Luwian language

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Hieroglyph luwian za

Luwian language is an ancient Anatolian language that was spoken in the region that is now modern-day Turkey and northern Syria. It is part of the larger Indo-European language family. Luwian was contemporaneous with Hittite, another Anatolian language, during the second millennium BCE and played a significant role in the political and cultural affairs of the Hittite Empire and its peripheries.

History and Discovery

Luwian was inscribed using two different scripts over its history. The earlier texts are found in Cuneiform, used primarily in the Hittite capital of Hattusa. These cuneiform texts were deciphered in the early 20th century, revealing the existence of the Luwian language. The later texts are written in a hieroglyphic script, known as Hieroglyphic Luwian, which was used for monumental inscriptions and is found throughout the southern and western parts of ancient Anatolia. The decipherment of Hieroglyphic Luwian was a more prolonged process, significantly advancing in the 20th century with the work of scholars such as Emmanuel Laroche.

Linguistic Features

Luwian is characterized by its use of inflection to indicate grammatical relationships, a common feature in Indo-European languages. It has a complex system of nouns with cases, verbs with various tenses, moods, and voices, and an extensive set of pronouns. The language exhibits a split ergativity, a rare trait among Indo-European languages, where the syntactic alignment changes depending on the tense and mood of the verb.

Scripts and Writing Systems

The transition from Cuneiform Luwian to Hieroglyphic Luwian marks a significant shift in the medium and style of writing. Cuneiform Luwian was primarily used for administrative and diplomatic texts, while Hieroglyphic Luwian was often employed for monumental inscriptions, which included royal decrees and funerary inscriptions. This change also reflects a shift in the political landscape, with the decline of the Hittite Empire and the rise of Neo-Hittite and Aramean states in the region.

Cultural and Historical Impact

Luwian played a crucial role in the culture and politics of ancient Anatolia. It was a lingua franca in some periods, facilitating communication across the diverse linguistic landscape of the region. The study of Luwian and its inscriptions has provided valuable insights into the political, social, and religious life of Anatolia and its neighboring regions during the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age.

Decipherment and Modern Study

The decipherment of Luwian has significantly contributed to our understanding of the ancient Near East. It has helped to reconstruct the history of the Hittite Empire and its interactions with neighboring cultures. Modern scholars continue to study Luwian texts to gain further insights into its grammar, vocabulary, and usage in various contexts.

See Also

• Anatolian languages
• Hittite language
• Indo-European languages
• Cuneiform script
• Hieroglyph