Kevenli (A 5-34)
The cylindrical column base with a three-line inscription was seen and copied by F. E. Schulz in 1827–28 in the church courtyard in the village of Şuşants (today Kevenli), but it has been lost since that time.
Transliteration:
1 [dhal-di-ni-ni] uš-ma-a-[ši-ni mmì-nu-a-še miš]-pu-ú-i-ni-hi-ni-še Éṭu-lu-[ú]-ri-[ni]
2 É.GAL ba-du-si-e ši-di-ši-tú-ni URU ši-di-ši-tú-ni ú-i gi-e-i iš-ti-ni ši-da-ú-⸢ri⸣
3 mmì-nu-a-še miš-pu-ú-i-ni-hi-ni-še ši-di-ši-tú-ni e-ʾa É.GAL e-ʾa URU
Translation:
“(1) [Through] the protection [of the god Haldi] Minua, son of Išpuini, built a ṭulurini (as part of the?) fortress to perfection. (2b) He (also) built a city. Nothing had (ever) been built here (before). (3) Minua, son of Išpuini, built a fortress as well as a city.”
References:
Belli, O. & M. Salvini. 2004. “The Urartian Fortress of Kevenli and the Cuneiform Inscriptions by King Minua found there,” SMEA 46, 155–174 (163–164).
Lehmann-Haupt, C. F. 1928–1935. Corpus Inscriptionum Chaldicarum, Berlin-Leipzig (No. 69).
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 pp. 225–226, v. 3 p. 143, v. 5 pp. 140–141.
Schulz, F. E. 1840. “Memoires sur le lac de Van et ses environs,” Journal Asiatique IX: 257–323 (No. XXIII).
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006932).
CTU A 5-34 = CICh 69 = HchI 57 = UKN 78 = KUKN 98
Image Sources:
F. E. Schulz, 1840
Kevenli (A 5-44)
The inscribed rectangular basalt block was discovered in 1975 in Kevenli (old Şuşants), about 10 km east of Van on the western slopes of Şuşants Dağ. It may have originated from a temple building in the fortress of Kevenli, located about 1 km north of the village. The block is 26 cm high, 92 cm wide, and 44 cm thick and is on display in the Van Museum. The first three lines of the inscription are in Assyrian, and the following three lines are in Urartian. The inscription concerns building activities in the city of Arṣuniunu. Other than this inscription, the city is attested only in several inscriptions from Karahan.
Transliteration:
1 a-na dhal-di-e EN-šú mmì-nu-u-a DUMUmiš-pu-ú-i-ni
2 i-si-tú šá dhal-di-e ir-ti-ṣi-ip KÁšá dhal-di-e
3 a-di li-mid/be-di-šú ir-ti-ṣi-ip lìb-bi URUar-ṣu-ni-ú-nu ina IGI KURú-⸢ra⸣
4 ma-ni-ni dhal-di be-di-ni dhal-di-na-ni KÁ be-di-ni
5 miš-pu-ú-i-ni-i-e mmì-nu-ú-a ul-gu-še ma-ni-ni miš-pu-ú-i-ni-i
6 mmì-nu-a-i al-su-ú-i-ši e-i-a-ar-di-i-ši
Translation:
“(1) Through the god Haldi, his lord, Minua, son of Išpuini, (2) built a tower temple dedicated to the god Haldi; he built also a gate of the god Haldi, (3) to perfection in the city Arṣuniunu in front of Mount Ura. (4) On behalf of the god Haldi, on behalf of the gate of the god Haldi (5) let (there) be life for Išpuini (and) for Minua; let (there) be the greatness and the force of a lion of Išpuini and Minua.”
References:
Belli, O. & M. Salvini. 2004. “The Urartian Fortress of Kevenli and the Cuneiform Inscriptions by King Minua Found There,” SMEA 46, 155–174 (164–165).
Dinçol, A. M. & E. Kavaklı. 1978. “Van bölgesinde bulunmuş yeni Urartu yazıtları / Die neuen Urartaeischen Inschriften aus der Umgebung von Van,” Jahrbuch für kleinasiatische Forschungen Beiheft 1, İstanbul. (pp. 24–30 / 64–69 and Plts. XII–XIII).
Salvini, M. 1979. “Una ‘bilingue’ assiro-urartea,” in Studia mediterranea: Piero Meriggi dictata, ed. O. Carruba, (StMed 1), Pavia, pp. 575–593.
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 p. 233, v. 3 p. 150, v. 5 pp. 149–151.
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006942).
CTU A 5-44 = KUKN 141
Image Sources:
M. Salvini, 2018
Bora Bilgin, 2024
Kevenli (A 5-45A–B)
The triangular-shaped cornerstone (A) with two flat, inscribed sides was once walled up in the church of Şuşants/Şuşanıs (now Kevenli), where one side was seen and copied by F. E. Schulz in 1828. The stone was subsequently lost, rediscovered by Russians in 1916 when it was found reused in a house wall in “Tutan” (likely referring to Şuşants), and then transported to Tbilisi, where it remains today in the Georgian Museum. The stone measures 22.5 cm in height, 51.5 cm in width on the left side, and 49 cm on the right side. Another similar cornerstone (B), with continuous writing on both sides and also from Kevenli/Şuşants, was acquired by the Van Museum in 2004. It measures 20.5 cm in height, 47 cm in width on the left side, and 51 cm on the damaged right side. Both stones bear the same four-line text, the content of which is identical to another cornerstone from Kevenli (5-46); all three very likely originated from the same building.
Transliteration (CTU V):
A
1 dhal-di-ni-ni uš-ma-a-ši-ni
2 mmì-i-nu-ú-a-še
3 dhal-di-i-ni-li še-iš-ti-li
4 ši-i-di-i-iš-tu-a-li
B
1 dhal-di-ni-⸢ni⸣ [uš-ma-a-ši]-ni
2 mmì-i-⸢nu-⸣[ú-a-]⸢še⸣
3 dhal-di-i-[ni-li še-iš-ti-]⸢li⸣
4 ši-i-di-[i-iš-tu-a-li]
Translation:
“Through the protection of the god Haldi, Minua built a gate of the god Haldi.”
References:
Belli, O. & M. Salvini. 2004. “The Urartian Fortress of Kevenli and the Cuneiform Inscriptions by King Minua Found There,” SMEA 46, 155–174.
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 pp. 233–234, v. 3 p. 150, v. 5 pp. 151–152.
Tseretheli, G. V. 1939. Urartskie Pamjatniki Muzeja Gruzii/The Urartean Monuments in the Georgian Museum Tbilissi, Tbilisi (Plt. XIXa–b).
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006943).
CTU A 5-45A = CICh 105 = HchI 49 = UKN 74 = KUKN 92
Image Sources:
G. V. Tseretheli, 1939
M. Salvini, 2008
Kevenli (A 5-46)
The inscribed cornerstone, with a continuous three-line text on both sides, originates from Kevenli (formerly Şuşants). The stone is housed in the Van Museum and measures 21.5 cm in height, 51.5 cm in width on the left side, and 49 cm on the right side. The text is identical to that found on a pair of cornerstones from Kevenli (A 5-45A and B) and very likely originated from the same building. This inscription is published in some sources as A 5-46A alongside a A 5-46B. However, A 5-46B is very likely only the right side of A 5-46.
Transliteration:
1 dhal-di-ni-ni uš-ma-a-[ši-ni]
2 mmì-nu-a-še dhal-di-ni-[li KÁ]
3 ši-i-di-i-⸢iš-tú-a⸣-[li]
Translation:
“[Through] the protection of the god Haldi, Minua built [a gate of] the god Haldi.”
References:
Belli, O. & M. Salvini. 2004. “The Urartian Fortress of Kevenli and the Cuneiform Inscriptions by King Minua Found There,” SMEA 46, 155–174.
Payne, M. R. 1995. Urartu Çivi Yazılı Belgeler Kataloğu, Istanbul (p. 104 and 146 n. 21).
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 pp. 234–235, v. 3 p. 151, v. 5 pp. 152–153.
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006944).
CTU A 5-46 = CICh 106+107 = HchI 49c, 49d = UKN 122+123, 121 = KUKN 94, 95
Image Sources:
M. Salvini, 2008
Bora Bilgin, 2024
Kevenli and Sıhke (A 5-87)
Separate inscribed stones that originally belonged to a single large inscription were cut and repurposed as building blocks in later ages. Two blocks were found in 1898/99 by Belck and Lehmann at the church in Sıhke (now Bostaniçi), one of which was previously seen at Şuşants (now Kevenli). A third block was found in the Karmirvor Wank monastery in Kevenli. The three stones measure (H x W x D): 21 x 55 x 50 cm; 26 x 44 x 41 cm; and 21 x 56 x 60 cm. All three are now in the Georgian Museum in Tbilisi.
Transliteration:
1 [… a]-di KÚ-ni pa-ri dhal-di-i-e ur-pu-a-ṣi za-du-še
2 […] x x ⸢DUB⸣ x x [x x x x áš]-⸢ha⸣-áš-te-e-še a-še dhal-di-i-e áš-ha-áš-tú-li ha-lu-li
3 […] ⸢d⸣hal-di-na KÁ i-NE-ri-hi-ni-⸢ti⸣-ni a-lu-še ha-lu-li-e gu-di GÙB-di a-tu-li-i-e
4 […] di-du-li-ni ur-pu-li-ni dhal-[di]-na KÁ KÚ-ni URU-še a-še sa-li me-šú-li ka-am-ni-ni
5 […] za-na-ni-ni ha-i-ti-ni dhal-di-na KÁ ⸢sa-li⸣ áš-ha-áš-ti-ti-ni a-še GU4 ši-i-du-li a-i-ni
6 […] ur-pu-a-ṣi dhal-di-na KÁ ⸢ta-nu⸣-li-ni a-še ni-qa-li ši-i-du-li ta-nu-li-ni
7 [… ur]-pu-a-ṣi dhal-di-na KÁ dhal-di-i-⸢e⸣ [(e)]-⸢ú⸣-ri-i-e mmì-nu-a-še miš-pu-ú-i-ni-hi-ni-še
8 […] ⸢li⸣ KÁ ba-du-si-i-e [ši-di-iš-tú-a-li …]
Translation:
Except for some terms untranslatable. The context appear to involve offering rites.
References:
Belli, O. & M. Salvini. 2004. “The Urartian Fortress of Kevenli and the Cuneiform Inscriptions by King Minua found there,” SMEA 46, 155–174 (165–169).
Lehmann-Haupt, C. F. 1928–1935. Corpus Inscriptionum Chaldicarum, Berlin-Leipzig (Nos. 86 and 101.1).
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 p. 262, v. 3 p. 186, v. 5 p. 179.
Tseretheli, G. V. 1939. Urartskie Pamjatniki Muzeja Gruzii/The Urartean Monuments in the Georgian Museum Tbilissi, Tbilisi (Plt. XXV).
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006985).
CTU A 5-87 = CICh 86+101 = HchI 76B+C+D = UKN 96 = KUKN 122
Image Sources:
G. V. Tseretheli, 1939
Kevenli (A 5-88)
Two inscribed limestone fragments from a single large inscription were first copied by F. E. Schulz in the late 1820s in the Karmirvor Wank monastery in Şuşants (now Kevenli). The inscriptions were lost when the monastery was destroyed and are known only from Schulz’s copies. In 2004, a small fragment that indirectly joins them was found in a private house in Kevenli by M. Salvini and was later transferred to the Van Museum. The combined inscription appears to be a replica of another known from Kevenli (A 5-87).
Transliteration:
1 […]-a-di KÚ-[ni pa-ri dhal-di-i-e ur-pu-a-ṣi za-du-še]
2 [… x x DUB x x …]-e áš-ha-áš-te-⸢e⸣-[še a-še dhal-di-i-e áš-ha-áš-tú-li ha-lu-li]
3 [… dhal-di-na KÁ i-NE-ri-hi-ni-ti-ni] a-lu-še ⸢ha-lu⸣-[li-e gu-di GÙB-di a-tu-li-i-e]
4 [… di-du-li-ni ur-pu-li-ni dhal-di-na KÁ] KÚ-ni URU-še a-še [sa-li me-šú-li ka-am-ni-ni]
5 [… za-na-ni-ni ha-i-ti-ni dhal-di-na KÁ] sa-li áš-ha-áš-ti-⸢ti⸣-[ni a-še GU4 ši-i-du-li a-i-ni]
6 [… ur-pu-a-ṣi dhal-di-na KÁ ta]-nu-li-ni a-še ⸢ni⸣-[qa-li ši-i-du-li ta-nu-li-ni]
7 [… ur-pu-a-ṣi dhal-di-na KÁ d]hal-di-i-e e-ú-ri-i-e [mmì-nu-a-še miš-pu-ú-i-ni-hi-ni-še]
Translation:
Except for some terms untranslatable. The context appear to involve offerinng rites.
References:
Belli, O. & M. Salvini. 2004. “The Urartian Fortress of Kevenli and the Cuneiform Inscriptions by King Minua found there,” SMEA 46, 155–174 (168–169).
Lehmann-Haupt, C. F. 1928–1935. Corpus Inscriptionum Chaldicarum, Berlin-Leipzig (Nos. 104 and 101.2).
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 p. 263, v. 3 p. 187, v. 5 pp. 179–180.
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006986).
CTU A 5-88 = CICh 104 = HchI 76E = UKN 98 = KUKN 124
Image Sources:
M. Salvini, 2008
Kevenli (A 5-89)
The inscribed fragment was found by W. Belck in 1891 in the church of Sıhke (now Bostaniçi), though it had previously been seen in Şuşants (now Kevenli), a few km south of Sıhke. In 1899, it was brought to Van and subsequently transferred to Tbilisi, where it remains in the Georgian Museum. The block measures 23 cm in height, 46.5 cm in width, and 50 cm in depth.
Transliteration:
1 ⸢URU⸣ar-ṣu-ni-ú-i-ni-e […]
2 [d]hal-di-na-ni KÁ be-di-ni ul-gu-[še …]
3 ⸢al?⸣-zi-ni-e-i ur-pu-li dhal-di-na-[ni KÁ …]
4 ⸢ga?⸣-a-i ga-la-zi šú-i-ni hu-šú mu-[…]
5 [d]⸢hal⸣-di-⸢ni⸣-e ba-ú-ši-i-e dhal-di-ni-[…]
Translation:
“(1) In the city Arṣuniuini [. . .] on behalf of the gate of the god Haldi [may there be] life, . . . They may slaughter [at? the gate] of the god Haldi . . . (5) By the command of the god Haldi [. . . of?] the god Haldi . . .”
References:
Lehmann-Haupt, C. F. 1928–1935. Corpus Inscriptionum Chaldicarum, Berlin-Leipzig (No. 102).
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 p. 263, v. 3 p. 187, v. 5 p. 180.
Tseretheli, G. V. 1939. Urartskie Pamjatniki Muzeja Gruzii/The Urartean Monuments in the Georgian Museum Tbilissi, Tbilisi (Plt. XVI).
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006987).
CTU A 5-89 = CICh 102 = HchI 76A = UKN 97 = KUKN 123
Image Sources:
G. V. Tseretheli, 1939