aḫḫūwattar/-t(ta)n-

The few occurrences of the word are limited to inventories (all NS).

[E.R.]

nom./acc. pl.	aḫ-ḫu-u-wa-at-ra	KUB 12.1 iv 9’	(CTH 504, NS)
unknown	aḫ-ḫu-wa-at-[	KUB 42.19 rev. 7’	(CTH 241, NS)
abl./instr.	aḫ-ḫu-u-wa-at-na-za	HFAC 8 ii 3	(CTH 242, NS)

Checked against the photographs in the Mainzer Fotoarchiv, with the exception of HFAC 8 ii 3. – For the reading of the word, see Starke 1990a:509 with n. 1875f. following Košak 1982a:45f. The interpretation of the initial sign AḪ/EḪ/IḪ/UḪ as AḪ is based on the cognate participle āḫḫuwāḫḫuwāmin.

[E.R.]

The noun has resisted semantic elucidation, so far (Starke 1990a:509f., CLL:5, HW 2nd ed. A:47, HHw:11, Ünal 2007a:11). However, parallel to ir(ḫu)wa- (with assimilation iḫḫuwa-) c. ‘(the) interior (of a circle), own’ ← *irḫ- also a stem *ar(ḫu)wa- (with assimilation *aḫḫuwa-) ← *arḫ- with a similar meaning could be hypothesized. With an intermediate verbal step *aḫḫuwa-^(ti), this could serve as the base for a derivative with the abstract suffix -(a)ttar/-at(ta)n-. In the given context of golden ornaments sown onto a linen cloth, the translation as ‘circles’, ‘disks’ or ‘balls’ (small balls made from thread) are good options: ^(6’)šu-ši 7 ^NA4nunuz x[ ... ] ^(7’)7 aḫ-ḫu-wa-at-[ “67 pearls x[ ... ] 7 circl[es / bal[ls” (KUB 42.19 rev. 6’f.). In the description of the content of a chest (aḫ-ḫu-u-wa-at-na-za šu-u-wa-an-za “filled with aḫḫuwattar”, HFAC 8 ii 3), balls as three-dimensional objects are perhaps more likely, but round disks and rings cannot be excluded here either. The semantic interpretation of the participle āḫḫuwāḫḫuwama/i- ‘encircled, constrained by an āḫḫuwa (?)’ tips the scales in favor of ‘ring (?)’.

[E.R.]

As pointed out by Starke 1990a:509f. (followed in CLL:5), the stem is a heteroclite abstract noun in -attar/-t(ta)n-. For the derivational history, see under Meaning.

[E.R.]

The Luwian provenance of the word was recognized by Starke 1990a:509f. (see also CLL:5, Shevoroshkin 1992a:3, van den Hout 2006a:248f.). Diagnostic features are the nom./acc. pl. in -atra and the lack of assimilation in the oblique -t(ta)n- stem.

[E.R.]

For the lemma head, see CLuw. *irḫ(i)-.