wīštašša/i-
‘(god of wīšta-)’
- Language
- Common Luwian
- Class
- Derivative
- Grammar
- adj
- ID
- 1009
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Luwian in Hittite transmission
wīštašša/i-
‘(god of wīšta-)’1.1.1Transmission
Reconstructed from a theonym attested in the Hittite description of the Ištanuwa festivals in NS.
[Zs.S.]
1.1.2Forms
In a theonym:
| acc. sg. c. | DÚ-i-iš-ta-aš-ši-in | KUB 55.65 iv 35 | (CTH 772, NS) |
| ]-iš-ta-aš-ši-in | KBo 29.206 iv 37’ | (CTH 772, NS) |
The attestations follow CLL:270 and van Gessel 1998a:562 checked against the photographs of the Konkordanz.
[Zs.S.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.4Meaning ‘(god of wīšta-)’
Starke 1990a:73 n. 170, CLL:270, and EDHIL:1013 connect this theonym with the word wīšta- ‘a type of bread or pastry’ and the latter two explain the name as the “god of the wišta-bread” (similarly Tischler 2016a:568, but with question mark). Since we are dealing with a substantivized genitival adjective in -ašša/i-, the basic meaning ‘god of wīšta-’ is assured. It remains, however, doubtful whether this is a fitting name for a divinity. At this juncture one must point to the Wiyanawanda-type toponym URUWīštawanda- meaning ‘rich in wīšta-’ (Laroche 1961b:61; Starke 1990a:73 n. 170; Tischler 2016a:568; for the toponym cf. also del Monte & Tischler 1978a:485f.). Regardless whether this wīšta- is Hittite or Luwian (in a Hittitized toponym), it argues for the existence of a homonymous wīšta-, since a toponym meaning ‘rich in wīšta-bread’ is not very probable (contra Neumann 1962a:208: ‘brotreich’) and the same wīšta- could underlie the theonym as well. However, it is also possible and it would provide the most economical solution that wīšta- refers to a substance or plant, which was used for making that specific bread or pastry and this wīšta-substance or plant would fit both the theonym and the toponym.
[Zs.S.]
1.1.5Origin
There is a general agreement that this is a Luwian theonym (Starke 1990a:73 n. 170; CLL:270; Haas 1994a:582f.; Hutter 2003a: 240; EDHIL:1013; Taracha 2009a:116f.), since it appears among the gods of the Luwian settlement Ištanuwa. The genitival adjective suffix -ašša/i- with i-mutation also clearly shows its Luwian origin.
[Zs.S.]
Last updated: 29 April 2020