Luwian

Luwian
/looh"ee euhn/, n.
1. an extinct ancient Anatolian language written in cuneiform.
adj.
2. of or pertaining to Luwian.
[1920-25; Luwi nation of ancient Asia Minor + -AN]

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▪ ancient Anatolian people
also called  Luite 

      member of an extinct people of ancient Anatolia. The Luwians were related to the Hittites (Hittite) and were the dominant group in the Late Hittite culture. Their language is known from cuneiform texts found at the Hittite capital, Boğazköy. (See Luwian language.)

      Luwiya is mentioned as a foreign country in the Hittite laws (about 1500 BC). It probably coincided roughly with Arzawa, a large region composed of several principalities in western or southwestern Anatolia, and Kizzuwadna, a district occupying the Cilician Plain. Both Arzawa and Kizzuwadna were independent kingdoms during the Old Hittite period (c. 1700–c. 1500 BC) but later became vassals of the Hittite empire. Linguistic evidence testifies to the cultural penetration of the Hittite empire by Luwians.

      After the downfall of the Hittite empire (c. 1180 BC), hieroglyphic inscriptions in Luwian became common in southeastern Anatolia and northern Syria, an indication of Luwian expansion into regions not previously held by them, where they formed the “Syro-Hittite,” or Late Hittite, principalities. Most of the documentation on these states comes from the annals of Assyrian kings, who repeatedly raided them until Sargon II (reigned 721–705 BC) incorporated them as provinces into his empire.

      The religious beliefs of the Hittites and the Luwians were similar. The chief god in both systems was a god of thunderstorm and rain, called Tarhum (Tarhund (Tarhun)) in Luwian. The moon god had the same name, Arma, in both languages. The presence of Luwian magical rituals in the Hittite capital indicates that Luwians had a certain reputation as magicians. The Luwians assimilated the general characteristics of Hittite civilization, making it difficult to determine distinctly Luwian cultural traits. The art of the small Luwian states of the 1st millennium BC combines Hittite motifs with others of general Middle Eastern origin, its style being influenced by that of the Aramaeans and, later, of the Assyrians. The importance of the Luwians lies in their preservation of Hittite tradition for almost 500 years after the downfall of the Hittite empire.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Luwian — [lo͞o′vē ənlo͞o′wē ən] n. [< the native name] an extinct Anatolian language regarded as closely related to Hittite: also Luvian [lo͞o′vē ən] …   English World dictionary

  • Luwian — noun Etymology: Luwi, an ancient people of the southern coast of Asia Minor Date: 1924 an Anatolian language of the Indo European language family see Indo European languages table • Luwian adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Luwian — Lu•wi•an [[t]ˈlu i ən[/t]] n. 1) peo an extinct Indo European language of S Anatolia, contemporary with and closely related to Hittite, and attested in both cuneiform and a hieroglyphic script 2) of or pertaining to Luwian • Etymology: 1920–25;… …   From formal English to slang

  • Luwian — noun an Anatolian language • Syn: ↑Luvian • Hypernyms: ↑Anatolian, ↑Anatolian language * * * Luwian var. Luvian n. and a …   Useful english dictionary

  • Luwian language — Luwian luwili Luwian hieroglyph Spoken in Hittite Empire, Arzawa, Neo Hittite kingdoms …   Wikipedia

  • Luwian language — also called  Luvian  or  Luish        one of several ancient extinct Anatolian languages. The language is preserved in two closely related but distinct forms, one using cuneiform script and the other using hieroglyphic writing.       Luwian… …   Universalium

  • Luwian — noun An extinct language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo European language family …   Wiktionary

  • luwian — lu·wi·an …   English syllables

  • Luwian — /ˈluwiən/ (say loohweeuhn) noun 1. an extinct Anatolian language. –adjective 2. of or relating to this language …  

  • Hieroglyphic Luwian — Infobox Language name=Luwian familycolor=Indo European region=Anatolia extinct=around 600 BC fam2=Anatolian iso3=hlu Hieroglyphic Luwian is a variant of the Luwian language, recorded in official and royal seals and a small number of monumental… …   Wikipedia

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