Dan (cuneiform)
The cuneiform dan sign is a multi-use sign found in both the 14th century BC Amarna letters and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Besides dan, (and tan), the following are its uses (from Epic of Gilgamesh):[1]
- dan
- kal
- lab
- lap
- lép
- líb
- líp
- reb
- rib
- tan
- GURUŠ-(GURUŠ (young man Sumerogram)
As sumerogram GURUŠ, it is only used for its Akkadian language meaning "eṭlu"-("young man").[2] Half of the spellings of eṭlu use GURUŠ combined with other signs, and half spell eṭlu alphabetically/syllabically. The quantities used for specific meanings of the sign, in the Epic of Gilgamesh are as follows: dan-(27), kal-(23), lab-(19), lap-(3), lép-(1), líb-(7), líp-(3), reb-(7), rib-(2), tan-(10), GURUŠ-(23).[3]
Amarna letter use and "dan-is"
Combined with is, (
When emphasis is being reinforced, (as in specific paragraphs of EA 19), the use is danniš-danniš. In the Amarna letters a separate Canaanite version is also used: ma-gal, ma-gal (Amarna letter EA 364, and Amarna letter EA 299 for example).
A tripling of the danniš term is also known. The short letter Amarna letter EA 23, famous for its black-ink Egyptian Hieratic notation on the reverse, from Tushratta, 18 lines on obverse, and lines 19–32 on the bottom to the middle of the reverse, has a long introductory paragraph, lines 1-12. Line 12 ending the paragraph states "....everything-yours, strongly, strongly, strongly, 'may it be' ("šalāmu"[5]-(at peace))." ("at peace" from a line previous, 'may it be', lu-ú, ending lines EA 23:6, 8, 12)
dan syllabic use in the Epic of Gilgamesh
The following words use the syllabic dan as the first syllable in the word entries under d in the glossary.[6]
1.danānu, for English, "to be strong".
2.dannatu, "hardship, difficulty".
3.danniš, "greatlly".
4.dannūtu, "strength".
References
- ^ Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Sign List, pp. 155-165, no. 322, p. 160.
- ^ Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Glossary, pp. 119-145, eṭlu, p. 125.
- ^ Parpola, 1971, Sign List, pp. 155-165, no. 322, p. 160.
- ^ Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Glossary, pp. 119-145, danniš, p. 123.
- ^ Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Glossary, pp. 119-145, šalāmu, p. 141.
- ^ Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Glossary, pp. 119-145, danānu, dannatu, and danniš, dannūtu, p. 123; English, "to be strong", "hardship, difficulty", "greatlly", and "strength".
- ISBN 0-8018-6715-0)
- Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Parpola, Simo, Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, c 1997, Tablet I thru Tablet XII, Index of Names, Sign List, and Glossary-(pp. 119–145), 165 pages.