Remarks on the name of the Carians

Abstract

Kr̥ka-, the Old Persian name for the Carians, has nothing to do with Kar(a)kiša and Karkiya, countries mentioned in Hittite sources. The meaning of Old Persian *kr̥ka- is ‘rooster’, and the Carians were called so because of the crest on their helmets (Plutarch), but probably also because of their similar name, attested without -ka- in other languages.

Keywords

• karkiša
• karkiya
• carians
• old persian
• plutarch
• nicknames
• karkiša
• karkiya
• eski persçe
• ploutarkhos
• takma adlar
• karyalılar