Išpuini, son of Sarduri I, and Minua, son of Išpuini

Išpuini, son of Sarduri I, and Minua, son of Išpuini (A 03)

Among the texts mentioning the deeds of Išpuini and his son Minua are records of their joint military campaigns and building inscriptions, some of which contain instructions for the performance of an offering ritual. The longest and most remarkable building inscription with incorporated offering instructions is engraved in a rock niche of the open-air sanctuary Meher Kapısı near Van (A 03-01). The text specifies the kind and number of sacrifices to be offered to various Urartian deities in the "Month of the Sun-God". By naming more than 80 deities in hierarchical order, the text provides an illuminating insight into Urartian religion (for further information see the section below "Religion").

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The rock niche of the open air sanctuary Meher Meher Kapısı near Van, photo: Belli (1999): Plate 36

Furthermore, Išpuini and Minua authored a votive inscription on a bronze shield, found in Yukarı Anzaf. The shield is beautifully decorated with a battle scene which shows twelve Urartian deities marching against the Assyrian army and defeating it (B 03-01). The shield is of great importance for research since it gives us an idea of the appearance of some of the Urartian deities. With the help of the Meher Kapısı inscription, and on the basis of their outward appearance, at least some of them can be identified with a certain deity (for further information see below "Religion").

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Fragment of the bronze shield from Yukarı Anzaf with a depiction of Urartian deities defeating the Urartian army Fortress, photo: Belli (1999): Plate 46

Like the inscriptions mentioning deeds accomplished by Išpuini alone (A 02), most of the inscriptions recording the joint undertakings of Išpuini and Minua (A 03) are written in the Urartian language. The only exception is the famous, extensive Urartian-Assyrian bilingual inscription (A 03-11) on a stele, originally located at the Kelišin pass at the border of modern Iraq and Iran, which reports a journey of Išpuini and Minua to the main sanctuary of the god Haldi in the city Ardini which was located in the state of the same name. In Assyrian both the city and state were called Muṣaṣir. Despite the great importance of Muṣaṣir and Haldi's main sanctuary for the Urartian kings, Ardini/Muṣaṣir remained an independent state.

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Stele from Kelišin with an Urartian-Assyrian bilingual inscription of Išpuini and Minua recording a journey of Išpuini and Minua to the main sanctuary of the god Haldi in the city Ardini (Assyrian Muṣaṣir). The photo shows the reverse of the stele with the Assyrian version of the text. Photo: Pecorella (1976) in: CTU III: 50.

On the basis of the military records mentioning joint expeditions made by Išpuini and Minua, it has been assumed that, in his later years, Išpuini ruled alongside his son Minua (see, e.g. Salvini 1995: 48). It should, however, be noted that in most of the inscriptions neither Išpuini's nor Minua's name is accompanied by royal titles. In the few exceptions, only Išpuini is called king. It is, therefore, more likely that Minua accompanied his father as crown prince on the respective campaigns, as is attested for Rusa, son of Sarduri, and his son and crown prince Melarṭua. The same probably holds true for their joint building projects.

Among the inscriptions mentioning the joint deeds of Išpuini and Minua are the first Urartian inscriptions bearing curse formulae for the protection of the inscription and the work of the respective ruler(s) (see A 03-04 and A 03-11). Minua and his successors kept this tradition.

Royal Titles

As has already been mentioned, royal titles are missing from most inscriptions referring to the joint deeds of Išpuini and Minua. The only exceptions are the inscriptions A 03-01 (Meher Kapısı) and A 03-02 (Yeşilalıç), which are both engraved in rock niches and refer to building projects and the establishment of offering rituals. In both texts, only Išpuini's name is accompagnied by royal titles, whereas Minua is only referred to as "Minua, son of Išpuini". In A 03-01 o 1'-4', Išpuini is called "strong king, king of the lands, king of the Bia lands, lord of Ṭušpa-City". In the passage r 14-16 of the same text, he is called "great king, strong king, king of the world, king of the land Nairi, governor of Ṭušpa-City". In A 03-02 line 26, the royal titles are "strong king, great king, king of the Bia lands, lord of Ṭušpa-City"
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Rock niche of Yeşilalıç with an inscription reporting the building of a tower temple by Išpuini and Minua and the establishment of an offering ritual. Photo: Belli (1999: plate 38).

Military activities

One of the joint campaigns undertaken by Išpuini and Minua led them to the Northern, transcaucasian population groups Uiṭeru, Luša and Katarza, which are subsumed under the name Etiu. Their settlements were located beyond the Araxes river, the name Katarza equals Katarzēnē in texts of Ptolemaios. The fact that Išpuini's and Minua's successors also fought against these people shows that these endeavors were basically lootings that did not result in substantial shifts in political power. Accounts of these campaigns are given in several rock inscriptions, as well as inscriptions on stelae and stone blocks located at different places in the vicinity of lake Van, but also in Pirabat and Toprakkale in the North and Ojasar-Ilandağ in the East.

A second campaign led Išpuini and Minua to the region of lake Urmia in the South-East. This campaign is of great importance for the understanding of the formation of the Urartian state. A record of the campaign is given on a stele which was found in Karagündüz next to Lake Erçek (A 03-09). It gives an account of the conquest of the vertile valleys in the South of Lake Urmia. The main destination of the campain was the city Mešta in the land Paršua. Its location in the South of Lake Urmia is not indicated by the Karagündüz stele itself, but by a rock inscription of Minua from Taštepe which is situated in the South-East of Lake Urmia (A 05-10). It refers to the location of the inscription and the fortress built by Minua as pertaining to the [land?] of the city Mešta (A 05-10 line 1).

The conquest of Mešta by Išpuini and Minua probably corresponds with the destruction of layer IV of Tappeh Hasanlu, the most important tell of the region. The name Paršua, which is also mentioned in Assyrian inscriptions, correlates with the later country name Persia and the ethnic name Persians. The stele inscription of Karagündüz is, therefore, an important source for Persian history in that it indicates the location of Persian settlements in the region of Lake Urmia at the end of the 9th century BC.

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Stele found at Karagündüz and now kept at the Museum in Van with an inscription reporting a military campaign of Išpuini and Minua to the land Paršua. In later times Christian crosses were carved over the inscription. Photo: CTU III: 54.

The annexation of the region in the South of Lake Urmia by Išpuini and Minua is further reflected by other textual and archaeological sources from Išpuini's reign. Among them are two inscribed objects which were erected by Išpuini and Minua in this region: one of them is an inscribed stone from Qualatgah that gives an account of military achievements and presumably also the construction of a "Gate of the God Haldi" in the region (A 03-10, the text is not entirely preserved). The other one is a stele originally located at the Kelišin pass in the Zagros mountains whose Urartian-Assyrian bilingual inscription (A 03-11) informs us about a pilgrimage made by Išpuini and Minua to the main sanctuary of the god Haldi in the city Ardini (Assyrian Muṣaṣir), and the establishment of a cult dais (or, respectively, a shrine) for the god. The setting up of the monument was not only induced by the quest for the protection of the god Haldi for the Urartian dynasty, but also by the striving for power over the region.

Building activities

Išpuini and Minua also developed the agricultural infrastructure of previously uninhabited regions and completed various building projects. Thus, the Meher Kapısı inscription (A 03-01) mentions the planting of fruit orchards and vineyards, whereas A 03-06 from Pirabat refers to the creation of a well. Such references to agricultural infrastructure are regularly to be found in the inscriptions of Urartian rulers from Išpuini's reign onwards. Among Išpuini's and Minua's building projects are further several "Gates of the God Haldi" in different locations, a burganani (probably a stable or pen where sacrifical animals are kept), an unclear building structure for the god Aldi (which is another spelling of Haldi) called iarani, a tower temple (susi) and a fortress in the Southern area of Lake Urmia.

Religion

Of great interest for the study of Urartian religion is the already mentioned Kelišin stele, which was originally situated at an altitude of 3000 m on the Kelišin pass. Its inscription, which is composed both in an Urartian and Assyrian version (A 03-11), tells us about a journey undertaken by Išpuini and Minua to the city Ardini (Assyrian Muṣaṣir) and the main sanctuary of the god Haldi located there. The text reports that Išpuini and Minua installed a cult dais (or shrine) for the god Haldi in the city. Provided that our translation of the respective passage is correct, the dais was placed on the main street of Ardini. Due to this and other inscriptions by Išpuini referring to the god Haldi and the fact that Haldi is not mentioned in the inscriptions of Sarduri I, it has been assumed in scholarship that Haldi was elevated to the status of Urartian national god only during Išpuini's reign. It must be noted, however, that only a few written records of Sarduri I have survived. Only the inscription from Sardur's castle, A 01-01, can be attributed to him with certainty, while the authorship of the fragmentary offering inscription, A 01-02, remains uncertain (see portal page Sarduri I). The fact that Haldi is not mentioned in both texts, is no sufficient proof that the god was not yet worshipped in Urartu during Sarduri's reign. Moreover, the inscription on the Kelishin stele, A 03-11, shows that the god Haldi was already venerated by Išpuini and Minua before they undertook the cult journey. Nevertheless, the aim of the cult journey was certainly to place the dynasty under the protection of Muṣaṣir and, at the same time, to proclaim the dominion over the area.

The great significance of the god Haldi during Išpuini's and Minua's reign is further reflected by the previously mentioned long offering text inscribed in a niche of the open-air sanctuary Meher Kapısı near Van (A 03-01). The construction of this sanctuary, as well as the inscription containing a prescription for the sacrificial ritual taking place in the "month of the Sun-God", highlights the formation of the state cult. The text lists sacrifices that are to be offered to various deities of the Urartian pantheon in the "month of the Sun-God". More than 80 deities and hypostases of Haldi are mentioned as beneficiaries. The order in which they are listed, as well as the number and kind of animals offered to them, provides valuable information concerning the Urartian pantheon. The god Haldi is mentioned at the beginning of the list. He is followed by the weather god Teišeba and by Šiuini, the sun god. Several deities mentioned hereafter originate from regions conquered by Minua and Išpuini. The text is therefore of great importance both for the religious and political history of Urartu.

The decorated bronze shield mentioned above, which bears a votive inscription of Išpuini and Minua (B 03-01) and shows twelve Urartian deities marching against the Assyrian army and defeating it, is also of particular interest for the study of Urartian religion. With the help of the Meher Kapısı inscription, the depicted deities can be identified with the principal gods of the Urartian pantheon.

Thus the deity at the head of the procession of twelve divinities is in all likelihood the god Haldi. In contrast to the other deities, he is not standing on an animal, but marching on foot towards the enemy soldiers. His body is surrounded by a circle of flames. It presumably corresponds with the "light of the god Haldi" (daši), mentioned in line 57 of the Meher Kapısı inscription, A 03-01, as a hypostasis of Haldi. In his left hand Haldi holds a bow, in his right hand he holds a lance. The god wears a conical helmet, a short-sleeved tunic, a strap across his body, a belt, and bracelets on both wrists.

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Depiction of the god Haldi on the bronze shield found in Yukarı Anzaf. Drawing: Belli (1999): Figure 18

The god Haldi is followed by a deity that, from its appearance, can be identified with the weather god Teišeba mentioned in line 2 of the Meher Kapısı inscription. The deity stands on a lion and holds bundles of thunder in each hand. Like the gods following him, Teišeba wears a conical helmet, a short-sleeved tunic and a long sword.

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Depiction of the weather god Teišeba on the bronze shield found in Yukarı Anzaf. Drawing: Belli (1999): Figure 19

The god on Teišeba's left, depicted in a winged solar disc and standing on a bull, is to be identified with the sun god Šiuini.

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Depiction of the Sun-God Šiuini on the bronze shield found in Yukarı Anzaf. Drawing: Belli (1999): Figure 20.

On the basis of their outward appearance, as well as the sequence in which the deities in the Meher Kapısı are listed, the deities following Šiuini are presumably to be identified with the war gods Hutuini, Turani, Ua (or Ura), Nalaini, Šebitu, Arsimela (or Artu'arasau), Anapša, Dieduani, and Šelardi. All of them are standing on animal-like creatures such as a winged goat, ram, horse, bull or dragon and a sphinx.

Further reading:

Kroll, Stephan et al. (2012), Introduction, in: Stephan Kroll, Claudia Gruber, Ursula Hellwag, Michael Roaf, and Paul Zimansky (eds.), Acta Iranica. Biainili-Urartu. The Proceedings of the Symposium Held in Munich 12-14. Oktober 2007, Leuven, 1-38
Radner, Karen (2012): Between a rock and a hard place: Muṣaṣir, Kumme, Ukku and Šubria – the buffer states between Assyria and Urartu, in: Kroll, Stephan, Claudia Gruber, Ursula Hellwag, Michael Roaf and Paul Zimansky (eds.): Acta Iranica. Biainili-Urartu. The Proceedings of the Symposium Held in Munich 12.-14. October 2007 / Tagungsbericht des Münchener Symposiums 12.-14. Oktober 2007, Acta Iranica 51, Leuven, 243-264.
Salvini, Mirjo (1995): Geschichte und Kultur der Urartäer, Darmstadt, 63-78.
Wartke, Ralf-Bernhard (1993): Urartu. Das Reich am Ararat, Mainz.

Birgit Christiansen

Birgit Christiansen, ' Išpuini, son of Sarduri I, and Minua, son of Išpuini (A 03)', Electronic Corpus of Urartian Texts (eCUT) Project, The eCUT Project, 2018 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ecut/urartianrulersandchronology/ipuiniandminuaa03/]

 
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