The cuneiformMEŠ, or meš is a plural form attached at the end of Mesopotamian cuneiform words as a suffix. As part of a name (PN, personal name, or other), or major class being referenced, in capital letters (a Sumerogram form), it is typically separated from other capital letter Sumerograms with a period. The name of the group can follow, in lower case letters, for example: (men-massu,[1] Amarna letter EA 365), LÚ.MEŠ–ma-as-sà-meš, (and using a secondary suffix meš, not being typical).
3rd column: cuneiform sign for .MEŠ, (or meš)
Amarna letter EA 365, Biridiya to Pharaoh, reverse (lines 15–30, (31)). 5th line from bottom, (line 23), (men:'massu'), "LÚ.MEŠ–ma-as-sà-meš (and)". Line 25, 3rd from bottom, repeats the long name. (high resolution, expandible photo)
The MEŠ cuneiform is a vertical stroke, followed by three or four angled smaller wedge-strokes. The strokes can also be "not angled", but 45 degree wedges, smaller, or large. For example, Amarna letter EA 161, Aziru to Pharaoh, shows a series of six preparation items listed sequentially. The following wedges (on the meš or Sumerogram .MEŠ wedges, are large, and the scribe has a scribing base line, that follows the vertical stroke, a baseline on which the wedges are placed sequentially. EA 161 shows the baseline 'remainder', extending beyond the last 3rd, or 4th wedge.
Another common plural in the Amarna letters is HI.A, , found in personal names (Abdi-Heba), and the plural.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meš (cuneiform).
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, (Tablets I-XII) the meš sign is used as follows: as meš, 8 times, as MEŠ, 253 times.[2]
In the Amarna letters, the meš sign is often referencing people, or types of people, but another common usage is KUR.MEŠ, since "land", or regions are often being discussed by the 'governors' of the city-states (called the 'man' of the city, typically).
Meš, as cuneiform "Me", + cuneiform "Eš"
The meš sign can be considered to be 1.--me (cuneiform). .(the horizontal "baseline"), 2.--with 3 vertical wedges., (eš (cuneiform)).
A specific deviation from the standard can be seen in EA 153 (EA 153, Metropolitan Museum [1]), where five uses of meš, are based on only 1-wedge, (or a ligatured 2-wedges); it looks approximately as follows for one wedge, They are used for armymeš, as ERIM.MEŠ (EA 153:8, 11), also "men", LÚ.MEŠ (EA 153:9), feet (EA 153:3), and ships (EA 153:10).
Meš, 2-basic styles
Two basic types of meš signs are either expressed as wedges laid horizontally, following the vertical stroke, or wedges expressed at an angle, at any level of angle, upward, but all of consistent size.
As wedges inscribed on a horizontal baseline, the wedges are usually centered, following the large vertical stroke; the horizontal baseline is not always exactly at the midpoint of the vertical stroke. The following wedges are either full-size, (or sometimes oversized); the wedges are also sometimes any percentage less than a full 3/4-wedge, or 1/2-wedge.
Angled wedges are often much smaller expressed wedges, from 1/2 to 1/3? size. For space considerations, the angled wedges can be extremely high-angled, towards vertical, thus saving "horizontal text space"; alternatively, the wedges could be spaced out, allowing for the consumption of more 'line-text-space'.
One example Amarna letter is a combination of the two horizontal, and angled wedge expressions. EA 153 has the "meš" sign built upon the vertical stroke, then 1-horizontal, and 2-angled strokes, laid across it at approximately 45 degrees. (The horizontal can be "an 'unseen', or 'overwritten' base" for the angled wedges laid upon it. In EA 153 the base line "head" is used as the first wedge-(non-angled), following by the angled wedge-2 and wedge-3.)
Rainey, 1970. El Amarna Tablets, 359-379,Anson F. Rainey, (AOAT 8, Alter Orient Altes Testament 8, Kevelaer and Neukirchen -Vluyen), 1970, 107 pages.
December 28, 2022
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The cuneiform MES or mes is a plural form attached at the end of Mesopotamian cuneiform words as a suffix As part of a name PN personal name or other or major class being referenced in capital letters a Sumerogram form it is typically separated from other capital letter Sumerograms with a period The name of the group can follow in lower case letters for example men massu 1 Amarna letter EA 365 LU MES ma as sa mes and using a secondary suffix mes not being typical 3rd column cuneiform sign for MES or mes Amarna letter EA 365 Biridiya to Pharaoh reverse lines 15 30 31 5th line from bottom line 23 men massu LU MES ma as sa mes and Line 25 3rd from bottom repeats the long name high resolution expandible photo The MES cuneiform is a vertical stroke followed by three or four angled smaller wedge strokes The strokes can also be not angled but 45 degree wedges smaller or large For example Amarna letter EA 161 Aziru to Pharaoh shows a series of six preparation items listed sequentially The following wedges on the mes or Sumerogram MES wedges are large and the scribe has a scribing base line that follows the vertical stroke a baseline on which the wedges are placed sequentially EA 161 shows the baseline remainder extending beyond the last 3rd or 4th wedge Another common plural in the Amarna letters is HI A found in personal names Abdi Heba and the plural Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mes cuneiform Contents 1 Usage Amarna letters and Epic of Gilgamesh 2 Mes as cuneiform Me cuneiform Es 3 Mes 2 basic styles 3 1 Amarna letter types by letter 4 External links 5 ReferencesUsage Amarna letters and Epic of Gilgamesh EditIn the Epic of Gilgamesh Tablets I XII the mes sign is used as follows as mes 8 times as MES 253 times 2 In the Amarna letters the mes sign is often referencing people or types of people but another common usage is KUR MES since land or regions are often being discussed by the governors of the city states called the man of the city typically Mes as cuneiform Me cuneiform Es EditThe mes sign can be considered to be 1 me cuneiform the horizontal baseline 2 with 3 vertical wedges es cuneiform A specific deviation from the standard can be seen in EA 153 EA 153 Metropolitan Museum 1 where five uses of mes are based on only 1 wedge or a ligatured 2 wedges it looks approximately as follows for one wedge They are used for armymes as ERIM MES EA 153 8 11 also men LU MES EA 153 9 feet EA 153 3 and ships EA 153 10 Mes 2 basic styles EditTwo basic types of mes signs are either expressed as wedges laid horizontally following the vertical stroke or wedges expressed at an angle at any level of angle upward but all of consistent size As wedges inscribed on a horizontal baseline the wedges are usually centered following the large vertical stroke the horizontal baseline is not always exactly at the midpoint of the vertical stroke The following wedges are either full size or sometimes oversized the wedges are also sometimes any percentage less than a full 3 4 wedge or 1 2 wedge Angled wedges are often much smaller expressed wedges from 1 2 to 1 3 size For space considerations the angled wedges can be extremely high angled towards vertical thus saving horizontal text space alternatively the wedges could be spaced out allowing for the consumption of more line text space One example Amarna letter is a combination of the two horizontal and angled wedge expressions EA 153 has the mes sign built upon the vertical stroke then 1 horizontal and 2 angled strokes laid across it at approximately 45 degrees The horizontal can be an unseen or overwritten base for the angled wedges laid upon it In EA 153 the base line head is used as the first wedge non angled following by the angled wedge 2 and wedge 3 Amarna letter types by letter Edit Horizontal w 3 4 wedges EA 15 EA 19 EA 23 EA 28 EA 31 EA 35 EA 161 EA 205 EA 252 EA 282 EA 287 EA 288 EA 289 EA 290 EA 325 EA 367 EA 369 Angled 3 4 wedges EA 86 EA 144 EA 147 EA 270 EA 271 EA 273 EA 296 EA 362 EA 364 EA 365External links EditSpecial type of mes Image ofAmarna letter EA 153 Metropolitan MuseumReferences Edit Rainey 1970 El Amarna Tablets 359 379 Glossary Vocabulary pp 55 87 massu p 71 Parpola 1971 The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh Sign List pp 155 165 sign no 532 p 164 Moran William L 1987 1992 The Amarna Letters Johns Hopkins University Press 1987 1992 393 pages softcover ISBN 0 8018 6715 0 Parpola 1971 The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh Parpola Simo Neo Assyrian Text Corpus Project c 1997 Tablet I thru Tablet XII Index of Names Sign List and Glossary pp 119 145 165 pages Rainey 1970 El Amarna Tablets 359 379 Anson F Rainey AOAT 8 Alter Orient Altes Testament 8 Kevelaer and Neukirchen Vluyen 1970 107 pages Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mes amp oldid 1092666940, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
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