Topzawa (A 10-5)
The bottom section of a four-sided stele fragment with a Urartian-Assyrian bilingual inscription was discovered in the early 19th century in situ, standing in a base about 1.5 km from the village of Topzawa. The stele remained there until recent years, when it was transported along with its base to the Erbil Museum in northern Iraq. Locally, the stele was known as Kel-i-gaur (“Infidel’s Pillar”). It stood about 25 km west of the Kelishin stele of Išpuini and Minua, which is about a century older. It was first copied and transcribed by Belck and C. F. Lehmann-Haupt in 1899. The text is a near duplicate of the two other steles of Rusa I: Movana (A 10-3) and Mergeh Karvan (A 10-4). The present fragment is 116 cm high (including a 35 cm tenon), 72 cm wide, and 33 cm deep. Since the Assyrian version has the same line arrangement as the 2.73 m-tall Movana stele (which is missing only the tenon), the original height of this stele must have been close to 3 m.
Transliteration (CTU V):
obverse
1ʹ […] x x […]
2ʹ [URU]⸢ar⸣-di-ni-⸢di⸣ [x] x x x x […]
3ʹ [ x x ] ⸢ŠUM? BÀD??⸣ x x ri [x?] ni? ÉRIN?? ⸢i?⸣-ni ⸢BÁRA⸣ [x x]
4ʹ [x x] x x x i ni i-ni ⸢URU?⸣ar-⸢zi-qi?-il?⸣
5ʹ [x x] m⸢ru⸣-sa-[a?]-še d⸢hal⸣-di-⸢e?-i?⸣ LÚARAD-še d⸢hal⸣-di-[e?]
6ʹ [x x] ⸢gu⸣ [x x] ú bi ⸢GUD? ni-e⸣ [x x]
7ʹ [x x x x] ú? ki? ʾa x x ni? x x
8ʹ [x x x x x] LÚ [x x x]
9ʹ [x x]-e i-si? ⸢URUar-di⸣-ni-⸢di ir-ba-la⸣-a-⸢ni⸣
10ʹ [gu-ni a?]-še ti-a-[hi] ⸢i-e⸣-še šú-si-⸢ni⸣ [KASKAL za?-du?-ú-bi?]
11ʹ [ka-ú-ri šú-ia-še MANMEŠ-še] URU⸢ar-di⸣-ni-[di]
12ʹ [ú-la-di] mru-sa-še ⸢a?⸣-[li] mur-za-na-še É.BÁRA [TAB?]
13ʹ [ka]-a-⸢ú⸣-ki ⸢ma-a-ni-ʾa⸣-bi KURaš-šur-ni-e-di dhal-di-[še?]
14ʹ [x x (te)-x] x-ru-ni a-šá-di ŠUM-ṣi za-du-ú-bi
15ʹ [uš]-⸢ta-di⸣ KURaš-šur-⸢ni⸣-e-⸢di⸣ LÚA.SIMEŠ a-li-⸢e/li⸣
16ʹ [mur]-⸢za-na⸣-še pa-ru-a-[li?] šú?-⸢ku⸣-ri gu-nu-ši-ni-⸢e⸣
17ʹ [dhal-di]-ni-ni ba-ú-⸢ši-ni⸣-ni ⸢ú⸣-la-a-di-⸢e⸣
18ʹ [x x x x (x)] za-áš-gu-ú-bi mur-za-na-ni
19ʹ ⸢MAN? URUar⸣-di-ni-i pa-ru-ú-bi šú-ú-x-x
20ʹ [me-še?] ʾa-al-du-bi te-ru-ú-bi ⸢ma-a⸣-ni-ni e-⸢si⸣-[i?]
21ʹ [LÚAD-ni] 10+[4?/5?] U4-ME URUar-di-[na] ma-nu-⸢di?⸣ a-li-⸢e⸣
22ʹ [at]-⸢qa-na⸣-du-ú-bi x? URU⸢ar⸣-di-ni-e a-ru-ú-[bi?]
23ʹ [x x x]-di-e U4-ME šú-⸢i⸣-ni-ni LÚ⸢UN?-še⸣-ni áš-du-⸢bi?⸣
24ʹ [uš?]-⸢ta?-di?⸣-e ⸢iš⸣-te-di mru-sa-ni dhal-di-e-⸢i⸣
25ʹ [LÚ]⸢ARAD⸣ LÚ⸢si⸣-e mu-ṣi LÚUNMEŠ-ú-e dhal-di-[ni-ni]
26ʹ [ba]-⸢ú-ši⸣-[ni] ⸢a⸣-še-e [gu-nu]-ú-še ú-i gu-nu-ú-[še]
27ʹ [a]-⸢di⸣-ra-si-ia-bi a-ru-me-⸢e⸣ dhal-di-i-[še]
28ʹ [e]-⸢ia⸣-ar-di-še pi-ṣu-ú-⸢še⸣ šú-si-na MU⸢MEŠ⸣
29ʹ [KURbi]-a-i-ni-li ⸢nu⸣-ul-du-ú-li KURlu-lu-i-ni-⸢li⸣
30ʹ ⸢zi⸣-el-du-bi ar-tú-me DINGIRMEŠ-še pi-ṣu-[li?]
31ʹ ⸢U4-ME⸣-li U4-MEMEŠ ⸢SILIM⸣ pi-ṣu-ši-ni a-ti-bi iš-tú-[x]
32ʹ [i-nu-ka]-⸢ni⸣ e-di-ni sal-mat-hi-e ha-ra-ri te-ra-⸢gi⸣
reverse
traces of two lines
3ʹ [x x x x x x x] x [x x x x x x x]
4ʹ [x x d]hal-⸢di⸣-[a x x x x x x x x x] x x
5ʹ [x] šá [x x x x x x x x x x x]
6ʹ [x] x [x] x [ki-li-ú na]-⸢ṣir⸣ e-qú-[ti]
7ʹ [x] MAN⸢MEŠ⸣ LÚ⸢AD⸣MEŠ-[ia mah]-⸢ru⸣-ti ⸢šá⸣ x [x]
8ʹ [x] x ⸢an-ni⸣-e [ana] ⸢URUmu-ṣa⸣-[ṣir la ú-x]
9ʹ [x x x?] ana-ku [ina] ŠÀ 1 ⸢KASKAL a⸣-[a] ⸢ú-bi-lu-ni⸣
10ʹ [x x] gab-bi [MAN]⸢MEŠ⸣ ana ⸢URU⸣[mu-ṣa]-⸢ṣir⸣ at-⸢ta-rad⸣
11ʹ [m]⸢ur⸣-za-na-⸢a⸣ GIŠIG ⸢šá É⸣ DINGIRMEŠ [ina] IGI-⸢ia e⸣-[dil]
12ʹ [ù?] ana KURaš-šur ⸢ZÁH d⸣hal-[di]-a [EN IGMEŠ–šú] ⸢BAD⸣
13ʹ [x] ina ŠÀ [DÙ]-šú EGIR m⸢ur⸣-za-⸢na-a⸣ su-[qu?-x]
14ʹ [x?] ⸢e⸣-mu-qé mur-za-[na]-⸢a⸣ ana ⸢MÈ⸣ UGU-ia na-a-[x]
15ʹ [ina] ⸢qí⸣-bi-it dhal-⸢di⸣-[a] ana–ku mru-⸢sa⸣-[a]
16ʹ [ana] šá-de-e [KURan-da-ru]-tú a-ta-⸢la-ak⸣
17ʹ [di]-ik-tú a-[duk]-⸢ma? mur–za⸣-na-a ina qa-ti DIB
18ʹ ⸢al?⸣-ti?-ʾi-šú ina maš-ka-ni-šú-ma ana MAN-ti GAR-an
19ʹ [x] ⸢u4⸣-meMEŠ ina lìb-bi URUmu-ṣa-ṣir a-tú-⸢šìb⸣
20ʹ ⸢UDU⸣.SISKURMEŠ x x ⸢gab-bu⸣ [ana] URUmu-ṣa-ṣir a-ti-⸢qí⸣
21ʹ [ana?] LÚUNMEŠ ina ŠÀ URUmu-ṣa-ṣir a-⸢di⸣-x [x x]
22ʹ [x] a-na u4-meMEŠ ana nap-tan e!–ru!–bu! ana-ku mru-⸢sa⸣-[a]
23ʹ ⸢LÚ⸣ARAD šá dhal-di-a LÚSIPA ke-e-nu ⸢šá⸣ [UNMEŠ]
24ʹ [INIM šá (?)] dhal-di-a É qa!–ra!–bu-ni la a-⸢di⸣-[ru]
25ʹ [tú]-⸢qu⸣-un-tú dhal-di-a li-tú da-⸢na⸣-[nu]
26ʹ [x] x x SUM-na ina lìb-bi MUMEŠ–ia KURTILLA ir-ti-[piš]
27ʹ [KURKÚR] ú-si-iq DINGIRMEŠ SUM-nu-ni U₄MEŠ šá HÚL
28ʹ [x] x x U₄MEŠ šá ha-du-ti
l. side
(traces of the curse formula)
Translation:
“(obv. 2ʹ) towards the city Ardini […] .. […] (3ʹ) [ . . . ] sacrifice … this cult dais (or: shrine) […] (4ʹ) […] … this city Arziqil (5ʹ) I?, Rusa, servant of the god Haldi . . (6ʹ) [ . . . . ] . [ . . ] . [ . ] . . . . . . . (7ʹ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rusa [ . . . . ] (8ʹ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . men(?) . . (9ʹ) . . . place(?) towards the city Ardini to plunder(?) it (10ʹ) Indeed I [carried? away?] the aformentioned [gi]ft? in one [. . .] (11ʹ) [I went?] towards the city Ardini (12ʹb) Rusa says: Urzana [closed] the shrine in front of me, and fled towards the land of Aššur. The god Haldi (14ʹ) [ . . . . . . ] . . . I went and I fulfilled the sacrifices, says: (15ʹ) I went towards the land of Aššur. The troops that (16ʹ) [Urz]ana brought with/against me in battle. (17ʹ) By the command of [ the god Haldi] I went (18ʹ) [ . . . . . . . . ] I defeated Urzana. (19ʹ) The king of Ardini I took with (my) hand, (20ʹ) I subjugated [a tribute(?)], (and) I put it on the place (21ʹ) [of the father]. I stayed 14 o 15 days in the city Ardini. Says: (22ʹ) [I sac]rificed x? to the city Ardini I gave (23ʹ) [ . . . ] all the days the inhabitants(?) . . .to the (ašdubi) (24ʹ) [we]nt(?). I am Rusa, of the god Haldi (25ʹ) [the serv]ant, the true shepherd of peoples. Through the command of the god Hal[di] ordine, when (there was) battle, I did not fear the battle; the god Haldi gave me leonine strenght and joy in my days (29ʹ) I exalted the land of Biainili and I humiliated the enemy land. The gods gave me joyful days, innumerable favourable days of joy. (32ʹ) From here on the left(?) side (the text) is pla[ced].
(rev. 3ʹ) [ . . the god] Hald[i …] (5ʹ) [ . ] that [ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .] (6ʹ) [ . . . . ] the protector of consecration (7ʹ) [ . ] the kings my forefathers (and) predecessors who [ . .] (8ʹ) had not car[ried] these [gifts( ?)] to the city Muṣaṣir (9ʹ) I carried in (only) one campaign, (10ʹ) [more than(?)] all the kings I carried them to the city Muṣaṣir. (11ʹ) Urzana cl[osed] the gate of the house of the gods (12ʹ) [and?] he fled towards the land of Aššur. The god Haldi, the Lord, reo[pened] its shutters (13ʹ) [ . . ] there, inside (the temple) I fulfilled (my) rites. Against Urzana I [ . . ], (14ʹ) Urzana lined up [his troops] in battle against di me. (15ʹ) By the command of the god Haldi I, Rusa, (16ʹ) went to Mount Andarutu (17ʹ) and I imposee a defeat; I captured Urzana with my hand (18ʹ) [and I subjugated him]. I put him then in his (former) position for (the exercise of) regality. (19ʹ) [14 or 15] days I stayed in the city Muṣaṣir (20ʹ) all the scarifical animals . . I sacrificed for the city Muṣaṣir. (21ʹ) For the inabitants of the city Muṣaṣir . . [ . . ] (22ʹ) [ . . ] everyday I entered for the feast. I am Rusa, (23ʹ) the servant of the god Haldi, the true shepherd of peoples, (24ʹ) (I am) the one who approached tha house of the god Haldi, (I am) the one who fears not in the fight. Haldi gave me might and strenght [and joy]. In my years I enlar[ged] the land of Urarṭu [and] humiliated the enemy land. The gods gave me days of joy, [many] favourable days of joy.”
References:
König, F. W. 1955. Handbuch der Chaldischen Inschriften, Graz (No. 122).
Salvini, M. 1984. “La bilingue urarteo-assira di Rusa I,” in Tra lo Zagros e l’Urmia. Ricerche storiche ed archeologiche nell’Azerbaigian iraniano, eds. P. E. Pecorella et al., Rome, pp. 79–95.
Salvini, M. 2008–2018. Corpus dei Testi Urartei, v. 1 pp. 505–508, v. 3 pp. 316–320, v. 5 pp. 294–298.
eCUT – Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q007089).
CTU A 10-5 = CICh 146 = HchI 122 = UKN 264 = KUKN 387
Image Sources:
M. Salvini, 1984
M. Salvini, 2018