# What was the Kassite language, and can it be classified from a 48-entry vocabulary and a few hundred names? · Hattic, Kassite and the half-read languages of the cuneiform archives > Five answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Five are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/questions/QST0DEDWK5SV6E1/what-was-the-kassite-language-and-can-it-be-classified-from Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-31T15:46:11+00:00 --- **0** # What was the Kassite language, and can it be classified from a 48-entry vocabulary and a few hundred names? Asked 31 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·5 answers·0·0 following **Five answers, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands Five answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Five are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters Kassite survives in one vocabulary of 48 entries, a list of 19 translated names, about 60 loanwords and about 200 elements extracted from names; no sentence exists and no grammar can be written⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9M4S763/the-language-of-the-kassites)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9H689GS/kassitenstudien-1-die-sprache-der-kassiten)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9RMPXSA/kassites). Indo-Aryan, Elamite and Hurro-Urartian affiliations have been proposed on a few words each, and the standard assessment is that no relationship is demonstrable⁠[[4]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDMKATEHCY/la-lingua-dei-cassiti)⁠[[5]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDMA7WKRMM/kassitisch-und-hurro-urartaisch-ein-diskussionsbeitrag-zu)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9RMPXSA/kassites). ## Answers 5 [**Kassite cannot be classified from what survives: it is an unclassified language, probably an isolate, until a text is…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/answers/ANS0DEDYR03ETZP/kassite-cannot-be-classified-from-what-survives-it-is-an) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for Still possible [**Kassite is an Indo-Aryan (Indo-Iranian) language.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/answers/ANS0DEDYPVXP6AK/kassite-is-an-indo-aryan-indo-iranian-language) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Still possible [**Kassite is related to Elamite.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/answers/ANS0DEDYQA1HR2R/kassite-is-related-to-elamite) Not tested yet Evidence: 1 against Still possible [**Kassite is related to Hurrian and Urartian.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/answers/ANS0DEDYPFYA2Y9/kassite-is-related-to-hurrian-and-urartian) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Still possible [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/answers/ANS0DEDYRJ0TAVM/none-of-these) Not tested yet Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 1917[Theophilus G. Pinches: kassite survives as one 48-entry vocabulary, 19 translated names, about 60 loanwords and about 200 name elements, with…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9M4S763/the-language-of-the-kassites)For: Kassite cannot be classified from what survives: it is an unclassified language, probably an isolate, until a text is… 1. 1954[Kemal Balkan: the Indo-Iranian words are confined to a handful of names, while the common nouns of the vocabulary show no…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9H689GS/kassitenstudien-1-die-sprache-der-kassiten)Against: Kassite is an Indo-Aryan (Indo-Iranian) language. 1. 1954[Kemal Balkan: kassite survives as one 48-entry vocabulary, 19 translated names, about 60 loanwords and about 200 name elements, with…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9H689GS/kassitenstudien-1-die-sprache-der-kassiten)For: Kassite cannot be classified from what survives: it is an unclassified language, probably an isolate, until a text is… 1. 1981[Augusto Ancillotti: a few Kassite divine and personal names contain Indo-Iranian words, such as šuriaš, sun god, and Abirattaš, with the…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDMKATEHCY/la-lingua-dei-cassiti)For: Kassite is an Indo-Aryan (Indo-Iranian) language. 1. 2003[Thomas Schneider: schneider lists possible lexical isoglosses between Kassite and Hurro-Urartian.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDMA7WKRMM/kassitisch-und-hurro-urartaisch-ein-diskussionsbeitrag-zu)For: Kassite is related to Hurrian and Urartian. 1. 2006[Gernot L. Windfuhr: a few Kassite divine and personal names contain Indo-Iranian words, such as šuriaš, sun god, and Abirattaš, with the…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9ZQ0V5T/iran-vii-non-iranian-languages-5-kassite)For: Kassite is an Indo-Aryan (Indo-Iranian) language. 1. 2013[Ran Zadok: zadok's survey of the Kassite lexical remains finds no demonstrable genetic relationship to any language, Hurrian…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9RMPXSA/kassites)Against: Kassite is related to Hurrian and Urartian. 1. 2013[Ran Zadok: the Indo-Iranian words are confined to a handful of names, while the common nouns of the vocabulary show no…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9RMPXSA/kassites)Against: Kassite is an Indo-Aryan (Indo-Iranian) language. 1. 2013[Ran Zadok: zadok describes Eilers's suggested Elamite relationship as unlikely.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9RMPXSA/kassites)Against: Kassite is related to Elamite. 1. 2013[Ran Zadok: kassite survives as one 48-entry vocabulary, 19 translated names, about 60 loanwords and about 200 name elements, with…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDM9RMPXSA/kassites)For: Kassite cannot be classified from what survives: it is an unclassified language, probably an isolate, until a text is… 1. 31 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/questions/QST0DEDWK5SV6E1/what-was-the-kassite-language-and-can-it-be-classified-from%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/questions/QST0DEDWK5SV6E1/what-was-the-kassite-language-and-can-it-be-classified-from%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/questions/QST0DEDWK5SV6E1/what-was-the-kassite-language-and-can-it-be-classified-from%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/questions/QST0DEDWK5SV6E1/what-was-the-kassite-language-and-can-it-be-classified-from%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/questions/QST0DEDWK5SV6E1/what-was-the-kassite-language-and-can-it-be-classified-from%23add-source) Where it fits Hattic, Kassite and the half-read languages of the cuneiform archives **What was the Kassite language, and can it be classified from a 48-entry vocabulary and a few hundred names?** Key question · you're here [Are the Indo-Iranian elements in Kassite names (šuriaš, Abirattaš, Buriaš) loans into Kassite or evidence of what Kassite was?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/hattic-kassite-lost-languages/questions/QST0DEDX3QK3KRW/are-the-indo-iranian-elements-in-kassite-names-surias)No evidence yet · no answers yet [ Ask a question under this one ]