Tuekta V (A-90)

The village Tuekta, also in the Ongudaj District, has become known as one of centers of Old Turkic Runic only recently.          At present, we know five Old Turkic Runic inscriptions found in the vicinity of the village Tuekta. The inscription Tuekta I on a silver jug was found there in 1935 during the diggings of a kurgan. In 1989, two more inscriptions (Tuekta II and III) were discovered on a rock containing also numerous graffiti of the Old Turkic time. In 2006, close to that rock, another inscription consisting of 3 lines was found on a separately standing rock (Tuekta IV). And, finally, in 2008, the inscription Tuekta V was found on a rock in the vicinity of the kurgan where the silver vessel was situated, also accompanied by graffiti. Thus, at present, the village of Tuekta can be considered one of the most important centers of Old Turkic Runic in Mountainous Altay, along with Bičiktu-Boom, Kalbak-Taš and Möndür-Sokkon.

Туекта V (A-90)

The inscription was discovered in July of 2008 by the archeological expedition of the Kemerovo State University headed by Martynov, A. I. The inscription is accompanied by graffiti depicting two running deer. We have only a photo of the inscription and the graffiti (see Picture 10).

     The inscription consists of 15 signs including 2 word dividers. It is situated under the feet of the deer, but upside down. We can suppose that the graffiti was made earlier. The scribe should have been lying on the stone while writing it, trying to place it under the feet of the deer, which resulted in this position of the inscription. It is read from right to left (Picture 11)

Our interpretation:

Runic transliteration: :

Latin transliteration:   k² I y¹ d¹ g¹ : y² p/ s² s¹ U Ü n² m s² :

Transcription:                                     (ä)ki y(a)d(a)g : y(e)p/y(i)š (a)šu ünm(i)š :

Translation:                                         Two (persons going) on foot traversed (a mountain)

                                                           and descended (into the valley), (after) having eaten.

Or :                                                     Two (persons going) on foot traversed a mountain

                                                           and descended (into the valley.

Comments

1. The eighth sign is not clear. It could be 𐰯 or 𐰾. Consequently, we have two different interpretations. In the first case, we a have a sequence y² p s¹ U Ü n² m s² which gives an interpretation y(e)p (a)šu ünm(i)š ‘having eaten, traversed (a mountain) and descended’. In the second case, it is y(i)š (a)šu ünm(i)š ‘traversed a mountain and descended’.

2. The inscription is written in the classic Runic orthography.