Karban (A-50)

Description

The inscription consisting of 2 lines was discovered by Matočkin E. P. in 1988 in the middle reaches of the river Katun on its left bank opposite the village Kujus. In the same year, the same inscription was discovered for the second time by the archeologists V. N. Elin and V. I. Sojonov who published it (1990). The small river Karban forms a small valley; in its mouth there are also rocks with petroglyphs. оThe Runic inscription is situated on the western side of a small grotto. The rocks here are made of soft light green Скалы на левом берегу речки Karban сложены из мягкого глинистого светло-зеленого slate which is good for engraving inscriptions or drawings.

The line of Runis signs is vertical, it consists of 17 signs, its length is 22cm, and the height of the signs is between 2 cm and 4 cm. The lower line consists of 4 signs. Its length is 5,5 cm, the height of the signs is 3,5–4,5 cm. Not all the signs are well-preserved.

Reading of S.G. Kljaštornyj and E.P. Matočkin

Transcription:

1) Oküz…jaladyŋ qaŋ…(?)quj…

2) üläŋ ar(yŋ)

Translation:

1) An ox…you marked (burnt)/ with a tamga/! / Its/ blood…let flow/?...you let flow?/

2) Divide! / Split up!

(Kljaštornyj & Matočkin 1991: 66)

Comments of S.G. Kljaštornyj and E.P. Matočkin

Presence of unusual for Yenisei runic signs makes this inscription very difficult to decipher, but this also gives us a clue for understanding the evolution of the Runic writing. As the Karban inscription shows, remnants of pre-reform Runic writing, or of single archaic signs, was possible also in the time after the mormalization of the Runic writing-( Kljaštornyj & Matočkin 1991: 66).

Reading of L.N. Tybykova, I.A. Nevskaya. M. Erdal

Runic Transliteration

Transliteration

1) g² m g²/^Up y¹ l¹ l²/r² b² t²/r¹ b²/ŋ¹ lïk I : ^Uk y²/y¹ U : A

2) Ü l²/ŋ² n²

Transcription

1) ........ ok(ï)yu-a

2) …

Translation

1) ..... calling / reading

2) ....

Comments

The inscription cannot be interpreted at this stage. It contains runic signs that are not met in classic runic inscriptions. Their meanings are unclear. They can also be encountered in other regions where Runic writing is found, but they cannot be deciphered reliably until now.