Epigraphic Stable Formulae: Manifestations of the Phenomenon in the Context of the Written Heritage of the Armenian Highlands
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52603/RA.XXII.1.2026_12Keywords:
epigraphic inscription, cuneiform inscription, Aramaic inscription, stable formulae, structure, titulary, motive, purpose, expectation, curse, blessingAbstract
The epigraphic culture of the Armenian Highlands is noteworthy for its distinctive manifestations, among which the structure of the text stands out with a number of specific features. The phenomenon becomes especially intriguing when studied diachronically, through a comparison of pre-Christian and Christian written heritage. A comprehensive study of stable epigraphic formulae – examined here for the first time on the basis of the cuneiform inscriptions of the Kingdom of Van, the Aramaic inscriptions of Classical Armenia, and Armenian medieval epigraphic inscriptions – reveals that the tradition of composing inscriptions in the Armenian Highlands follows a unified canonical system. Within this system, the introductory, occasion-event, purpose-expectation, and concluding (curse-blessing) formulae of the text are clearly distinguished.
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