Home » Urartian rulers and their inscriptions » Išpuini and Minua (A 3 and B 3) » Stone and Rock Inscriptions
Stone and Rock Inscriptions
A 3-1 A 3-2 A 3-3 A 3-4 A 3-5 A 3-6 A 3-7 A 3-8 A 3-9 A 3-10 A 3-11 A 3-12
Map showing the distribution of the inscriptions of Išpuini and Minua.
A 3-1
Description:
- Rock inscription inscribed in a niche at Meher Kapısı (area of Zımzımdağ, near Van), still to be found in situ. The inscription consists of two parts, both of the same text (ll. 1-31; ll. 32-94). The upper part (ll. 1-31) is in better condition than the lower part (ll. 32-94). Yet, the upper part is difficult to reach. The duplicates complement each other.
Edition:
Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006886/] of A 3-1.
Sources:
- A 3-1
Dimensions:
- height 4.74 m; width 1.96 m
Bibliography:
- Mirjo Salvini (1993-1997): Meher Kapısı, RlA 8: 21-22 (with previous literature).
- Mirjo Salvini (1994): The Historical Background of the Urartian Monument of Meher Kapısı, in: Çilingiroğlu, Altan and David H. French Anatolian (eds.): Iron Ages 3, The Proceedings of the Third Anatolian Iron Ages Colloquium held at Van, 6–12 August 1990, Ankara: 205-210.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-1 = Schulz XVII = Lehmann-Haupt (1928-1935): ClCh 18 (fig. 6 monument, pl. VII-X casts) = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 27 = König (1955-1957): HchI 10 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 38
Description:
- Rock inscription of ten lines in a niche at Yeşilalıç (Ašotakert and Aschrut-Darga). The text of five lines is repeated twice in the inscription. The inscription is located about 60 km east of Van at a height of 2,600 m above the river Çaybağı.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006887/] of A 3-2.
Sources:
- A 3-2
Bibliography:
- Tarhan, Taner and Veli Sevin (1975): Urartu tapınak kapıları ile anitsal kaya nişleri arasındaki bağıntı (The Relation Between Urartian Temple Gates and Monumental Rock Niches), Türk Tarih Kurumu Belleten 39: 389-412.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-2 = Lehmann-Haupt (1928-1935): ClCh 16 (Taf. VI, cast) = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 25 = König (1955-1957): HchI 8 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 36
A 3-3
Description:
- Inscription of twelve lines on an almost cubic stoneblock. The text of six lines is repeated twice. The stone is mutilated on the left side, on the right side is a void space of about 5 cm. Also above and beneath the inscription is void space. The alignment on the right is irregular. The handwriting is archaic. It was found at Muhrapert (south coast of Lake Van; west of Gevaş). Now it is on the island Ahtamar.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006888/] of A 3-3.
Sources:
- A 3-3
Dimensions:
- height: 41 cm; width: 48 cm; depth: 38 cm; height: 32 cm
Bibliography:
- Marr, Nikolaj Jakovlevič (1917): Materialy po chaldskoj epigrafike iz komandirovki I. A. Orbeli v Tureckuju Armeniju, Zapiski Vostočnago Otdelenija XXIV: Taf. II.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-3 = Lehmann-Haupt (1928-1935): ClCh 17 (+ fig. 5 [Marr]) = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 26 = König (1955-1957): HchI 11 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 37
A 3-4
Description:
- Stele with inscription on both sides. Obv. 9-42 is duplicate of rev. 1-20. Rev. 21-34 contains a long and complex curse formula. The stele was inserted in the wall of the Armenian church of Surb Poģos. It was reused as a hačkar. How much text is missing at the beginning is unclear.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006889/] of A 3-4.
Sources:
- A 3-4
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-4 = Lehmann-Haupt (1928-1935): ClCh 13 (+ Tab. IV and V, with photos of the casts of Ro and Vo) = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 20 (photo 1 with the cast of Ro, kept in the Museum of Tbilisi) = König (1955-1957): HchI 6 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 31
A 3-5
Description:
- Upper part of a broken stele with identical inscription on obverse and reverse from the chuch of Surb Hovhannes at Gjusnents (Kasımoğlu; 30 km north of Van). The reverse contains in addition to the inscription an Armenian cross. It is kept in the Van Museum.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006890/] of A 3-5.
Sources:
- A 3-5
Dimensions:
- height: 91 cm; width: 65 cm; depth: 31 cm; line height: 2.5 cm
Bibliography:
- Salvini, Mirjo (2005): Preparatory studies for the Corpus of Urartian texts (CTU). Research of 2004 and 2005 in Eastern Turkey, SMEA 47: 259-274. (One stele, not two: 259-262; 267 figs. 1-2.
- Mešaninov, Ivan Ivanovič (1930): Chaldskaja nadpis' Menui iz sel. Muša, Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 1930: 32-37, with a handcopy, communicated dimensions: 88 x 65 cm.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-5 Ro = Lehmann-Haupt (1928-1935): ClCh 14 (+ Abb. 4 with picture of the cast) = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 21 = König (1955-1957): HchI 6a = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 32; A 3-5 Vo = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 22 = König (1955-1957): HchI 6 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 33
A 3-6
Description:
- Inscription on a convex sandstone, broken into four blocks. Originally, the sandstone enclosed a cistern or foutain. It was found at Pirabat (10 km southwest of Eleşkirt). Today it is kept at the Erzurum Museum.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006891/] of A 3-6.
Sources:
- A 3-6
Dimensions:
- height: 33-40 cm; width: 1.65 m; depth: 25-32 cm
Bibliography:
- Payne, Margaret R. and Alpaslan Ceylan (2003): A New Urartian Inscription from Ağrı - Pirabat, Studi Micenei ed Egeo-Anatolici 45, 2003: 191-201.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-6
A 3-7
Description:
- Inscription on a stone block from Toprakkale (13 km north east of Eleşkirt/Alaškert), today lost. The inscription probably presents the first quarter of four lines that originally ran across several stones. The text is parallel to A 3-6.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006892/] of A 3-7.
Sources:
- A 3-7
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-7 = Lehmann-Haupt (1928-1935): ClCh 28 (Abb. 9, photo of the original) = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 23 = König (1955-1957): HchI 6b = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 34
A 3-8
Description:
- Rock inscription engraved on the mountain Ojasar-Ilandagh in the region of Nachičevan. Today it is lost.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006893/] of A 3-8.
Sources:
- A 3-8
Dimensions:
- height: 30-50 cm; width: 100 cm
Bibliography:
- Hmayakyan, Simon G., Valerij A. Igumnov and Hovhannes H. Karagyozyan (1996-1997): An Urartian Cuneiform Inscription from Ojasar-Ilandagh, Nakhichevan, Studi Micenei ed Egeo-Anatolici 38: 139-151 (+ 6 fig.)
- Salvini, Mirjo (1998): Eine urartäische Felsinschrift in der Region Nachičevan, Zeitschrift für Assyrologie 88, 1998: 72-77; tab. I-IV.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-8 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 39a
A 3-9
Description:
- Stele from Karagündüz (Charakonis; east coast of Lake Erçek), today kept at the Van Museum. The lower part (approx. 15 lines) of the stele is missing. The obverse and revers show the same text.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006894/] of A 3-9.
Sources:
- A 3-9
Dimensions:
- height: 188 cm; width: 70 cm; depth: 28 cm; void space above the inscription: 27 cm
Bibliography:
- Salvini, Mirjo (1984): La stele di Karagündüz, in: Paolo Emilio Pecorella and Mirjo Salvini (eds.): Tra los Zagros e l'Urmia. Ricerche storiche ed archeologiche nell'Arzebaigian iraniano, Roma: 57-62
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-9 = Lehmann-Haupt (1928-1935): ClCh 15 (Taf. XLIII-XLIV, casts of Ro and Vo) = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 24 = König (1955-1957): HchI 7 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 35
A 3-10
Description:
- Inscription of six lines on a stone block from Qalatgah (Iranian Azerbaijan), today kept at the Museum of Ancient Iran (Teheran). Probably, it is only one of three blocks containing a continous inscription. The engraving is not very accurate and the stone is not very smooth.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006895/] of A 3-10.
Sources:
- A 3-10
Dimensions:
- height: 44 cm; width: 88 cm; depth: 33 cm
Bibliography:
- van Loon, Maurits Nanning (1975):> The Inscription of Ishpuini and Menua at Qalatgah, Iran, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 34: 201-207.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-10 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 39
A 3-11
Description:
- The stele was found in situ at Kelišin on the Zagros-pass (border between Iran and Iraq). 1981 it was brought to the Urmia Museum where it is kept today.
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006896/] of A 3-11.
Sources:
- A 3-11
Dimensions:
- height: 175 cm; width: 62 cm; depth: 31 cm; base of the stele: height: 36 cm; width: 130 cm; depth: 140 cm
Bibliography:
- Belck, Waldemar (1904): Die Kelischin-Stele und ihre chaldisch-assyrischen Keilinschriften, Anatole I.
- Benedict, Warren C. (1961): The Urartian-Assyrian Inscription of Kelishin, Journal of the American Oriental Society 81: 359-385 (good photos pp. 374, 375).
- Salvini, Mirjo (1984): The stele of Kelišin, in: Paolo Emilio Pecorella and Mirjo Salvini (eds.): Tra los Zagros e l'Urmia. Ricerche storiche ed archeologiche nell'Arzebaigian iraniano, Roma: 63-64.
- Mirjo Salvini (1976-1980): Kelišin, RlA Band 5: 568-569.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-11 = Lehmann-Haupt (1928-1935): ClCh 12 (Taf. III, Ro and Vo casts) = Melikišvili (1960): UKN 19 = König (1955-1957): HchI 9 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 30
A 3-12
Description:
- Building inscription on a stone block with an incorporated sacrifical prescription. The inscription contains good wishes to a son of Minua (probably Inušpua). The stone block presumably once belonged to a susi-temple situated in Patnos. Today the stone is kept in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi) in Ankara (inv. 24.6.79).
Edition:
- Access the edition [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/Q006897/] of A 3-12.
Sources:
- A 3-12
Dimensions:
- height: 37 cm; width: 56,5-57,5 cm; depth: 47 cm
Bibliography:
- Salvini, Mirjo (1993): Una dedica di Išpuini e Minua al dio Ua, Studi Micenei ed Egeo-Anatolici 31: 143-148.
Concordance:
- Salvini (2008) and Salvini (2018): CTU I 3-12 = Arutjunjan (2001): KUKN 38b
Birgit Christiansen
Birgit Christiansen, 'Stone and Rock Inscriptions', Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (eCUT) Project, The eCUT Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2020 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/urartianrulersandtheirinscriptions/ipuiniandminuaa3andb3/stoneandrockinscriptions/]