military zone on the border of Armenia and Türkiye.
Transliteration:
1 dhal-di-ni-ni al-su-i-ši-ni
2 mar-giš-ti-še mmì-nu-a-hi-ni-še
3 i-ni pi-i-li-e a-gu-ú-ni
4 qi-ra-ni ṣi-ra-ba-e ma-nu
5 ú-i a-i-ni-i iš-ti-ni a-i-u-ri
6 dhal-di-ni-ni ba-ú-ši-ni
7 mar-gi-iš-ti-i-še a-gu-ni
8 mar-gi-iš-ti-ni mmì-nu-a-hi
9 MAN DAN-NU MAN KURbi-a-i-na-ú-e
10 a-lu-si URUṭu-uš-pa-e URU
Translation:
“(1) Through the greatness of the god Haldi, Argišti, son of Minua, dug this canal. (4) The land was deserted, nothing had (ever) been dug here. (6) By the command of the god Haldi Argišti dug it. (8) (I am) Argišti, son of Minua, strong king, king of the Bia lands, lord of Ṭušpa-City.”
References:
Nikolsky, M. V. 1896. Klinoobraznye nadpisi Zakavkaz’ia, Materīaly po arkheologīi Kavkaza V, Moskva (No XXIV, Plt. XI).
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 p. 353, v. 3 p. 230, v. 5 p. 222.
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q007016).
CTU A 8-15= CICh 125 = HchI 90 = UKN 136 = KUKN 187
Image Sources:
M. V. Nikolsky, 1896