Hittite Scribal Culture and Syria: Palaeography and Cuneiform Transmission

Weeden, Mark

Abstract

Article addressing the question of the cuneiform palaeography of clay tablets belonging to foreign scribal traditions found at the site of Boğazköy/Hattusa. The article argues for consideration not just of the time when particular sign-forms were introduced to the cuneiform repertoire at Hattusa, but of the manner in which this might have happened, including the copying traditions of particular texts that may have been more or less relevant at specific times in history. The article thus argues for an additional perspective to be added to Hittite palaeographic studies, based on the assumption that use of previously unknown or less used sign-forms has s historical context and can be used to an extent as a gauge of interaction with Syrian and Mespotamian culture on the level of state organisation.

Citation

Weeden, M. (2016). Hittite Scribal Culture and Syria: Palaeography and Cuneiform Transmission. In D. Shibata, & S. Yamada (Eds.), Cultures and Societies in the Middle Euphrates and Habur Areas in the Second Millennium BC – I Scribal Education and Scribal Traditions (159-193). Harrassowitz. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvc77050.14

• Publication Date: Oct 14, 2016
• Deposit Date: Oct 22, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 15, 2116
• Pages: 159-193
• Book Title: Cultures and Societies in the Middle Euphrates and Habur Areas in the Second Millennium BC – I Scribal Education and Scribal Traditions
• ISBN: 9783447105835
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvc77050.14
• Keywords: Hittites, cuneiform, palaeography, textual traditions