How Can The Variant Spellings Of The Hittite Word Tarhunt- (thunder God) In The Cuneiform Tablets From The Imperial Archives Of Ḫattuša Be Reconciled With The Phonological And Orthographic Patterns Observed In The Luwian Hieroglyphic Inscriptions From The Same Period, Particularly With Regard To The Use Of The Tar- And Tarhu- Prefixes In Relation To The Divine Name?

Apr 25, 2025 by ADMIN 369 views

Reconciling the variant spellings of the Hittite thunder god "Tarhunt-" in cuneiform and Luwian hieroglyphs involves several key considerations:

Phonological Differences: Hittite and Luwian, while related, have distinct phonological features. Hittite cuneiform, being syllabic, may represent "Tarhunt-" with variations like "tarhu-" due to vowel harmony or phonetic reductions. Luwian hieroglyphs, more phonetic, might use "Tarhu" as a shorter form.
Orthographic Conventions: Hittite cuneiform often uses syllabic signs, leading to spellings like "tar-hu-unt-" for clarity. Luwian hieroglyphs employ logograms and determinatives, allowing concise representations like "Tarhu" with deity symbols.
Grammatical Context: The variations could reflect different grammatical cases or forms. Hittite "Tarhunt-" might be nominative, while Luwian "Tarhu" could indicate another case or form.
Regional and Stylistic Variations: Dialectical differences or scribal preferences might explain the use of "tar-" vs. "tarhu-". Stylistic choices could also influence spellings in different texts.
Historical and Sound Changes: Evolutions in spelling over time or sound changes between Hittite and Luwian might account for differences, such as Luwian dropping certain sounds.
Compound and Derivative Forms: "Tar-" in compounds might be shortened, while "Tarhu-" stands alone, affecting how each script represents the name.

In conclusion, the spellings reflect a combination of phonological, orthographic, grammatical, and stylistic factors, each script adapting the name according to its linguistic and writing conventions while referring to the same deity.