/turuza^?/, tu-ru-za

This lexeme is attested six times on the remains of large pithoi from a pithos building in Altıntepe. The pithoi are dated to the 8th century BCE.

[AH.B.]

unknown	/turuza?/	tu-ru-za	ALTINTEPE pithoi, pithos 1 & pithos 2 & pithos 3 (Altıntepe)
		tu-[r]u-z[a]	ALTINTEPE pithoi, pithos 7+4 (Altıntepe)
		tu+ra/i-za	ALTINTEPE pithoi, pithos 5 & pithos 6 (Altıntepe)

This lexeme is attested in two spelling variants, with four pithoi showing <ru> (*412) and two showing <ra/i> (*383), the latter combined in the usual way into a ligature with the sign preceding it. Linked to its cuneiform equivalent <ṭé/ṭè-ru-si> (see already Laroche 1971a:58f. and Hawkins, Morpurgo Davies & Neumann 1973a:12), there is some doubt over its phonological interpretation because of the differing vowels and sibilant. Moreover, the variant HLuw. spellings may suggest that the underlying phonological structure is bisyllabic, i.e. /turza/, rather than trisyllabic.

[AH.B.]

Listed together with other measure terms on the side of what is left of large pithoi found in a pithos building, it is clear that the term denotes a volume measure. Yet more details about the size of the measure have so far remained obscure.

[AH.B.]

Unknown. When used in comparable contexts in Urartian, such measure terms would be used in their stem forms. It is hence possible that the same applies to the present context (Hawkins, Morpurgo Davies & Neumann 1973a:11f.).

[AH.B.]

The lexeme may be a loanword from Urartian, as first suggested by Laroche 1971a:55-61 and followed by Hawkins, Morpurgo Davies & Neumann 1973a:11f.

[AH.B.]