mλwẽnd(i)-

This lexeme is found in a funerary inscription datable to the 15^th year of the reign of Artaxerxes I, II or III (Buckler 1924a:4).

[D.S.]

On the reading, see Buckler 1924a:6.

[D.S.]

The approximate semantics of mλwẽndaν have always been clear, since it occurs within a series of architectural features pertaining to the tomb (already Brandenstein 1929a:284f. ‘tomb’, Carruba 1963a:388 ‘grave facility’). However, Gusmani 1964a:167 points out that it is likely to refer to everything pertaining to the tomb due to the modifying iško- ‘all’ and, therefore, translates it with ‘part (?)’, i.e. ‘all the parts’ (followed by Gérard 2005a:129, Probert 2018a:369, 375; differently Neumann 2007a:219 ‘grave goods’). While positing a new Lydian sound law, Sasseville 2021e:644f. equates the base of Lyd. mλwẽndaν, i.e *mλwẽna-, with the Luwianism mariyawanna- found in Hittite transmission. Since the latter designates the top part of the tower, i.e. the balcony and the balustrade, he suggests translating the Lydian phrase mλwẽndaν iškon ‘everything pertaining to this balcony here (?)’, although the meaning ‘balustrade, fence’ would also be adequate:

ak=t=in nãqiš fẽnšλipid ešνaν mλwẽndaν iškon qida tamν puk wãnaλ ešλ puk mruλ (LW 2.4-6)

‘If anyone destroys all these things here pertaining to the balcony/balustrade, which I have built, or the grave or this stele here…’

This more precise semantic assignment is dependent on the comparative evidence and the architectural state of rock-carved graves from the necropolis of Sardis.

[D.S.]

On the suffix -da- (or better -d(i)-), see Melchert 1994b:185.

[D.S.]

For the lemma head, see Lyd. *mλwẽna-.