Karmir Blur (A 12-2)
Multiple inscribed building blocks, all part of the same large text, were uncovered in 1962 during excavations at Karmir Blur, the site of an ancient Urartian city. A total of 12 blocks, two of which are fragmentary, were found in a medieval pit in the southeast section of the mound. The text belongs to the reign of Rusa II and is a near duplicate of the one found in the temple at Ayanis (A 12-1), although a smaller part is preserved. Comparison with Ayanis indicates the blocks were originally organized similarly at the entrance of a temple structure in eight sections/rows on the left and right façade and the left and right corridor. Of the 12 blocks, eight belong to rows I and II on the left façade, one to row III on the left corridor, and three to row VIII on the lower row of the right façade. A small fragment found in 1986 in Noragavid, a southern suburb of Yerevan, also belongs to row V of the right corridor wall. The second line of the inscription gives the city’s name as “City of the Storm God of the Land of the Aza” (mʾa-za-i-ni KUR-ni dIM-ni URU). All blocks have a height of 43.5 cm, but their widths vary. The blocks are preserved in the Armenian History Museum in Yerevan. The small fragment from Noragavid and a small fragment of section VIII are in the Erebuni Museum.
Transliteration (after eCUT):
Row I
i 1 dhal-di-e EN-ŠÚ i-ni Ésu-si-e mru-sa-a-še [m]⸢ar⸣-giš-te-hi-ni-še ši-di-iš-tú-ni e-ʾa dhal-di-[ni-li GIŠKÁ]
i 2 ba-du-si-e mʾa-za-i-ni KUR-ni dIM-ni URU ku-šú-ni [at]-⸢qa⸣-na-du-ni dhal-di-e mru-sa-a-še a-li qar-[bi ma-nu]
i 3 KITIM qu-ul-di-ni ú-i gi-⸢i⸣ iš-ti-ni ši-da-[ú]-ri i-ú-me dhal-di-še MAN-tú-hi a-ru-ni na-ha-[di LÚAD-si-ni]
i 4 e-si-i MAN-tú-hi-ni i-še-er-hi-ni i-ni-li dhal-di-ni-li KÁ ši-di-iš-tú-ú-li ba-du-si-e dhal-di-ni bi-di [dhal-di-na-ni]
i 5 GIŠKÁ bi-di ma-ni-ni ul-gu-še pi-ṣu-še al-su-i-še e-ia-ar-di-še ar-ni uš-ma-še mru-sa-a mar-giš-[te-hi-ni-e]
i 6 KURšú-ra-u-e KURbi-a-i-na-u-e mru-sa-a-še a-li dhal-di-na-ni GIŠKÁ bi-di-ni gu-ni ar-di-še gu-ni ar-[qa-ú-še]
i 7 ma-nu-li qu-⸢du⸣-la-ni šú-hi-na-ṣi MÁŠ.TUR dhal-di-e ni-ip-si-du-li GU4 dhal-di-e ŠUM UDU dIM-a UDU dUTU-ni-[e GU4.ÁB]
i 8 dʾa-ru-ba-i-ni-e UDU dhal-di-na-u-e TIL-LI UDU dhal-di-na-u-e KÁ UDU di-ub-šá-a mru-sa-a-še a-li dhal-[di-i-še]
i 9 si-li-iš-⸢ti⸣-li ma-si-ni-li GIŠKÁ al-zi-na-i dhal-di-na-a KÁ bi-di su-u-i-ú-li ta-nu-li-ni i-na-a-[ni É.URU4]
i 10 e-di-ni ⸢ši⸣-du-li-ni mì-i e-ši-me-ṣi el-mu-še ma-nu-ni a-še ta-nu-li MÁŠ.TUR dhal-di-e ni-ip-si-du-li-[ni GU4]
i 11 dhal-di-e ŠUM ÁB dʾa-ru-ba-i-ni a-še ši-di-iš-tú-li pa-ha-zu-li MÁŠ.TUR dhal-di-e ni-ip-si-du-li-ni ⸢GU4⸣ [dhal-di-e ŠUM]
Row II
ii 1 ÁB dʾa-ru-ba-i-ni a-še dhal-di-e-i É.BÁRA ṣi-buₓ(TUR)-li a-gu-li MÁŠ.TUR dhal-di-e ni-⸢ip⸣-si-du-li
ii 2 ṣi-buₓ(TUR)-ur-di a-li iš-ti-ni ka-qu-li ʾa-hu-li-ni KITIM-a qul-di-ni-ni mì-i e-ši-me-ṣi el-mu-še ma-nu-ni
ii 3 a-li dhal-di-na-ni GIŠKÁ UDU e-ra-ši-ni ú-ú-li a-li LÚpa-la-gi ma-nu-li áš-du-li-ni dhal-di-ni-e É
ii 4 ku-ši-i-ni dhal-di-i-ka dʾa-ru-ba-i-ni-ka i-šá-ni ši-i-ni za-di-i-ni ŠUM Ési-ir-ha-ni-ni ma-ri-a-hi-ni
ii 5 a-li i-ni ú-li KURšú-ri-li₁₂ ú-ú-la-li áš-du-li₁₂-ni Ési-ir-ha-ni-ni su-si-ni-ka ku-ši-i-ni áš-ha-áš-ti-ni
ii 6 dhal-di-e i-šá-ni ši-i-ni za-di-ni ŠUM dhal-di-na-ni KÁ-ka a-lu-si me-ri-ip-te ma-nu-li ši-i-ni me-ru-ni
ii 7 dhal-di-na-ni KÁ-ka-i a-li ur-pu-a-ṣi dhal-di-na-ni KÁ šú-i-ni-ni zi-el-di ŠÀ mru-sa-a ar-du-li-ni
ii 8 a-še MAN-ni dIM-ni URU ma-nu-li kam-ni-ni ŠUM-ṣi-ni-ni bar-za-ni zi-el-di MAN-e ar-du-li-ni a-li-e
ii 9 a-šú-li dhal-di-ni É ku-i-zi zi-el-di ši-la-ni-ni i-šá-ni ši-i-ni Ési-ir-ha-ni-ni ma-ni-ni na-hi-zi-e
ii 10 ši-al-di kam-ni su-ri ku-i-zi ši-la-ni-ni dhal-di-ni É mì-i a-i-ni-i zu-ma-gi áš-du-ú-ni a-li áš-du-li-e
ii 11 ši-na-am-di-ni mu-ri-e a-ši-i-ni a-še ši-ú-li zu-ma-ṭi5-i-ni-e Ési-ir-ha-ni-ni a-li zu-ma-gi-e
Row III
iii 1 [a-šú-li GU4 dhal-di-i-e] ŠUM bar-za-ni zi-el-di MAN-e ar-du-li
iii 2 [ma-še ka-še ha-i-di-la-ni]-ni a-li LÚa-u-e-i-ṭi5-ni zu-ma-gi a-šú-li
iii 3 [ku-ul-mu-li-ni a-li-e] TIL-LI ga-zu-li te-er-du-li-ni ši-si-ni
iii 4 [bi-di-a-še ši-i-si šú-ú]-li a-še e-si ma-nu-li i-šá-hi-ni te-er-du-li₁₂
iii 5 [a-li-e i-ni ú-li TIL-LI] te-er-du-li-ni Éa-du-nu-si-ni mru-sa-a-še
iii 6 [a-li a-lu-še KÙ ku-me-mu]-še TIL-LI SIKIL dhal-di-na-ni KÁ ha-ú-li
iii 7 [NA₄ ʾa-hu-li-i-ni a-li-e] a-še su-nu-e i-ru-i-du-li ku-me-mu-še GIŠ
iii 8 [SI ši-e-du-li-ni a]-mu-li-ni KITIM-a qul-di-ni-ni a-li KÙ
iii 9 [iš-ti-ni ma-nu-li te-er]-du-li-ni É a-du-nu-si-ni mru-sa-a-še
iii 10 [a-li a-li-e dhal-di]-ni É áš-du-li ha-ab-ti-ni KIN ma-nu-ni
iii 11 [e-me tar-ni GÍR.BAR áš-ka-ṭi5]-ni ši-e-du-li mì-i e-ši-me-ṣi el-mu-še [ma-nu-ni …]
…
Row V
v 6 [x x] x […]
v 7 [qar]-⸢me⸣-hi [GEŠTIN-na …]
v 8 dhal-⸢di⸣-[x …]
v 9 a-lu-še-e ⸢gu⸣-[di-ba-di …]
v 10 ⸢DÙ⸣ GU4 dhal-⸢di⸣-[e ŠUM …]
v 11 ⸢ar-du-li⸣-[ni ka-še]
…
Row VIII
viii 1 i-si i-[ku-ka-ni e-di]-i-[ni ma-nu-li]-e mì-i ⸢gi⸣-e-i i-na-a-ni
viii 2 ba-ú-ši-[na-ni KIN i]-si-[i-a-ni mì-i gi-i še]-puₓ(TUR)-ia-ar-⸢di⸣-a-ni mì-i puₓ(TUR)-hi-a-ni
viii 3 gu-ni i-e-še [ti-ú-bi gu-ni] za-du-[bi mru]-⸢sa⸣-a-še mar-[giš]-te-hi-ni-še a-li
viii 4 a-lu-še i-ni DUB-[te-e d]⸢hal⸣-di-[na-ni KÁ tú]-li-e a-lu-še pi-tú-li-e a-lu-še
viii 5 še-er-du-li-e a-⸢lu-⸣[še e-si]-i-ni [su-ú-i-du]-⸢li⸣-e a-lu-še ti-ú-li-e
viii 6 i-e-[še za-du]-ú-bi ⸢a⸣-[i KURbi-a]-i-ni-[še a-i KURlu-lu-i]-⸢ni-še⸣ a-lu-še šú-si-e
viii 7 [ti-ni-ni tú]-li-⸢e⸣ [ma-a-si-e] ⸢ti⸣-[ni te-li-e tú]-ri-ni-ni
viii 8 [dhal-di-še] ⸢dIM⸣-[še] d[UTU]-še dMARDUK-še
viii 9 [ma-a-ni ti-i]-⸢ni⸣ [ar-mu-zi-i ar-mu-zi-gi ar-mu]-zi dUTU-ni pi-e-i
viii 10 [mì-i ar-hi ú-ru-li-a-ni mì-i i-na-i-ni-e mì-i LÚna-ra a-ú-i]-e ú-lu-li-e
Translation:
Row I
(1) For the god Haldi, his Lord, Rusa, son of Argišti, built this susi temple and he created (and) [dedi]cated a [gate of] the god Haldi to perfection in the land of the ʾAza in the city of the Weather-God. (2b) Rusa says: the rock was (bare and) the earth was deserted, nothing had (ever) been built there. (3b) When the god Haldi gave me the kingship I sat down on the fatherly throne of kingship. Then I built this gate of the god Haldi to perfection. (4b) On behalf of the god Haldi, on behalf of the gate of the god Haldi may there be life, joy, greatness and strength of a lion(?), favor(?) (and) protection for Rusa, son of Argišti, for the regions (and) for the Bia lands. (6b) Rusa says: on behalf of the gate of the god Haldi may there be indeed a ritual (and) indeed ar[qauše]. (7b) In case of a new foundation(?), they shall sacrifice a kid for the god Haldi, they shall sacrifice an ox (and) 2 sheep for the god Haldi, a fat sheep for the Weather-God, a fat sheep for the Sun-God, a cow for the godess ʾArubaini, a sheep for the god Huṭuni, a sheep for the Moon-god, a sheep for the weapons of the god Haldi, a sheep for the gate of the god Haldi, a sheep for the god Iubša. (8b) Rusa says: The god Haldi will silist his gate alzinai. At the side of the gate of the god Hal[di] he/they will sui? (and) they (or: he/one) shall make thi[s foundation] (the translation of the sentence is uncertain). (10) Furthermore they (or: he/one) shall build it and ešimeṣi (and) elmuše will be. When they do it, they shall sacrifice a kid for the god Haldi (and) they shall sacrifice an ox for the god Haldi (and) an cow for the goddess ʾArubaini. (11b) When they built a pahazuli building, they shall sacrifice a kid for the god Haldi (and) they shall sacrifice an ox for the god Haldi (and) a cow for the goddess ʾArubaini.
Row II
(1b) When they ṣib (and) dig a susi temple for the god Haldi, they shall sacrifice a kid (and?) the ṣiburdi which is here (and) the kaquli they shall gather it from (or: on) the deserted land and ešimeṣi (and) elmuše will be. (3) who from the gate of the god Haldi erašini a sheep, they shall incorporate(?) another one who should be a palagi man (and) the house of the god Haldi kušini in front of the god Haldi (and) in front of the goddess ʾArubaini
(for the lines II 10b–VIII 3a coherent translation cannot be given since the meaning of many words as well as the grammatical structure remains obscure).
Row VIII
(3b) Rusa, son of Argišti, says: (as for the one) who destroys this inscription [of the gate of the god H]aldi, (as for the one) who damages it, (as for the one) who hides(?) it, (as for the one) wh[o remov]es it from (its) [place], (as for the one) who says ʹI [made] itʹ, may it be a [Bia]ean (Urartean) or a [forei]gner, (as for the one) who [de]stroys my [name] and [p]uts [his (own)] na[me], may [the god Haldi], the Weather-God, the [Sun]-god, (and) Marduk annihilate [him], [his na]me, (his) offspring (and) his offspringʹs offspring under the sun . . . (rest of the curse formula untranslatable).
References:
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 pp. 570–574, v. 3 pp. 343–351, v. 5 pp. 322–326.
Piotrovsky, B. B. 1970. Karmir-Blur. Al’Bom, Leningrad (Fig. 18).
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q007101).
CTU A 12-2 = HchI 128A, Inc 30 = UKN II 448–450 = KUKN 424–427
Image Sources:
B. B. Piyotrovsky, 1970
M. Salvini, 2008