Bi (cuneiform) explained

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 (Egyptian pitati), 'pí-t(x)-t(x)', an often requested need from the Pharaoh in the vassal state sub-corpus of the letters.

As a sumerogram, (capital letter (majuscule)), sign bi is used for KAŠ, Akkadian language for "šikāru",[1] beer.

The following linguistic elements for bi are used in the Epic:[2]

bi

gaš

kaš

KAŠ, sumerogram: "beer"

The bi sign's usage numbers in the Epic of Gilgamesh are as follows: -(25 times), bi-(190), gaš-(1), kaš-(12), -(2), KAŠ-(1).[3]

Amarna letters usage

Use of , Egyptian archers

The archers were part of the Egyptian army, and often requested by the Canaanite vassal city-states, when writing to the Pharaoh in the Amarna letters. They were named the pitati, Akkadian language "piṭātu",[4] "troops of soldiers", and spelled in a variety of ways, often starting with the bi sign as .

A partial listing of spellings of "ERIM.MEŠ-pitati", by Amarna letter:

References

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Notes and References

  1. Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Glossary, pp. 119-145, šikāru, p. 142.
  2. Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Sign List, pp. 155-165, Sign no. 214, p. 159.
  3. Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Sign List, pp. 155-165, Sign no. 214, p. 159.
  4. [Anson Rainey|Rainey]