TOWARDS THE HATTIAN TOPONYM URUlaḫz(a)

Abstract

The paper deals with the Hattian toponym URUlaḫz(a). The problem of translation
of Hattian toponym in Hittite texts is studied in the following paper. In our
opinion the form laḫza is formed with the root of laḫ- denominating “mountain”
and with the suffix –za that has the meaning of collectivity. The form has been
translated in Hittite such as liḫz(-in). Hattian laḫ- root has its own correspondences
in the Caucasian languages: Svan. lax-w “mountain” (kartvelian group
of languages) and Ubykh lʻax-a (Abkhaz-Adyghe group of languages). The
suffix -z(a) corresponds to suffix -et/-at with the same meaning of collectivity
in the Kartvelian languages (Georgian.: Ḳax-et-i, Mesx-et-i etc. Kolkhian Zanat-
i, Abed-at-i, Xup-at-i and etc.).
Thus, we can conclude that Hattian toponym Laḫza has got the meaning of
“Mountains”.