Ba (cuneiform)

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Cuneiform ba.
(digitized form ba, and other meanings) B014vellst.png
Cuneiform ba.
(digitized form ba, and other meanings)
Amarna letter EA 15-(titled: "Assyria joins the International Scene").
A common Amarna letter that uses cuneiform ba.
(Third from last cuneiform sign, line 9.) Amarna letter- Royal Letter from Ashur-uballit, the king of Assyria, to the king of Egypt MET 24.2.11 EGDP021806.jpg
Amarna letter EA 15-(titled: "Assyria joins the International Scene").
A common Amarna letter that uses cuneiform ba.
(Third from last cuneiform sign, line 9.)

The cuneiform sign ba, is a common-use sign of the Amarna letters, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and other cuneiform texts (for example Hittite texts).

Linguistically, it has the alphabetical usage in texts for b, a, or syllabically for ba, and also a replacement for "b", by "p". The a is replaceable in word formation by any of the 4 vowels: a, e, i, or u.


Epic of Gilgamesh usage

The ba sign usage in the Epic of Gilgamesh is as follows: ba-(282 times); BA-(7). [1]


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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ia (cuneiform)</span>

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The cuneiform mi, sign is a distinctive sign in the wedge-stroke group, and is used as a syllabic for mi, me, and an alphabetic for m, i, or e; it is also a Sumerogram for MI, used for Akkadian language, "mūšu", night. MI, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, is used in (Chapters) Tablets I, II, III, and XII as either MI, or MI.MEŠ, a total of six times; other spellings of mūšu in other sections are alphabetic/syllabic, four times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ud (cuneiform)</span> Cuneiform sign

The cuneiform ud sign, also ut, and with numerous other syllabic and Sumerogram uses, is a common sign for the mid 14th-century BC Amarna letters and the Epic of Gilgamesh. The sign is constructed upon the single vertical stroke , with various positionings of two wedge-strokes at the left, sometimes approximately centered, or often inscribed upwards to the left, the second wedge-stroke, occasionally inscribed/ligatured upon the first. The wedge-strokes can have any size, are often smaller than the vertical, but as an example, Amarna letter EA 256, can be almost as large as the vertical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bi (cuneiform)</span>

The cuneiform bi sign, also , and used for other syllabic forms, as well as a sumerogram, is a common use syllabic and alphabetic cuneiform sign used in both the mid-14th century BC Amarna letters and the Epic of Gilgamesh. In the Amarna letters, it is sometimes used for the spelling of the archers, 'pí-t(x)-t(x)', an often requested need from the Pharaoh in the vassal state sub-corpus of the letters.

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The cuneiform na sign is a common, multi-use sign, a syllabic for na, and an alphabetic sign used for n, or a; it is common in both the Epic of Gilgamesh over hundreds of years, and the 1350 BC Amarna letters. In the Epic of Gilgamesh it also has sumerogramic usage for NA. An example usage for NA in the Epic is for the spelling of NA.GAD,, for Akkadian language "nāqidu", "herdsman". The usage for NA in herdsman is only for 3 spellings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ha (cuneiform)</span> Cuneiform sign

The cuneiform ha sign comes in two common varieties in the 1350 BC Amarna letters. It is also found in the large 12-chapter (Tablets I-XII) work of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Cuneiform ha is used as a syllabic for ha, and an alphabetic for h, or a; from the Epic of Gilgamesh it also has two sumerogramic uses (capital letter (majuscule)), for HA (Akkadian language zittu, for "share"), and KU6, for nūnu, "fish".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ši</span> Cuneiform sign

The cuneiform sign ši, lim, and Sumerogram IGI is a common-use sign of the Amarna letters, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and other cuneiform texts. As the syllabic form it is commonly used for ši, lim/lem, and for Sumerograms, it is most commonly used for IGI, and "before". Also, for ši and lim/lem it can be used syllabically for š, i, l, i/e, and m, in the spelling of words.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giš</span> Cuneiform sign

The cuneiform giš sign,, is a common, multi-use sign, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Amarna letters, and other cuneiform texts. It also has a major usage as a sumerogram, GIŠ, for English language "wood", and is used as a determinative at the beginning of words, for items made of wood. The 12 Chapters (Tablets) of the Epic of Gilgamesh lists 16 named items beginning with "GIŠ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zu (cuneiform)</span> Cuneiform sign

Cuneiform zu,, is an uncommon-use sign in the 1350s BC Amarna letters, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and other cuneiform texts. Alphabetically, it could conceivably be used for letters z, s, , or u; however in the Amarna letters it is used mostly for personal names or geographical names.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mu (cuneiform)</span> Cuneiform sign

The cuneiform sign mu, is a common-use sign of the Amarna letters, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and other cuneiform texts. It is also used as MU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Am (cuneiform)</span> Cuneiform sign

The cuneiform sign am, is a common-use sign of the Amarna letters, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and other cuneiform texts. It is also used as AM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hal (cuneiform)</span> Cuneiform sign

The cuneiform sign hal, is a common-use sign in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Amarna letters, and other cuneiform texts, for example Hittite texts. Its common usage is syllabic for hal, but could also be use for alphabetic h or l, or the a, and for the other three vowels of e, i, or u.

References

  1. Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh , Sign List, pp. 155-165, no. 062, p. 155, "ba".