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
- lĂb
- lĂp
- reb
- rib
- tan
- GURUĆ -(GURUĆ (young man Sumerogram)
As sumerogram GURUĆ , it is only used for its Akkadian language meaning "eáčlu"-("young man").[2] Half of the spellings of eáčlu use GURUĆ combined with other signs, and half spell eáčlu 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), lĂ©p-(1), lĂb-(7), lĂp-(3), reb-(7), rib-(2), tan-(10), GURUĆ -(23).[3]
Amarna letter use and "dan-is"[edit]
Combined with is, (is (cuneiform)), the Akkadian word dan-is, "danniĆĄ",[4] meaning "greatly", "strongly", "fervently", etc. is used in the Amarna letters, especially from Mesopotamia, of Mitanni (King Tushratta), Babylon, and others. Tushratta's letter to Pharaoh, Amarna letter EA 19, Love and Gold uses many examples of danniĆĄ; also from Tushratta, EA 26 and EA 28.
When emphasis is being reinforced, (as in specific paragraphs of EA 19), the use is danniĆĄ-danniĆĄ. 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 danniĆĄ 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 19â32 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' ("ĆĄalÄmu"[5]-(at peace))." ("at peace" from a line previous, 'may it be', lu-Ăș, ending lines EA 23:6, 8, 12)
dan syllabic use in the Epic of Gilgamesh[edit]
The following words use the syllabic dan as the first syllable in the word entries under d in the glossary.[6]
1.danÄnu, for English, "to be strong".
2.dannatu, "hardship, difficulty".
3.danniĆĄ, "greatlly".
4.dannƫtu, "strength".
References[edit]
- ^ 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, eáčlu, 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, danniĆĄ, p. 123.
- ^ Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Glossary, pp. 119-145, ĆĄalÄmu, p. 141.
- ^ Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Glossary, pp. 119-145, danÄnu, dannatu, and danniĆĄ, dannĆ«tu, p. 123; English, "to be strong", "hardship, difficulty", "greatlly", and "strength".
- Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987, 1992. 393 pages.(softcover, 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. 119â145), 165 pages.