/zuwani(ya)-/

The existence of a lexeme /zuwani(ya)-/ distinct from /zuwan(i)-/ ‘dog’ is not assured. But if the identification of the stem is correct, then it is a hapax legomenon attested in an inscription dated to the reign of Kamanis, around 750 BCE.

[D.S.]

nom. sg. c.

/zuwaniyis/

zú-wa/i-ní-i-sa

KARKAMIŠ A4a, §10 (Karkamiš)

The one attestation of /zuwani(ya)-/ seems to modify a personal name. Hawkins 2000a:153 offers various solutions, such as a nickname or a patronymic. Meriggi 1975a:110, Starke 1995a:120 n. 242 and Simon 2008a:20 interpret it as a title. Oreshko 2013a:415 argues against the interpretation as a title and prefers a patronymic, on the premises that Zuwani is abundantly attested as a personal name, but see discussion under /zuwan(i)-/. In any case, the unorthodox arguments of Oreshko do not disprove the hypothesis that the instance in KARKAMIŠ A4a, §10 refers to a title, since personal names may come from a title. One may compare the number of Lycian personal names ending with the suffix -aza- productive at building nouns of professions. It is thus simpler to take it as a possessive adjective in /-i(ya)-/ referring to a title; cf. Giusfredi 2010b:165-167.  One might suggest the meaning ‘hunter’. For the relationship between ‘hunter’ and ‘dog’ in Luwian, see Hawkins 2006b:60f., and for the semantics of ‘dog’ referring to a military rank, see Simon 2008a with further literature. 

[D.S.]

Inferred from a personal name attested in an Old Assyrian loan tablet.

[Zs.S.]

In a personal name:

Zu-a-ni-a

CCT 1 7a, 19

The attestation follows Laroche 1966b:214 (No. 1582) and Kloekhorst 2019b:62 (cf. also Stephens 1928a:71), checked against the hand copy of the publication (a photograph is not available).

Although the cuneiform signs are partly ambiguous, most of the commentators transcribed them as Zu-a-ni-a (Smith 1921a:23; Driver 1927a:113; Stephens 1928a:71; Garelli 1963a:141; Laroche 1966b:214; Yakubovich 2010d:215f.; Kloekhorst 2019b:62). Only Eisser & Lewy 1930a:52 transcribed the name as Sú-a-lí-a, immediately emending it for “Su(k)allia” in their translation. Since the more widespread reading leads to a meaningful name (see below), it is more probable. That said it cannot be entirely excluded that another reading is correct, since not all names attested in the Old Assyrian texts are transparent.

[Zs.S.]

Based on the more widespread reading (as per above) two interpretations were suggested. On the one hand, Garelli 1963a:141 proposed that it is a thematisation by -a- from *zuwanni- (something similar might have been alluded by the unexplained spelling “Zuani-a” of Smith 1921a:23), which in turn derives from zuwa- ‘bread, food’ by -anna-/-anni-, which is for him a Hittite and Luwian word. Although a derivation by the diminutive suffix -anna/i- is possible, zūwa- ‘bread, food’, which is a Luwian, and not Hittite word (cf. s.v.), is semantically not really fitting (cf. also s.v. *zuwa-). However, if someone wants to maintain this explanation, one has to assume an additional -iya- suffix, since the thematisation should have resulted in †zūwanna-.

On the other hand, Yakubovich 2010d:215f. identified it with the Luwian word zuwan(i)- ‘dog’ (without further discussion; Kloekhorst 2019b:62, 65 rejected this analysis without any argument). This suggestion is indeed possible as a regular derivative from this Luwian word by the appurtenance suffix -iya-. Semantically speaking such a meaning for a personal name may be surprising at first glance, but it is in fact cross-culturally attested, cf. Herodot 1.110 for an Iranian woman called ‘Dog’ (Σπακώ) or Old Iranian names in Elamite transmission with the same meaning (Iš-ba, Iš-ba-ka₄, I-iš-ba-ka₄-iz-za, Tavernier 2007a:312 with refs.). In the Anatolian world one has to refer to ^mZu-wa-an-ni in KUB 10.96, 3 (Laroche 1966b:214 No. 1581) that may be connected (but see s.v. HLuw. zuwan(i)-) and HLuw. zú-wa/i-ní-i-sa from the Luwian word for ‘dog’ in KARKAMIŠ A4a §10, which is either a personal name or a title (see the discussion s.v. with refs.).

Finally, one cannot entirely exclude a derivation from a Lallname Zuwa, with the above mentioned Luwian diminutive suffix and -iya- or from the above mentioned personal name, Zuwanni (with the suffix -iya-), the derivation of which from the word for ‘dog’ is, however, problematic, as per above.

[Zs.S.]

If the reading is correct (see under Forms), it formally coincides with a semantically fitting Luwian word, thus a Luwian origin is possible. If a derivation from the Lallname Zuwa is preferred, the Luwian diminutive suffix assures its Luwian origin in this case. However, if it originates from Zuwanni, its Luwian origin remains dubious (see under Meaning).

[Zs.S.]

Last updated: 29 June 2020