Hethitischmāri-,Sichelschwert(?)‘ aus archäologischer, philologischer und etymologischer Sicht

Abstract

This paper addresses the Hittite word giš māri-, which designates a kind of weapon and is often translated as ‘mari-spear’. A philological re-evaluation of the Hittite attestations rather calls for the meaning ‘scimitar (sickle-shaped sword),’ which has previously been suggested but was largely disregarded. At the same time, archaeological evidence for the presence of scimitars in the Hittite culture is adduced. Subsequently, the role of this type of weapon in the ancient Near East is reassessed. Finally, a new Indo-European etymology for the word māri- is offered, which brings additional support for the meaning ‘scimitar (sickle-shaped sword).’