Darende Stele This basalt stele measuring 79x30x20 cm found in - TopicsExpress

Darende Stele This basalt stele measuring 79x30x20 cm found in old Darende, about 2 km west of modern day Darende in Malatya province. In 1920s, it was supposedly found in the wall of a mosque and moved to Gök Medrese building which was serving as Sivas Museum at the time. The original location of the stele is unknown. It is decorated with a 6-line hieroglyphic Luvian inscription on one side and reliefs on other three sides. Side A has a relief of goddess Hepat of the City seated on a chair holding a curved staff and a drinking cup. Her name is written twice on both sides of the head and of the City is written behind the chair. Side D has a relief of god Sarruma also holding a curved staff and a drinking cup, and standing on a lion. His name is written behind him. Side B has a male figure facing right, standing on a lion and pouring libation. The inscription identifies this figure as a ruler of Malatya (Malizi) named Arnuwanti (II), son of PUGNUS-mili (II), and grandson of King Arnuwanti (I). He is also the author of İspekçür stele, and his grandfather King Arnuwanti (I) is possibly a brother of Runtiya of Gürün and Kötükale inscriptions. The inscription is a dedications to the gods for founding of a city. Geneological dating places the stele to four generations after Kuzi Teshub to somewhere around early 11th century BCE, but other arguments exist towards a later dating too. Stele is currently in Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara Turkey