Unearthing Urartian Ušma Šin “Blue Heaven” and Associated Meanings

Authors : Orhan Varol

Pages : 419-430

Doi:10.53568/yyusbed.1678714

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Publication Date : 2025-10-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Urartian inscriptions, which have a history of nearly three thousand years, have been attempted to be read for approximately two hundred years. Cross-linguistic and contextual evidence indicate that some basic statements frequently repeated in royal inscriptions were misinterpreted. Regional languages and language contacts in the Urartian territory throughout history provide decisive explanations for determining the linearity and coherence of the word meanings in the texts. In this context, the study focuses on the basic vocabulary in Urartian royal discourses, unearthing Urartian ušma šin ‘blue heaven’ and associated meanings. In different Urartian corpuses, ušmašini and its synonymous forms were translated as ‘might’, ‘glory’, and ‘protection’; alsuišini and its synonymous forms were translated as ‘greatness’ although the meaning of ‘all blue seas’ is more obvious . It is understood that the examined parts in the texts do not contain abstract qualifiers attributed to god(s) and king(s) as the basic meaning, as stated in previous studies, but compound nouns associated with the spheres of residence and authority of the respective god(s) and ruler(s). Urartian cuneiform texts and corpuses should be re-evaluated based on these findings.
Keywords : Urartu dili, Urartu yazıtları, Dil etkileşimi, Mavi Cennet, Uşma Şin

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