paḫḫi-

This lexeme is found in Luwian incantations of the Great Ritual of Kuwattalla and Šilalluḫi.

[D.S.]

3sg. impv. med.	pa-aḫ-ḫi-it-ta-ru	KUB 35.49 iv 3	(CTH 761, MS)
3sg. impv. med. (?)	pa-aḫ-ḫ[i-it-ta-ru]	KBo 47.136, 10’	(CTH 763, MS?)

Checked against the photographs in the Konkordanz. The attestation in KBo 47.136 could be added when Sasseville 2019b:120 recognized that the fragment contains a Luwian incantation. The restoration as imperative form is suggested tentatively in Sasseville 2021a:135 and is adopted here.

[D.S.]

Based on the context, paḫḫi- denotes a destructive action that is to be performed on evil things. On the new fragment KBo 47.136, the Hittite passage occurring before the incantation seems to say that the seeds are thrown into the hearth, and then, the evil things are supposed to “paḫḫi-”. Adducing the Luwian word pāḫūr- ‘fire’ as a potential cognate, one obtains for paḫḫittaru the meaning ‘it must burn’ (Sasseville 2021a:135f.). On the other hand, Puhvel (HED P:3) suggests the meaning ‘to beat’ by adducing the Hittite word ^GIŠpaḫ(ḫ)iš- n. ‘beater, whisk (of twigs)’. Although his hypothesis cannot be entirely refuted, the proposed link with ‘fire’ receives additional support from the context and, therefore, the meaning ‘to burn (?)’ is adopted here tentatively.

[D.S.]

The verb belongs to Luwian stems in -i-^(ti) (Sasseville 2021a:133, 135f.), although it is only attested in the medio-passive so far.

[D.S.]