astrko-

The variant astrko- is attested in three different inscriptions found in Sardis, which can all be dated to to the 5^th or 4^th century BCE. The variant asturko- is attested in a poetic inscription found in the Lower Hermos valley and likewise datable to the 5^th or 4^th century BCE.

[I.Y.]

The segmentation astrko(ν)=t in LW 13.4 is provisional. For other attempts to interpret the form astrkot, see Gusmani 1964a:68.

[I.Y.]

The stem variant asturko- is probably secondary vis-à-vis astrko- and reflects anaptyxis in a heavy consonant cluster (Melchert 1994a:377).

[I.Y.]

The earlier attempts to interpret the modification of astrko- by ‘Sardian’ in LW 22 as their logical starting point arrived at the interpretation ‘citizen’ (vel sim.), which is still adopted in Carruba 1969a:73. Such an interpretation, however, runs afoul of the clear attestation of astrko- as an epithet of Artemis in LW 11.9 (artimuλ … caqrlaλ astrkoλ), as duey noted in Gusmani 1964a:68. In fact, the use of astrko- as the epithet of Artemis appears also to be very likely even in the case of LW 22, since the representatives of Artemis are mentioned two times in the same inscription. Hence one may wonder whether astrko- is referentially identical with Artemis or can also be used as an epithet of other gods. Gusmani 1964a:ibid. apparently held the latter view, assuming that astrko- represents an epithet of the deity šarištros(i)- in LW 11.1. A more plausible analysis of the same passage is, however, offered in Schürr 2003b:118, where šarištros(i)- and astrko- are interpreted with reference to two different deities in syntactically parallel and juxtaposed constructions. Nothing, then, appears to stand in the way of the interpretation of astrko- as ‘lady’, which is consistently adopted in the later publications of Diether Schürr. If the segmentation astrko=t in LW 13.4 is valid, the form ‘to the ladies’ may have been used with a joint reference to Artemis of Ephesus and Artemis of Koloe (cf. LW 1.7-8). This synchronic analysis would gain independent support, if one could etymologically connect Lyd. astrko- with Luw. /asrul(i)-/ ‘female’. 

[I.Y]

1. astrkota-