Inscription TL 36
On the north face of the Ahqqadi Tomb.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
1 ebẽñnẽ: prñnawã: m=ene prñnawatẽ
2 ahqqadi: pizibideh: tideimi: se:
3 hm̃prãmeh: tuhes: se=ije ñta tadẽ: miñti
4 aladehali: ada: O –: se=j=ẽtri: ñtata:
5 ada: III – se pijetẽ: hrzzi: ñtatã: ladi: ehbi: se mñneτeidehe
6 esedẽñnewi ) se pijetẽ: ẽtri: ñtatã: prñnezi:
7 atlahi:
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
This building has built Ahqqadi, the child of Pizibide and the nephew of Hm̃prãma. And he has established O – ada for the miñti for the allocation(?). And
for the lower chamber III – ada. And he (i.e. the tomb owner) has given the upper chamber to his wife and the consanguineal descendant(s)(?) of Mñneτeide. And he has given the lower chamber to his own household.
Inscription TL 37
On the smoothed rock wall at the left side of rock-cut tomb in the northern necropolis.
Transliteration (Melchert, 2001):
1 ebẽññ: xu-
2 pã: m=ẽne pr-
3 ñnawatẽ: me-
4 de: epñnẽni
5 ehbi: hm̃prã-
6 ma: se(j)=atli
Translation (Bryce, 1986):
Mede built this tomb for his younger brother(?) Hm̃prãma and for himself.
Inscription TL 38
On the rock wall at the left side of a rock-cut tomb in the northern necropolis.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
1 ebẽñnẽ prñnawu
2 m=ene prñnawatẽ
3 ijetruxle: hurttu-
4 weteh: wasaza:
5 hrppi ladi:
6 se tideime
7 se=ije ñta tetẽ
8 tesi m<i>ñti: ada:
9 III
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
This building has built Ijetruxle, the wasaza of Hurttuweti, for wife and children. And they have established III ada for the miñti under oath/by (means of) a sworn agreement.
Inscription TL 39
On the right side of the door of a rock-cut tomb in the northern necropolis.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
1 ebẽñnẽ: prñnawu: m=e=ti prñnawatẽ
2 mẽmruwi: xñtenubeh: tideimi
3 hrppi esedeñnewi: xñnahi
4 ehbiehi: se θurttãi: lada se=ñne: sm̃mati
5 tijãi: kbijehis: me=ñne: ni(j)=esu
6 esedeñnewi: epttehi: ñtepi=taṇẹ
7 se=ije: ñta tãtẽ: tesi miñti:
8 aladahali: ada: III
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
This building has built Mẽmruwi, the son of Xñtenubi, for the consanguineal(?) descendant(s)(?) of his grandmother and for the θurttas’ wives. And the payers(?) shall/may bind(?)/enjoin(?) those of others to/on them. And it should not be (allowed) to them to pla[ce] inside their consanguineal(?) descendant(s)(?). And they have established under oath/by (means of) a sworn agreement for the miñti (namely) for the allocation(?) III ada.
Inscription TL 40 on Payava Tomb
There are four inscriptions on different sides and on the lid of the monumental sarcophagus of Payava.
Inscription 40a
On the east side of the sarcophagus.
Transliteration (Melchert, 2001):
[p]ajawa: manax[in]e: prñn[a]wate: prñn[aw]ã: ebẽñnẽ
Translation:
Pajawa Manaxine built this building/tomb.
Inscription TL 40b
On the east side of the lid, on the ridge beam. It is a copy of the inscription TL 40a.
Transliteration (Melchert, 2001):
1 pajawa m[a]n[ax]ine: prñ-
2 nawate: prñnawã
3 ebẽñnẽ:
Translation:
Pajawa Manaxine built this building/tomb.
Inscription TL 40c
On the south side of the sarcophagus.
Transliteration (Schürr, 2012):
1 pajawa: ed[. . h]
2 tideimi: a[rtum̃pa]
3 rah: telẽzi[jehi]
4 qla: trm̃mis[:?]ẓ[
5 uwetẹ: teri: sẽ[n
6 ijetẽ
7 erawazija : ebe[ij]
8 a: me-prñnawaxã
9 O uhahi: ḥịṭti: ah
10 ãmadi: arñnadi
Translation (translated from Schürr, 2012):
Pajawa, son of E..
(in) the A[rtumba]ra, [the] telẽzi[je-] qla
when Lycia acquired z[…] uwe-te, sẽ[n..].
This erawazija now I built,
10-year-old so-and-so through Xanthic ahãma-.”
Inscription TL 40d
On the west side of the sarcophagus.
Transliteration (Schürr, 2012):
1 ebeija: xruwata: me-ije pijetẽ: wat[apr?]<dd>ata: xssadrapa: pa[rza: tij]
2 a: pddẽ: telẽzi: epatte: trm̃milise: ma[naxi? …
Translation(translated from Schürr, 2012):
This xruwata now gave him Autophradates, the satrap, the Per[sian, which]e before the telẽzije received, the Lycian, the ma[naxi ……
Inscription TL 41
On a limestone block which was probably originally part of a rock-cut tomb, now kept in British Museum (Object No: 135846).
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
1 ebẽnẽ: prñnaẉ[ã … …]
2 turlleh: tidẹi[… …]
3 se=sedeñnewi: x[… …]
4 ñta=ija tadẽ: tas[a … …]
5 se(j)=ẽtre: ada III:
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
This buildin[g … ] the chi[ld] of Turlli [ … ] and the consanguineal(?) descendant(s)(?) [of the] gr[andmother. And] he has established for it oat[hs …]/swo[rn agreements …] and for the lower (tomb-chamber) III ada.
Inscription TL 42
On a piece of cornice which seems to be fallen from a rock-cut tomb in the wooden style with round logs. It was first documentaed by Fellows but the location is unknown today. The upper two short lines (TL 42a) were either not completed or the rest of lines them were unreadable.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
TL 42a
1 ebã?!ñn vacat?
2 se=i(j)e ñte tãt vacat?
TL 42b
1 ebẽñnẽ: xupã: m=e=ti prñnawatẽ: tuwala: hrppi ladi:
2 se tideime: se=ije ñt=tadẽ: tesi: miñti: aladahali: ada: II vacat
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
TL 42a
This … And they have establi[shed … ].
TL 42b
This tomb has built Tuwala for wife and children. And he has established II ada under oath/by (means of) a sworn contract for the miñti, (namely) for (the purpose of) the allocation(?).
Inscription TL 43 on Merehi Tomb
On the eastern side of the Merehi Tomb in the northern necropolis.
Transliteration (Melchert, 2001):
1 ebẽñnẽ: prñnawã: m=ẽ=ti prñnawatẽ: merehi: kudalah: xñtlah tideimi:
2 trijatrbbahi: pñnutahi: uhahi: hrppi: prñnezi: ẽnẽ: xñtawata:xer[i]xehe:
Translation (based on Laroche, 1974):
This building/tomb has built by Merehi, son of Kudala (the) Xñtla, trijatrbbahi pñnutahi uhahi, for his household during Xeriga’s reign.
Inscription TL 44
…
Transliteration:
Translation:
….
Inscription TL 45
TL 45 is the upper part of a stele that was found in 1844 near the so-called Dancer’s Sarcophagus in Xanthos and is kept in the British Museum. There are partially preserved 8 Lycian lines on one side and 13 Greek lines on the other. In 1977, another stele fragment was discovered in the apse wall of the basilica – not far from the Dancer’s Sarcophagus – with the remains of 13 Lycian lines from the end of the inscription on the front side and five Greek lines on the back.
Transliteration:
TL 45a (Melchert, 2001):
1 [pijet]e=ñn=ẽ pixe[s]ere kat-
2 [amla]h arñna se tlawa se p-
3 [inale]se xadawãti me=ñn=a[
4 [……]truwehe=ñne=(e)se ti
5 […….]uti kbijehedi
6 [………]t/zi se=we ñte k[
7 [………….]weli eb[
8 [……………..] ne[
9 [……………….]
TL 45b (Schürr, 2021):
1 [………adẽ t]asa arus [….]
2 [……..-]p/le nte-hri-t<a>d[i]
3 [Te/l …]eri Tiwehn xntaxa(-?)
4 [….. ]m/laliju mara ebeija
5 [tusnt]i se-we-ne-xttaiti Te/l[.]
6 [.. eri] ebi-ne esedennew[i]
7 [me-i ti]ke ne-xttadi tike [ti-]
8 [ppuw]ẽti tihe ẽti sttal[i e-]
9 [behi] me-nn’ ebi-ne esu ’be[..]
10 [….]emaxani ebi-n[e …]
11 […] me-i tusnti m[ara ebe-]
12 [ija m]e-nne hladd[i Trbba-
13 [mara?] wawa
Translation:
TL 45a:
This ordinance of Pixodaros, Hekatomnos (son), for Xanthos and Tlos and Pinara and Kadyanda, now made for her …
TL 45b (translated from Schürr, 2021):
… [made] oaths (of) arus …
… but? up above? will/should (one?) lay
[the Te/l . . .]eri, the Tiwe- (son), (of the?) Xntaxa(-?)
[and? the ]m/laliju. These regulations
[they will kee]p and will not change (the) Te/l[.-
.. eri] nor the descendants.
[If some]one does not change, (what)
they write the (?) tihe on [this] stele,
then neither here/this(?)
…maxani nor …
… If they keep [these] r[ules] to him,
then Trbb[-amara] should increase
their herd of cattle.
Inscription TL 46 on Lions Tomb
On the broken sarcophagus of the Lions Tomb in the northern Necropolis.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2019):
1 [ebẽñnẽ prñnawã(or t/τezi) m=e=ti(or me=ne) pr]ñṇ[awatẽ]
2 [PN(tomb owner) (title?)] kr[…]ḷ/ṃaẓ[…. (up to 4 letters)(Patronymic)]
3 [hrppi ladi se tid]eim[e se xa]ḥba: ehbi[je? (or vacat)?]
4 [se=ije ñta tadẽ tesi]ṃị[ñ]ti: aladahaḷ[i]
5 [ada/adajẽ] O
Translation (Christiansen, 2019):
[This tomb has built …, son of] Kr[…]ḷ/ṃaẓ[… (ca. 1-6 letters)] [for wife and chil]dre[n and the gran]dchild(ren) [And they established under oath] with the Mi[ndis] for the allocation(?) 10(?) [ada].
Inscription TL 47
On a rock-cut tomb in the northern necropolis.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
1 ebẽñṇẽ x̣upu m=ẹ̃=ti p̣rñnawạtẽ hura
2 ikeẓi ḥṛppi ladi ehbi se tideịme se=ije
3 ṇ̃ṭẹ tadẽ tesi miñti ada II–)
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
This tomb has built Hura, the ikezi/the one of Ikos(?) for his wife and the children. And he has established under oath for the miñti II –) ada.
Inscription TL 48 and TL 49
On a rock-cut tomb in the northern necropolis. TL 48a and TL 48b are on the right side of the door, and TL 49 is located inside the tomb, above the bench at the back. It is thought that the inscriptions TL 48a and TL 49 are from the construction time of the tomb, whereas 48b was added later.
Transliteration (Melchert, 2001):
TL 48a:
1 ebẽñnẽ: xupã: m=ẽ=ti prñ-
2 nawatẽ: padrãma: hrppi ne-
3 re: se t{:}uhe
TL 48b:
4 ebẽñnẽ: xupã: m=ẽ=ti: ijetẽ
5 q[a]rñnaxa: pssureh: tidei-
6 mi: se tideimi: padrm̃mahe
7 xudiwazade: epenẽtijatte
8 padrm̃ma
TL 49:
ebehi: isbazi: m(i)=ije=sije̡ni: padrñma: kumaza: me=ije ne pemati tike: kbi hrppi=ttãne:
Translation:
TL 48a (translated from Laroche, 1974):
This tomb, (it) was built by Padrãma, for (his) neri (sister or brother) and (his) nephews.
TL 48b (translated from Eichner, 2017):
This grave, now whoever bought it, (he is) Qarñnaxa, the son of Pssure, and the son of Padrm̃ma (named) Xudiwaza, bought it back for Padrm̃ma.
TL 49 (translated from Eichner, 2017):
On this bench/cline, now there lies Padrñma, the priest, and he (one?) will not dare to put someone else on it (or: on him).
Inscription TL 50
On the northern side of a pillar tomb, so-called Theater Pillar, which is located just southwest of the cavea.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
1 ñte=ije tãtẽ: tesi: miñti
2 aladehali: ada: O –
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
They have established under oath/by (means of) a sworn agreement for the miñti for (the purpose of) the allocation(?) O – ada.
Inscription TL 51
On a statue base, possibly a dedication inscription.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2019):
1 ñt(e)=ene qarñnaxa tuwe[tẽ]
2 qñtbeh tideimi ehbi
3 wezzeimi tehluse
Translation (Christiansen, 2019):
Therein [has] installed Qarñnaxa, son of Qñtbe, his son Wezzeimi for tehluse.
Inscription N 313
Several short (mostly one word) Lycian inscriptions and graffiti were identified on pot shards found in Xanthos. According to Neumann, they may contain personal names. All are classified under the same catalog number, N 313.
N 313a:
It is on a fragment of an olpe (a kind of jug for liquids).
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
pinike
N 313b:
It is on a fragment of a bowl bottom.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
tbuwe
N 313c:
It is on a fragment of a skyphos (drinking cup) bottom.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
zabrxah♢
N 313d:
It is on a fragment of a bowl bottom.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
ẽkuwe[
N 313e:
It is on a fragment of a bowl bottom.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
]reuh [
N 313f:
It is on a fragment of an olpe.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
]eji[
N 313g:
It is on a fragment of a bowl bottom.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
]je[
N 313h:
It is on a fragment of a vase bottom.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
ssewe
N 313i:
It is on a fragment of a bowl bottom.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
sqaj.ẽz
N 313k:
It is on a fragment of a bowl bottom.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
Unclear.
N 313l:
It is only a single character on a fragment of a vessel handle.
Transliteration (Neumann, 1979):
ẽ
N 313m:
It is on a fragment of a marble basin.
Transliteration (Bousquet, 1992):
]ẽnida ubete
Inscription N 341
On the fragment of a rock-cut tomb that was accidentally destroyed during the landscaping works of the main street of Xanthos. The upper four lines of the inscription has been partially erased but deciphered anyway.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
1 ebẽñnẹ̃ x̣upu: m=e=ti prñnawa-
2 tẽ.elẹẉ?ịjeḥị x̣?ụ?ḍ?ṛ?ehil-
3 aḥ? hr!pị atli ehḅị: se p̣ṛñna[z?/w?]
4 i ehbi se=ije ..i taḍẹ̃ m[iñt?– ]
5 i tesi ada: II
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
This tomb has built .elewijehi [(the child)] of X̣?ụ?ḍ?ṛ?ehila for himself and for his house[hold](?)/hou[s]e(?). And he has established for the m[int]i(?) under oath/by (means of) a sworn agreement II ada.
Inscription N 344
On a half-buried rock-cut tomb in the East of the Northern necropolis.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
1 ebẽñnẽ: xupu: m=ẽ=ti prñnawatẽ[:?] pddẽxñta
2 hrppi ladi:? ehbi:? se tiḍeime[:?] tesi:? ada II –
Translation (Christiansen, 2020):
This tomb has built Pddẽxñta for his wife and the children. Under oath/by (means of) a sworn contract II – ada.
Inscription N 347
A fragmentarily preserved stone inscription consisting of the remains of a few letters only. Possibly belongs to a tomb.
Transliteration (Christiansen, 2020):
ạda [… …]
References:
Bousquet, J. 1992. ‘Les inscriptions du Létôon en l’honneur d’Arbinas et l’épigramme grecque de la stèle de Xanthos’, in Fouilles de Xanthos 9, ed. H. Metzger, 155-199.
Bryce, T. 1986. Lycians in Literary and Epigraphic Sources, Kopenhagen.
Christiansen, B. 2019. ‘Editions of Lycian Inscriptions not Included in Melchert’s Corpus from 2001’, in Luwic dialects and Anatolian – Inheritance and diffusion, eds. I. X. Adiego et al., 65-134.
Christiansen, B. 2020. ‘Grave Matters. Legal Provisions for a Proper Final Rest in Classical Lycia’, in Das Xanthostal Lykiens in archaisch-klassischer Zeit, ed. M. Zimmermann, 166-261.
Eichner, H. 2017. ‘Ein philologisch-sprachwissenschaftlicher Blick auf den Fortgang der lykischen Studien seit Emmanuel Laroche.’ in Hittitology Today, 5e Rencontres d’Archéologie de L’IFÉA, Istanbul 21-22 November, 2014, ed. A. Mouton, 277-299.
Kalinka, E. 1901. Tituli Asiae Minoris, Vol.1, Vindobonae.
Laroche, E. 1974. ‘Les épitaphes lyciennes’, in Fouilles de Xanthos 5, eds. P. Demargne et al., Paris, 124–149.
Laroche, E. 1979: ‘L’inscription lycienne’, in Fouilles de Xanthos 6: La stèle trilingue du Létôon, eds. A. D. Sommer et al., Paris, 49–127.
Melchert, H. C. 2001. LycianCorpus.pdf at www.linguistics.ucla.edu/people/Melchert
Metzger H., 1972. ‘Les ceramiques archaiques et classiques de L’Acropole Lycienne’, Fouilles de Xanthos 6, Paris.
Neumann, G. 1979. Neufunde lykischer Inschriften seit 1901, (Denkschr. ÖAW, phil.-hist. Kl. 135), Wien.
Schürr, D. 2012. ‘Der lykische Dynast Arttumbara und seine Anhänger’, Klio 94/1, 18-44.
Schürr, D. 2021. ‘Ergänzungen in den lykisch-griechischen Fragmenten TL 45 und TL 45B’, Gephyra 21, 91-105.
Seyer, M. 2006. ‘Zur Bestattung von Priestern in lykischen Felsgräbern’, in Akten des 10 eds. G. Koiner et al., Wien, 167–172.
Zahle, J. 1983 Arkæologiske Studier i Lykiske Klippegrave og Deres Relieffer, Copenhague
Image Sources:
British Museum
E. Kalinka, 1901
H. Metzger, 1972
G. Neumann, 1979
J. Bousquet, 1992
M. Seyer, 2006
Jastrow, 2006
Mike Peel, 2010
B. Christiansen, 2019, 2020
D. Schürr, 2021
Bora Bilgin, 2022
Tayfun Bilgin, 2022, 2024