šẽšwa-
‘sarcophagus (?)’
- Language
- Lydian
- Grammar
- subst, n.
- ID
- 2885
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Lydian
šẽšwa-
‘sarcophagus (?)’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is found in an inscription, which has not yet been accurately dated, although the stele was reused in later times and a second Lydian inscription was added.
[D.S.]
1.1.2Forms
| nom./acc. sg. | šẽšwad | LW 10.5 (Sardis) |
1.1.3Meaning
The noun ešt… šẽšwad refers to something that is located before the eyes of the reader of the inscription, which has furthermore been handed over by the owner as a place for the bones to be placed. A meaning ‘sarcophagus’ is very tempting but cannot yet be supported independently and must therefore be considered highly tentative. Until now the word had been left untranslated in the literature; see Meriggi 1935a:99, Gusmani 1964a:195 and Hajnal 2004a:199.
[D.S.]
1.1.4Stem
The noun šẽšwa- is a neuter a-stem. Considering the highly unusual phonological sequence in the noun, one is tempted to take it as a compound perhaps made of šẽν + šwa- (vel sim.); cf. cẽqra-.
[D.S.]