Luwian
An Anatolian Indo-European language written in both cuneiform and a unique hieroglyphic script — the sister language of Hittite.
Overview
Luwian is an Anatolian Indo-European language, closely related to Hittite. It was widely spoken across western and southern Anatolia during the Bronze Age and survived into the Iron Age in the Neo-Hittite/Syro-Hittite kingdoms of southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. Luwian is notable for being written in two distinct scripts: cuneiform (borrowed from Hittite scribal tradition) and a unique hieroglyphic system (Anatolian Hieroglyphs) used on rock reliefs, seals, and monumental inscriptions.[3]
Two Scripts
- Cuneiform Luwian — Used in the Hittite capital Hattusa; embedded in Hittite texts as ritual passages
- Hieroglyphic Luwian — A logosyllabic script of ~500 signs used on stone monuments, rock reliefs, lead strips, and seals; flourished especially in the Neo-Hittite kingdoms (c. 1200–700 BCE) after the fall of the Hittite Empire[1]
Key Features
- i-mutation — A characteristic Luwian sound change
- -ssa/-zza suffixes — Used to form adjectives (compare Hittite -ssa-)
- Quotative particle -wa- — Marks direct speech in hieroglyphic texts
- Close to Hittite — But with distinct phonology, morphology, and vocabulary[1]
Sample Text
From the Karatepe Bilingual (8th century BCE, Hieroglyphic Luwian version):[1]
|EGO-mi MAGNUS.REX Azatiwatas HEROS |URBS+ra/i-wa/i-ni-sa-za(URBS) REX[2]
amu=wa=mi ura-wani-sa-nza LUGAL Azatiwata-sa tara/i-wani-sa
“I am Azatiwatas, the Sun-blessed, king of the Danunians.”
This Phoenician-Luwian bilingual inscription was vital for confirming the decipherment of Hieroglyphic Luwian.
Key Inscriptions
- Karatepe Bilingual — The most important Luwian-Phoenician bilingual text (8th century BCE)
- ALEPPO 6 — Temple inscription at the Storm-God temple in Aleppo
- TOPADA — Long rock inscription from central Anatolia
- Silver Bowl of Bohça — Inscribed metal vessel
Learning Resources
- Annick Payne, Hieroglyphic Luwian: An Introduction — Accessible introductory grammar
- J. David Hawkins, Corpus of Hieroglyphic Luwian Inscriptions (3 vols.) — The definitive publication
- H. Craig Melchert, A Dictionary of the Lycian Language — Related Anatolian language
- Hethitologie Portal — Includes Luwian research resources
References
- ↑ *Annick Payne, Hieroglyphic Luwian: An Introduction*** — Accessible introductory grammar
- ↑ *J. David Hawkins, Corpus of Hieroglyphic Luwian Inscriptions*** (3 vols.) — The definitive publication
- ↑ *H. Craig Melchert, A Dictionary of the Lycian Language*** — Related Anatolian language
- ↑ Hethitologie Portal — Includes Luwian research resources https://www.hethport.uni-wuerzburg.de/