iiiFnSym 0 1 iiiFnSym 1 2 iiiFnSym 2 3 iiiFnSym 3 4 iiiFnSym 4 5 iiiFnSym 5 6 iiiFnSymT 0 T 1 Differently, Sakuma Y. 2009b, II, 185: “Es überwintern aber die Majestät (und) die Königin in Hattuša, <der Stadt> des Wettergottes von Ḫalap”, thus adding URU-ri after URUKÙ.BABBAR-ši. Similarly, Haas V. 1996a, 80. However, it is more likely that the genitive ŠA Dḫalap should be understood as a genitive attribute of the phrase EZEN₄ tetḫešnaš=za in the following colon, indicating the purpose or beneficiary of the festival. See also Archi A. 1975e, 123; Schwemer D. 2001b, 496, note 4063; Barsacchi F.G. 2017a, 21. iiiFnSymT 1 T 2 The basic meaning of the word appears to be ‘cycle’ or ‘circle’. When used with the word ‘year’, it apparently refers to the ‘annual cycle’. The meaning of the word in connection with birds remains unclear. In my view, it most likely refers to migratory birds that gather in spring when the king is still in the place where he spent the winter. It might therefore be translated as ‘birds of the season’ (CHD L–N, 232-233). This idea is also supported by the fact that many migratory birds stop in Anatolia before returning to Europe in spring. Another hint is that in the text it is mentioned alongside other seasonal events like the festival of thunder, the festival of the year, and the laying down of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM plant (cf. e.g. KUB 18.12+ obv. 1–3; obv. 17 passim). Starke F. 1989b, 662, however, argues that it probably refers to birds of the surrounding area due to the local references ‘in Ḫattuša, in Katapa’, etc. Similarly, Beal R.H. 1997a, 207 note 9. The phrase appears in a similar context also in KUB 5.4+ and KUB 5.3+. iiiFnSymT 2 T 3 Interestingly, according to this clause, the gathering of the birds takes place only for the king, although in the preceding and following clauses, the queen is mentioned as well. iiiFnSymT 3 T 4 The nature of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM plant remains uncertain. However, it is clearly an early bloomer like a crocus. See Haas V. 2003a, 346–347 with further literature. iiiFnSymT 4 T 5 The genitive ŠA Dḫalap is likely to be interpreted as a genitive of purpose (for other examples see GHL, 254 § 16.48: IKRIBIḪI.A ŠA DIŠ[TAR] ‘ritual for Ištar’, ŠA DNIN.GÁL SÍSKUR ‘ritual for NIN.GAL’). If so, the clause asks whether the gods have approved of the king’s intention to spend the winter in Ḫattuša for the celebration of the festival(s) dedicated to the Storm-god of Aleppo. Alternatively, Archi A. 1975e, 123; Haas V. 1996a, 80; Barsacchi F.G. 2017a, 21; Schwemer D. 2001b, 496, note 4063; Sakuma Y. 2009b, II, 185, interpret the genitive phrase as a specifying attribute to ⸢URU⸣KÙ.BABBAR-an URU-an ‘Ḫattusa, the city of (i.e., belonging to) the Storm-god of Aleppo’. Although the prayer of Muwattalli to the divine assembly (CTH 381) addresses the Storm-god of Aleppo as the ‘Storm-god of Aleppo of Ḫattuša’, it would be unique for Ḫattuša to be specified by the Storm-god’s name (cf. also Schwemer D. 2001b, 496, who suggests that the specification might be due to the content of the oracle questions). iiiFnSymT 5 T 6 The verbless clauses with the pattern bird name (nom) + =ma/∅ + GUN-li/ tar(uya)li- + TUŠ-za / TUŠ-aš only appear in the present text. Otherwise, the verb TUŠ is attested without a phonetic ending. iiiFnSymT 6 T 7 Or, obliquely/to the other side. Literally, the phrase translates as ‘regarding the beak it (i.e., the bird) was turned diagonally/obliquely/to the (other) side’ or sim. The abbreviation pa-an stands for the adverb pariyawan which is found only in bird oracles. Most often, the adverb describes the bird’s flight and is used with verbs like uet (‘it came’) or pait (‘it flew’), as well as the terms GUN-li- or tar(uya)li-, which appear before or after pariyawan or the abbreviated forms pa-an and pa-ri (Sakuma Y. 2009b, I, 110–111). Less commonly, the term is attested in descriptions of the beak’s orientation. Since pariyawan and pariyan are probably related, a meaning of ‘diagonally, obliquely’ seems likely for pariyawan. For further discussions see CHD P, 154–155 s.v. pariyawan; CHD P, 151–153 s.v. pariyan; Sakuma Y. 2009b, I, 213–218 with previous literature). iiiFnSymT 7 T 8 The implied divine answer to the oracle question is yes since the requested outcome and the actual result match (the birds of conjuration confirmed their approval of the king’s winter stay in Ḫattuša). iiiFnSymT 8 T 9 Alternatively, if the form laḫlaḫḫimuš is correct, ‘we saw concern, namely birds’. It is, however, more likely that the form is a scribal error for the gen. sg. laḫlaḫḫimaš. iiiFnSymT 9 T 10 Differently, Sakuma Y. 2009b, part 2, 189, who adds URU-ri after URUKÙ.BABBAR-ši and translates: “Während die Majestät in Ḫattuša, <in der Stadt> des Wettergottes von Ḫalab (ist)”. Cf. also Barsacchi F.G. 2017a, 21: “finché la Maestà (sarà) a Ḫattuša, (la città) del dio della Tempesta di Aleppo”. iiiFnSymT 10 T 11 Since the protasis expresses the wish that the king will not have an undesirable experience, the apodosis is expected to include the phrase ‘let the birds exclude (the negative experience)’. iiiFnSymT 11 T 12 The meaning of the phrase remains unclear. It could indicate that the bird was first caught, set free, and then observed. However, it is noteworthy that most texts do not mention that the birds were captured before their flight was observed. An exception is the MH oracle letter HKM 48 from Mașat Höyük which explicitely refers to the capture of birds but not to their release (for a detailed discussion see Trameri forthcoming and the edition in the present digital corpus). If the phrase in KUB 18.12+ obv. 18 refers to the release of a previously captured ḫarrani- bird, it is interesting that the release is only mentioned after the statement that it was seen. Given that in KUB 22.33 rev. 9′ the verb tarna- ‘to let go, release’ is used in the phrase TI₈MUŠEN GUN-an šeḫur tarnaš ‘an eagle left droppings GUN-li-’ (cf. also KUB 22.33 obv. 3′ and KBo 24.131 obv. 22′), the phrase in KUB 18.12+ obv. 18 might refer to the release of droppings as well (i.e., ‘it was releasing itself’). iiiFnSymT 12 T 13 Sakuma Y. 2009b, II, 189 restores [tar-liš pa-it] and translates “der eine [flog] l[än]gs [im tar.-(Bereich)]”. iiiFnSymT 13 T 14 This outcome indicates that there is nothing to fear for the person of the king (cf. obv. 17). iiiFnSymT 14 T 15 i.e., likely a horse’s behavior causing an accident on the road. iiiFnSymT 15 T 16 Reading uncertain. Since the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM plant is likely a bulbous plant, the Sumerogram SUMS[AR ‘onion, bulbous plant’ might not be an error but an alternative writing for AN.DAḪ.ŠUM. iiiFnSymT 16 T 17 Pl. ‘they came’. Therefore, either two or more different bird names or same bird names should be filled in the gap. iiiFnSymT 17 T 18 Or: ‘thus (speak) the augurs’, as in obv. 28 and obv. 35.