The fragmentarily preserved text is an oracle report about the cult of the horse god Pirwa. Notably, the obverse includes a description of the deity’s statue, which bears similarities to descriptions found in the cult inventory KUB 38.4 and in the oracle report KBo 44.209+ rev. IV 8ʹ-10ʹ, enabling mutual restorations of broken passages. The oracle inquiry recorded in Çorum 6–1–96 involves damaged or missing objects from Pirwa’s statue, prompting investigations and reparations. The text on the reverse addresses a festival for Pirwa and seeks to determine whether the deity approves of the celebration and the temple in which it should take place. The inquiry also concerns the objects to be dedicated to the deity during the festivities. The last two surviving lines on the reverse relate to a goatherd whose words are quoted in direct speech. The content remains unclear but is presumably about the theft of a goat as a sacrificial animal.

Ünal A. 2003b, 162 presented the text for the first time with a photo of the obverse. A photo of the reserves was published by Ünal A. − Girginer K.S. 2010a, 78. A first full edition with photos of both sides, a transliteration, translation, and a discussion was published by Ünal A. 2019a. A cuneiform copy is still missing. Unfortunately, the photograph of the obverse published by Ünal does not clearly show how much of the left side of the lines are broken away. As the original tablet was not available for viewing, the current edition must rely on the information provided in Ünal’s transliteration. However, his restorations of the beginnings of the lines on the obverse appear to be unbalanced at times.

The fragment is from a single-column baked tablet, whose original size remains unclear. According to Ünal A. 2019a, 696, both sides of the tablet show visible traces of fresh breaks, likely caused by impacts of a pickaxe. This suggests that the tablet was not a stray find but came to light during a regular or illicit excavation. The obverse is broken off on all sides, while the reverse is partly sintered, making some signs difficult to read. Based on the thickest point on the left edge, Ünal A. 2019a, 696, assumes that the tablet originally consisted of at least 40 lines.

The writing is very careful and even, with the signs deeply impressed in the clay. The sign shapes suggest a dating in the New Hittite or even Late Hittite period. Of special importance is the shape of KI with two verticals in obv. 11′; rev. 3′, which is characteristic for late texts (according to Klinger J. 1996a, 38 III.C, i.e. from the later reign of Tutḫaliya IV to the end of the Hittite Empire). On the contrary, ḪA is attested in the older variant with two Winkelhaken; cf. obv. 5′; obv. 13′; rev. 13′).

The meaning of the term ašuša-, attested in obv. 1′ is still a matter of debate. The meaning ‘ring’ or ‘earring’, suggested by some scholars (see, e.g., Otten H. 1961b, 150; Güterbock H.G. 1961b, 208; HED Vol. 1: A, 220–220 s.v. asusa-; Burgin J. 2022b, 318; Trameri A. 2022a, 58), has been doubted by Starke F. 1990a, 552 with note 2044 and Cammarosano M. 2018a, 331. Starke, for instance, argued against ‘earrings’ in KUB 38.4 obv. I 6 and Bo 3826 rev. III 9, as the god, according to him, holds the object in his hand. However, KUB 38.4 obv. I 6 does not explicitly state that the god holds the [two] ašuša- in his hand, and the reading 2 a-šu-ša in Bo 3826 rev. III 9 is only possible through emendation (thus also Burgin J. 2022b, 318).

The assumption that the term ašuša- translates to ‘ring’ or ‘earring’ is furthermore strengthened by KBo 10.45 (CTH 446.B), where it is mentioned as an object attached to the left ear of the goddess Ištar/Šaušga, which is also in line with depictions of the goddess wearing earrings. As earrings, according to depictions, were worn by female and male deities alike, nothing speaks against the assumption that the term ašuša- refers also in KUB 38.4 obv. I 6 and Çorum 6–1–96 2′ to earrings. Furthermore, the material ‘black iron’, possibly meteorite iron, is mentioned in KUB 42.11 obv. I 4 with the Akkadogram for ‘ring, earring’ (IN-ṢA-AB-TUM). However, it has to be pointed out that in KUB 38.4 obv. I 6 and Çorum 6–1–96 obv. 2′, ašuša- does not necessarily denote earrings of the deity. Alternatively, it might refer to a part of the horse’s harness or the horseman’s equipment. Support for this idea might be seen in the KUB 38.4, where [two?] ašuša- are mentioned after objects held or worn by the god. It is also worth noting that KBo 18.172 rev. 1′–9′ mentions ašuša- alongside archery accessories such as arrows, bows, and quivers.

(für Bemerkungen zur Entstehungsgeschichte, Überlieferungsgeschichte, Fundorten etc.)

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(für Bemerkungen zu Beziehungen zu anderen Festritualen oder weiteren Textgruppen)

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(für einen Überblick über den Inhalt (besonders wenn viele Sectione in der folgenden Übersicht vorhanden sind), oder auch als “Sammelüberschrift”, falls ein Text nicht viel für die eben genannten Unterpunkte hergibt)

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