θurtta-

This lexeme is attested in the inscription of the inscribed pillar of Xanthos, dated contextually to shortly after the ascension of Artaxerxes II in 405-404 BCE and stylistically to around 400 BCE (Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:19f.), in the grave inscription TL 29 datable to the reign of Alexander the Great, as well as in various further grave inscriptions.

[D.S.]

nom. sg.	θurtta	TL 29.2 (Tlos)
		TL 106.1 (Limyra)
	θ[u]rtta	TL 44a.18 (Xanthos)
nom. sg.(?)	θurtt[a]	N 325.11 (Xanthos)
	θurt[ta]	TL 44a.24 (Xanthos)
acc. sg.	θurttã	TL 44b.28 (Xanthos)
	θụṛṭṭu	TL 29.6 (Tlos)
dat. pl. (?)	θurtta	TL 106.3 (Limyra)
gen. pl.	θurttãi	TL 39.4 (Xanthos)
abl./instr.	[θurtt]adi	TL 44b.29 (Xanthos)

The word θurtta at TL 106.3 can be dat. pl. (Neumann 2007a:397 with further literature, Christiansen 2020a:250 hesitant DLL:75) or nom./acc. coll. (Schürr 2008a:180). For the problem of the sequence θurtta señnaha, see ñnaha- under Forms. Following the solution offered under the latter lemma, we take θurtta se=ñnaha as two dative plurals being referred to by the proleptic pronoun =ñne ‘for them’ in zum̃me=n͂ne=ti; see Lyc. zum͂me-).

[D.S.]

It was recognized early that θurtta- refers to an individual closely associated with the members of a family within a funerary context and who may also belong to the organization of the Mindis (TL 106). In TL 29, the θurtta- has the function of a sacrificial priest towards the penalty payments of the deceased family and is also in charge of distributing certain offerings. In TL 39, it is said that the grave has been built for the descendants of the grandmother’s owner as well as for the wives of the θurtta-s, which speaks for close ties to the deceased’s household. Furthermore, the θurtta- can belong either to one person, i.e. puwej[e]he : θurt[ta (TL 44a.24) or to an entire family (see cited passage below). The translations over the years have varied; cf. Bugge 1897a:76 “companion”, Thomsen 1899a:61 “male parent member of the Mindis”, Meriggi 1936b:265 (and Meriggi 1978c:261) “brother” (further defended by Houwink ten Cate 1961a:146 with the help of Lycian personal names found in Greek transmission), Shevoroshkin 1977a:137 “a family term”, Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:36 “a kind of official”, Melchert (DLL:75) “a title”. Schürr 2008a argues on contextual grounds that θurtta- means ‘uncle’, which may appear attractive for some contexts, especially where it occurs together with tuhes- ‘nephew’, although it fails to provide a coherent account for all of them. Christiansen 2020a:198, 251 leaves it untranslated, whereas Gehrisch 2018a:39f. suggests the meaning “official” or even “dignitary” (following a suggestion of Neumann 2007a:397f.). One passage that is often omitted from discussion is the following one:

esej=ẽ=θ[u]rtta : ebẽhẽ xer[igah sttalã] tuwete{:}=ti ebẽñnẽ : neled[e arn͂nahe se] tukedri : tuwete (e)pi θãkur[ … tid]eimi (TL 44a.18-21)

“It was their θurtta who set up the [stele of] Ger[gis], this one here in the agora of Xanthos, and set up the statue on (it), θãkur[ so]n of [ … ].”

This passage demonstrates that the royal family of the deceased king had a θurtta- named θãkur[ (pace Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:36, the θurtta- here can hardly be Merehi), who took care of organizing the construction of the funerary pillar. One cannot exclude that θurtta- was first a family term that secondarily became a title, but definite proof is lacking. Therefore, the interpretation of the word θurtta- as a kind of official closely related to a family is kept here until further evidence emerges.

[D.S.]

Schürr 2008a:181 analyzes θurtta- as a derivative of the same root as the one found in tuhes-, i.e. tuh-urtta-, which would be phonologically fine, but is both morphologically and semantically awkward, whereas Neumann 2007a:397f. suggests a connection with Hitt. daššu- ‘heavy’, which is likewise untenable. It would be more promising to simply see a formation in -ta- derived from a verbal abstract noun *teh-ur- (with syncope of the root).Outdated Melchert 1994a:288 “source of θ- initial unclear”.

[D.S.]