Social:Inscriptional Parthian

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Short description: Parthian language coin script from 250 BC
Inscriptional Parthian
Parthian version of Shapur I's inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht
Type
Abjad
LanguagesParthian language
Time period
c. 100 CE – c. 400 CE[1]
Parent systems
Aramaic alphabet
DirectionRight-to-left
ISO 15924Prti, 130
Unicode alias
Inscriptional Parthian
U+10B40–U+10B5F

Inscriptional Parthian was a script used to write the Parthian language; the majority of the text found has been from clay fragments. This script was used from the 2nd century CE to the 5th century CE or in the Parthian Empire to the early Sasanian Empire. During the Sasanian Empire, it was mostly used for official texts.[2][3]

Parthian and Greek inscriptions on a relief of Shapur I.[4]
Inscribed stone block from the Paikuli inscription of Narseh, 293 CE

Letters

Inscriptional Parthian uses 22 letters:[3]

Name[A] Image Text Principal phones (IPA; Parthian)[5] Transliteration
Aleph 16px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [a], [aː] ʾ
Beth 19px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [b], [w] b
Gimel 17px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [ɡ], [ɣ] g
Daleth 16px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [d], [ð] d
He 16px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian — h
Waw 15px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [w], [o(ː)], [u(ː)] w
Zayin 9px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [z], [ʒ] z
Heth 16px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [h], [x] ḥ
Teth 18px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian — ṭ
Yodh 6px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [j], [e(ː)], [i(ː)] y
Kaph 20px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [k], [g] k
Lamedh 12px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [l] l
Mem 16px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [m] m
Nun 16px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [n] n
Samekh 15px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [s] s
Ayin 14px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian — ʿ
Pe 17px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [p], [b] p
Sadhe 24px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [t͡ʃ] ṣ
Qoph 16px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian — q
Resh 16px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [r] r
Shin 14px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [ʃ], [ʒ] š
Taw 15px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [t], [d] t
  1. ^ Letter names are based on the corresponding Imperial Aramaic characters[3]

Ligatures

Inscriptional Parthian uses seven standard ligatures:[3]

Ligature Sequence
Image Text
22px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (gimel) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (waw)
24px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (heth) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (waw)
17px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (yodh) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (waw)
19px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (nun) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (waw)
22px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (ayin) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (lamedh)
22px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (resh) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (waw)
22px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (taw) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (waw)

The letters sadhe (𐭑) and nun (𐭍) have swash tails which typically trail under the following letter.[3]

Ligature Sequence
Image Text
20px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (nun) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (nun)
18px Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (nun) + Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (daleth)

Numerals

Inscriptional Parthian uses its own numerals:

Value 1 2 3 4 10 20 100 1000
Sign Image 6px 11px 17px 22px 16px 16px 20px 16px
Text Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian

Numbers are written right-to-left. Numbers without corresponding numerals are additive. For example, 158 is written as Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian (100 + 20 + 20 + 10 + 4 + 4).[3]

Unicode

Main article: Inscriptional Parthian (Unicode block)

Inscriptional Parthian script was added to the Unicode Standard in October 2009, with the release of version 5.2.[citation needed]

The Unicode block for Inscriptional Parthian is U+10B40–U+10B5F: Template:Unicode chart Inscriptional Parthian

  • An abbreviation of the Parthian king's name was introduced on their coins by Vologases I. wl (Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian) can be read behind the head on this coin's obverse side.[6]
    An abbreviation of the Parthian king's name was introduced on their coins by Vologases I. wl (Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian) can be read behind the head on this coin's obverse side.[6]
  • Reverse of a Parthian drahm. The legend at the top reads: [m]trdt MLKA (Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian). From Mithridates V on, the ruler's full name and title appeared in Parthian script on drahms, while also becoming increasingly stylized.[6]
    Reverse of a Parthian drahm. The legend at the top reads: [m]trdt MLKA (Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian). From Mithridates V on, the ruler's full name and title appeared in Parthian script on drahms, while also becoming increasingly stylized.[6]
  • A probably commemorative bronze coin of Vologases IV (ca. 147–191 CE), with the legend ⤸ʾršk ⤹wlgšy ⤺MLKYN ⤻MLKA (Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian) 'Arsacid Vologases, king of kings'. Minted at Edessa.[7][8]
    A probably commemorative bronze coin of Vologases IV (ca. 147–191 CE), with the legend ⤸ʾršk ⤹wlgšy ⤺MLKYN ⤻MLKA (Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian) 'Arsacid Vologases, king of kings'. Minted at Edessa.[7][8]
  • Greek and Parthian on a bronze statuette of Hercules from Seleucia on the Tigris. The inscription dates it to 151 CE. Housed in the Iraq Museum, Baghdad.
    Greek and Parthian on a bronze statuette of Hercules from Seleucia on the Tigris. The inscription dates it to 151 CE. Housed in the Iraq Museum, Baghdad.
  • Relief of Artabanus IV handing the ring of power to Khwasak, satrap of Susa. From Susa, Iran Bastan Museum, Tehran, 215 CE[9]
    Relief of Artabanus IV handing the ring of power to Khwasak, satrap of Susa. From Susa, Iran Bastan Museum, Tehran, 215 CE[9]
  • Inscription next to one of the petroglyphs of Kāl-i J̌angāl (fa), a gorge near Birjand.[note 1] Probably of early Sassanian date.[10]
    Inscription next to one of the petroglyphs of Kāl-i J̌angāl (fa), a gorge near Birjand.[note 1] Probably of early Sassanian date.[10]
  • Ostraca from Dura-Europos
    Ostraca from Dura-Europos

Notes

  1. ↑ Template:Script/Inscriptional Parthian [...] gryʾrtḥštrn / ḥwdr W ḥštrp '[...] the prefect and satrap of Gryʾrtḥštr'

References

  1. ↑ Michael, Everson; Roozbeh, Pournader (18 September 2007). "Proposal for encoding the Inscriptional Parthian, Inscriptional Pahlavi, and Psalter Pahlavi scripts in the SMP of the UCS". https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2hm6b38h. 
  2. ↑ Michael, Everson; Roozbeh, Pournader (18 September 2007). "Proposal for encoding the Inscriptional Parthian, Inscriptional Pahlavi, and Psalter Pahlavi scripts in the SMP of the UCS". https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2hm6b38h. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Everson, Michael; Pournader, Roozbeh (2007-08-24). "L2/07-207R: Proposal for encoding the Inscriptional Parthian, Inscriptional Pahlavi, and Psalter Pahlavi scripts in the SMP of the UCS". https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2007/07207r-n3286r-parthian-pahlavi.pdf. 
  4. ↑ E. F. Schmidt (1970). OIP 70. Persepolis III: The Royal Tombs and Other Monuments. p. 126. http://archive.org/details/oip70. 
  5. ↑ Daniels, Peter T.; Bright, William, eds (1996). The World's Writing Systems. Oxford University Press, Inc. pp. 518. ISBN 978-0195079937. https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195079937/page/518. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Monnaies parthes - Les Inscriptions" (in fr). https://www.parthika.fr/Inscriptions.html#Aram. 
  7. ↑ (in en) Ancient Iranian Numismatics: In Memory of David Sellwood. BRILL. 2021-02-01. ISBN 978-90-04-46072-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=KZAcEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA124. 
  8. ↑ Talattof, Kamran (2023-06-06) (in en). Routledge Handbook of Ancient, Classical and Late Classical Persian Literature. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-351-34173-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=W9u4EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT77. 
  9. ↑ "CROWN ii. From the Seleucids to the Islamic conquest" (in en-US). https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/crown-ii/. 
  10. ↑ Walter Bruno Henning (in English). A New Parthian Inscription. http://archive.org/details/henning1953newparthianinscription. 



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