In inscriptions of the Assyrian King Shalmaneser I (1280-1261 B.C.) we find the first occurrence of the term Uruatri... eight countries, collectively referred to as Uruatri, situated in a mountainous region to the southeast of Lake Van... the Assyrian name of Uruatri had no ethnic significance... (perhaps meaning 'the mountainous country')... In Assyrian inscriptions of the 11th century B.C., we again find the term Uruatri, and from the second quarter of the 9th century, in the reign of Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 B.C.), it is of common occurrence, in the form Urartu, being used concurrently with the name of Nairi... [pp 43-45]
The inscription by Sarduri I is written in Assyrian — indicating that the nascent Urartian state had already assimilated certain elements of the culture of its enemy, Assyria... The less advanced hieroglyphic script remained in use only for administrative and accounting purposes... We have also an inscription by King Ishpuini, sone of Sarduri I — the Kelishin Stele — which is written in both languages... The earliest surviving inscriptions in the Urartian language date from the reign of King Ishpuini, son of Sarduri, who is mentioned in the Assyrian annals of theyear 824 B.C. The primitive hieroglyphic script proved inadequate to the needs of the rapidly rising Urartian kingdom, and accordingly the Urartians took over the Assyrian cuneiform script at the end of the 9th century B.C... The local hieroglyphic script retained a restricted role for accounting and cult purposes. [pp 50-65] |
