Inscriptional Parthian
Parthian language coin script from 250 BC
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Inscriptional Parthian was a script used to write the Parthian language; the majority of the text found has been from clay fragments. This script was used from the 2nd century CE to the 5th century CE or in the Parthian Empire to the early Sasanian Empire. During the Sasanian Empire, it was mostly used for official texts.[2][3][citation needed]
| Inscriptional Parthian | |
|---|---|
Parthian version of Shapur I's inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht | |
| Script type | |
Period | c. 100 CE – c. 400 CE[1] |
| Direction | Right-to-left script  |
| Languages | Parthian language |
| Related scripts | |
Parent systems | Aramaic alphabet
|
| ISO 15924 | |
| ISO 15924 | Prti (130), Inscriptional Parthian |
| Unicode | |
Unicode alias | Inscriptional Parthian |
| U+10B40–U+10B5F | |
Inscriptional Parthian is written right to left, and the letters are not joined.[citation needed]
Letters
Inscriptional Parthian uses 22 letters:[3]
| Name[A] | Image | Text | Principal phones (IPA; Parthian)[6] | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleph |  |
𐭀 | [a], [aː] | ʾ |
| Beth |  |
𐭁 | [b], [w] | b |
| Gimel |  |
𐭂 | [ɡ], [ɣ] | g |
| Daleth |  |
𐭃 | [d], [ð] | d |
| He |  |
𐭄 | — | h |
| Waw |  |
𐭅 | [w], [o(ː)], [u(ː)] | w |
| Zayin |  |
𐭆 | [z], [ʒ] | z |
| Heth |  |
𐭇 | [h], [x] | ḥ |
| Teth |  |
𐭈 | — | ṭ |
| Yodh |  |
𐭉 | [j], [e(ː)], [i(ː)] | y |
| Kaph |  |
𐭊 | [k], [g] | k |
| Lamedh |  |
𐭋 | [l] | l |
| Mem |  |
𐭌 | [m] | m |
| Nun |  |
𐭍 | [n] | n |
| Samekh |  |
𐭎 | [s] | s |
| Ayin |  |
𐭏 | — | ʿ |
| Pe |  |
𐭐 | [p], [b] | p |
| Sadhe |  |
𐭑 | [t͡ʃ] | ṣ |
| Qoph |  |
𐭒 | — | q |
| Resh |  |
𐭓 | [r] | r |
| Shin |  |
𐭔 | [ʃ], [ʒ] | š |
| Taw |  |
𐭕 | [t], [d] | t |
Ligatures
Inscriptional Parthian uses seven standard ligatures:[3]
| Ligature | Sequence | |
|---|---|---|
| Image | Text | |
 | 𐭂𐭅 | 𐭂 (gimel) + 𐭅 (waw) |
 | 𐭇𐭅 | 𐭇 (heth) + 𐭅 (waw) |
 | 𐭉𐭅 | 𐭉 (yodh) + 𐭅 (waw) |
 | 𐭍𐭅 | 𐭍 (nun) + 𐭅 (waw) |
 | 𐭏𐭋 | 𐭏 (ayin) + 𐭋 (lamedh) |
 | 𐭓𐭅 | 𐭓 (resh) + 𐭅 (waw) |
 | 𐭕𐭅 | 𐭕 (taw) + 𐭅 (waw) |
The letters sadhe (𐭑) and nun (𐭍) have swash tails which typically trail under the following letter.[3]
| Ligature | Sequence | |
|---|---|---|
| Image | Text | |
 | 𐭍𐭍 | 𐭍 (nun) + 𐭍 (nun) |
 | 𐭍𐭃 | 𐭍 (nun) + 𐭃 (daleth) |
Numerals
Inscriptional Parthian uses its own numerals:
| Value | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 100 | 1000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign | Image |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Text | 𐭘 | 𐭙 | 𐭚 | 𐭛 | 𐭜 | 𐭝 | 𐭞 | 𐭟 | |
Numerals are written right-to-left, the rightmost being the highest—with the exception of multiplication. Numerals add when the one to the left is lower or equal but multiply when it is larger.
Examples: 1580 is written as 𐭟𐭞𐭝𐭝𐭜𐭛𐭛 (1000 + 100 + 20 + 20 + 10 + 4 + 4) and 500 is written as 𐭚𐭙𐭞 ((2 + 3 ) × 100).[3]
Unicode
Inscriptional Parthian script was added to the Unicode Standard in October 2009, with the release of version 5.2.[citation needed]
The Unicode block for Inscriptional Parthian is U+10B40–U+10B5F:
| Inscriptional Parthian[1][2] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
| U+10B4x | 𐭀 | 𐭁 | 𐭂 | 𐭃 | 𐭄 | 𐭅 | 𐭆 | 𐭇 | 𐭈 | 𐭉 | 𐭊 | 𐭋 | 𐭌 | 𐭍 | 𐭎 | 𐭏 |
| U+10B5x | 𐭐 | 𐭑 | 𐭒 | 𐭓 | 𐭔 | 𐭕 | 𐭘 | 𐭙 | 𐭚 | 𐭛 | 𐭜 | 𐭝 | 𐭞 | 𐭟 | ||
| Notes | ||||||||||||||||
Gallery
An abbreviation of the Parthian king's name was introduced on their coins by Vologases I. wl[note 1] can be read behind the head on this coin's obverse side.[7]![Reverse of a Parthian drahm. The legend at the top reads: [m]trdt MLKA. From Mithridates V on, the ruler's full name and title appeared in Parthian script on drahms, while also becoming increasingly stylized.](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Monnaie_-_Drachme%2C_Argent%2C_Incertain%2C_Mithridate_Iv_-_btv1b8543531m_%282_of_2%29.jpg/250px-Monnaie_-_Drachme%2C_Argent%2C_Incertain%2C_Mithridate_Iv_-_btv1b8543531m_%282_of_2%29.jpg)
Reverse of a Parthian drahm. The legend at the top reads: [m]trdt MLKA[note 2]. From Mithridates V on, the ruler's full name and title appeared in Parthian script on drahms, while also becoming increasingly stylized.[7]
A probably commemorative bronze coin of Vologases IV (ca. 147–191 CE), with the legend ⤸ʾršk ⤹wlgšy ⤺MLKYN ⤻MLKA [note 3] 'Arsacid Vologases, king of kings'. Minted at Edessa.[8][9]
Greek and Parthian on a bronze statuette of Hercules from Seleucia on the Tigris. The inscription dates it to 151 CE. Housed in the Iraq Museum, Baghdad.
Relief of Artabanus IV handing the ring of power to Khwasak, satrap of Susa. From Susa, Iran Bastan Museum, Tehran, 215 CE[10]![Inscription next to one of the petroglyphs of Kāl-i J̌angāl [fa], a gorge near Birjand. Probably of early Sassanian date.](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%84_%D8%AC%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%84.jpg/250px-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%84_%D8%AC%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%84.jpg)
Ostraca from Dura-Europos
_-_btv1b106709717_(1_of_2).jpg)
![Reverse of a Parthian drahm. The legend at the top reads: [m]trdt MLKA. From Mithridates V on, the ruler's full name and title appeared in Parthian script on drahms, while also becoming increasingly stylized.](#/media/File:Monnaie_-_Drachme,_Argent,_Incertain,_Mithridate_Iv_-_btv1b8543531m_(2_of_2).jpg)
.jpg)
,_from_Susa,_Iran_Bastan_Musuem,_Tehran.jpg)
![Inscription next to one of the petroglyphs of Kāl-i J̌angāl [fa], a gorge near Birjand. Probably of early Sassanian date.](#/media/File:کال_جنگال.jpg)
