On the Reading of the Luwian Hieroglyphic Legends of the Schimmel Rhyton
Abstract
In this paper it will be argued that on the basis of its Luwian hieroglyphic legends the stag-rhyton from the collection of Norbert Schimmel can be positively attributed to a functionary representing the west-Anatolian land of Assuwa. The nucleus of the latter land, or better confederation of lands, which rose to political prominence during the second half of the 15th century BC, was formed by the country of Arzawa, as can be inferred from the fact that its king was a member of the Arzawan royal house. It will further be argued that the stag represents the tutelary deity or stag-god, i.e. the third function (F3) in Dumézilian terms, and, in doing so, perfectly fits into the relevant evidence on the religion of the Luwians of western Anatolia, which was straightforwardly of an Old Indo European trifunctional type.
Keywords
stag-rhyton, Schimmel collection, Luwian hieroglyphic legends, Assuwa
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