LÚ
Cuneiform sign
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The cuneiform sign LÚ (𒇽) is the sign used for "man"; its complement is the symbol for woman: šal (𒊩). Cuneiform LÚ, (or lú as rendered in some texts) is found as a Sumerogram in the Epic of Gilgamesh. It also has a common usage in the 1350 BC Amarna letters as the Sumerogram for "man".
2nd line: LÚ.MEŠ-ha-za-nu-ta-meš. (best example on EA 365, reverse)
"Men.(plural)-hazzanu-(pl.)"-('mayor(s)'/'chief magistrate(s)' of a city)[2]
(high resolution expandable photo)
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, LÚ is only used as the Sumerogram, LÚ-(58 times).[3]
Both lú, for "man", and šal for "woman" are also considered as determinatives. In the Amarna letters' Rainey's glossary (Rainey 1970) which is the glossary for Akkadian language words, Sumerograms,[4] etc., for Amarna letters EA 359–379, uses for both LÚ and lú are recorded. For the Amarna letters in Rainey's glossary, "LÚ" as the Sumerogram becomes Akkadian amēlu,[5] for "man".
Two styles of "LÚ" sign
The digitized version of the LÚ sign (Parpola 1971) is a member of the "3-horizontals" section (listed sign nos. 326-349[6] in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Parpola 1971). Notably the digitized version contains the 3-verticals along the horizontal base; the 3-upper-large-wedges (actually strokes) are digitized with a 4th, at the top of the digital cuneiform representation.
The alternate, abbreviated version of LÚ (as seen in the chart above), shows an upward angled base horizontal; the 3-wedges (strokes) are attached to it at approximately a right angle (approximating 90 degrees). Some of the Amarna letters (for example EA 34), show LÚ in compacted use, and with a high angle for the horizontal-base stroke. The result is that the entire sign appears triangular, much like the triangular 1+3 stroke sign, triangular, the hi (cuneiform). (Cuneiform hi is also used for he, and three Sumerograms, in Tablets I-XII of the Epic of Giglamesh[7]).
