Karataş (A 9-10)
This is the western of two rock inscriptions separated by roughly a hundred meters, located in the district known as Karataş, about 2 km east of the city center of Erciş on the northern shore of Lake Van. It was seen and copied by F. E. Schulz in 1827. It is carved in a niche 53 cm high and 110 cm wide on a rocky outcrop a few meters above ground level.
Transliteration:
1 dhal-di-i-ni-ni al-su-ú-i-ši-ni
2 mdsar5-du-ri-še mar-gi-iš-ti-hi-ni-še
3 a-li-e i-ú dhal-di-iš-me MAN-tú-hi a-ru-ni
4 na-ha-a-di LÚAD-si-ni [e]-si-[i] MAN-tú-hi-ni
5 i-ku-ka-a-ni MU te-⸢ru⸣-[bi x x x x]-⸢ni?/di?⸣-e
6 mdsar5-du-ri-e-i [x x x x] x-⸢bi?⸣
7 dhal-di-ni-ni [al-su-i-ši]-ni
8 mdsar5-du-ri-ni [mar-giš-ti]-hi
9 MAN DAN-NU MAN al-su-i-ni ⸢MAN⸣ [KURšú]-⸢ra-ú⸣-e
10 MAN KURbi-a-i-na-ú-e [MAN] e-ri-la-ú-e
11 a-lu-ú-si-e URUṭu-uš-pa-a-e URU
Translation:
“(1) Through the greatness of the god Haldi, Sarduri, son of Argišti, says: when the god Haldi gave to me the kingship I sat down on the royal throne of my father. (5) In the same year I establi[shed . . . ] . . . [ . . . ] of Sarduri I x-ed(?) (7) Through the [great]ness of the god Haldi, (I am) Sarduri, son of [Argišti], strong king, great king, king of the [land]s, king of the Bia lands, [king] of kings, lord of Ṭušpa-City.”
References:
Salvini, M. 1993. “Le iscrizioni di Sarduri II a Karataş,” Orientalia 62, 71–79 and Plts. I–II.
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 p. 436, v. 3 p. 272, v. 5 pp. 264–265.
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q007055).
CTU A 9-10 = CICh 130 = HchI 109 = UKN 168 = KUKN 274
Image Sources:
M. Salvini, 2018
Bora Bilgin, 2024
Karataş (A 9-11)
This is the eastern of two rock inscriptions separated by roughly a hundred meters, located in the Karataş district, about 2 km east of Erciş on the northern shore of Lake Van. It was also seen and copied by F. E. Schulz in 1827. The inscription is carved in a niche 50 cm high and 110 cm wide on a rocky outcrop a few meters above ground level. Once complete, the rock cracked along a natural fissure in recent decades, and a couple of fragments from the left side of the niche fell off. A third, uninscribed niche nearby likely dates to the same period.
Transliteration:
1 dhal-di-ni-ni al-su-i-ši-ni
2 mdsar5-du-ri-še mar-giš-ti-hi-ni-še
3 i-ni GIŠGEŠTIN te-ru-ú-ni mdsar5-du-ri-še
4 a-li-e LUGAL a-li i-si i-ku-ka-ni e-di-ni
5 šá-[ú]-e ma!-nu-li mì-i a-<i>-še-e-i GIŠur-ta-a-ni
6 ha-⸢i⸣-[di]-a-ni te-ri-hi-ni-i mdsar5-du-ri-ni-i
7 ⸢hu⸣-[bi?]-i-ni mdsar5-du-ri-ni-i GIŠú-du-li-e-i
8 a-⸢lu⸣-še ha-ú-li-e ú-ni ú-ru-li GU4 SUM-ni-ni
9 ⸢mì?⸣-[ku?]-ú-i-du-⸢še⸣ su-pa mdsar5-du-ri-še a-li-e
10 [a-lu]-še ha-ú-li-e tú-ri-ni-ni dhal-di-še
11 ⸢d⸣[IM]-še dUTU-še DINGIRMEŠ-še dUTU-ni pi-i-ni
Translation:
“(1) Through the greatness of the god Haldi, Sarduri, son of Argišti, planted this vineyard. (3b) Sarduri says: a king who (will) later on . . . the same place: May no one remove a plant of the planting from the valley(?) of Sarduri, and from the vineyard of Sarduri. (8) (As for the one) who takes away or receives(?) (anything), let him give an ox for proper(??) atonement(??) (9b) Sarduri says: (as for the one) [wh]o takes it away, may the god Haldi, the Weather-God, the Sun-God and (all) the gods annihilate him under the sun (or: the Sun-God).”
References:
Salvini, M. 1993. “Le iscrizioni di Sarduri II a Karataş,” Orientalia 62, 71–79 and Plts. I–II.
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 p. 437, v. 3 pp. 273–274, v. 5 pp. 265–266.
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q007056).
CTU A 9-11 = CICh 131 = HchI 110 = UKN 167 = KUKN 273
Image Sources:
M. Salvini, 1993
Bora Bilgin, 2024