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[from http://pubpages.unh.edu/~cbsiren/hittite-ref.html ]
Subject: Hittite/Hurrian Mythology REF 1.2
by Christopher B. Siren
cbsiren@hopper.unh.edu[LINK] last modified Mar. 13th, 1998: added
a bunch of information from the firest half of Hoffner.
Mar. 29th, 1996: corrected some cross-reference links.
* I. Who were the 'Hittites'?
* II. What Deities did they worship?
+ A. Hittite and Hurrian deities.
+ B. Akkadian Imports.
+ C. Demons.
+ D. Mortals.
* III. What was the Hittite cosmology and how did they perceive
the structure of the universe?
* IV. Source material.
I. Who were the 'Hittites'?
During the second millennium B.C. the Indo-European people known
as the Hittites ruled over the 'Land of Hatti', in central and
eastern Anatolia, that peninsula which is modern Turkey. They had
displaced the previous occupants, the non-Indo-European Hattians,
and ruled from the city of Hattusas near the modern Boghazkoy in
northern central Turkey, possibly as early as 1900 B.C. Much of
the Cappadocian plateau was under their control through satellite
kingdoms before 1800 B.C. and they enjoyed a thriving trade with
the Assyrians. Around 1800 B.C. Anittas and his father Pitkhanas
of Kussara sacked several Hittite cities, including Hattusas,
though Anittas laid a curse upon that city and trade broke off
until the founding of the Old Kingdom under King Labarnas around
1680 B.C. He and his descendents greatly expanded the region of
Hittite control, crossing the Taurus mountains and waging war on
Syria and Assyria. King Mursilis (~1620-1590 B.C.), Labarnas'
grandson by adoption, brought down the Old Kingdom of Babylon -
Hamurabi's dynasty. This expanded realm, also stretching to
Anatolia's west coast, proved to susceptible to internal power
struggles. In 1525 B.C., Telepinus, last king of the Old Kingdom
seized control and sacrificed some of the Western districts and
all of the territory east of the Taurus mountains in favor of a
more easily managed kingdom.
The Hurrians occupied the land between the Hittites and Assyria,
having descended from the mountains south of the Caspian Sea.
They ruled the kingdom of Mitanni. In the late 15th century B.C.
the Hittite empire's beginning is marked by an influx of Hurrian
names into the royal family. Tudhalyas I (1420 B.C.) reunited
Western Anatolia under Hittite rule, and retook Allepo but lost
the Black Sea coast to the Kaska tribes. After some difficulty
with the Mittani the Hittites resurged under King Suppilulimas
around 1344-1322 taking a firmer hold on Syria. With Egypt, they
dominated the lands of Canaan and the Levant during the 1200's.
Their prosperity came to a sudden end when the invasion of the
Sea Peoples coincided with increasing trouble from the Kaskas.
While Hittite culture continued through about 700 B.C., the
Empire was shattered into several kingdoms and pressures such as
the growing Assyrian Empire helped keep it from uniting again.
The Hittites were a patriarchal, highly agricultural society.
They had rich iron deposits which they mined and traded with the
Assyrians. They also used it for weaponry and were rather
successful in the use of a three-man chariot. Through trade and
conquest the languages and cultures of their neighbors seeped
into Hittite society. Babylonian and Hurrian deities were
worshiped along-side or assimilated with the native Hittite
deities. This merging of cultures and free use of foreign
languages is rather fortuitous. Parallel Hittite and Akkadian
treaties and similar texts helped in cracking the Hittite
hieroglyphic code. Unfortunately, while the ability to translate
Hittite hieroglyphics has improved, the pronunciation of several
Hittite ideograms, and hence their transcription into English,
remains elusive. Often, as in the case with the Storm-god, we
must resort to a descriptive name, or else use the appropriate
Hurrian or Akkadian name.
* One place to find out more about the Hittites is Hatti -
Homeland of the Hittites
II. What Deities did they worship?
The Hittites had an abundant number of local cult deities and
sets of local pantheons. As the government became more
centralized, particularly during the imperial period around 1400
- 1200 B.C., there were efforts to equate many of these local
deities and form a state pantheon. Such a pantheon was headed by
the Weather-god/Storm-god, who also represented the mountains,
and his consort - usually the earth goddess, who was also
attached to the waters of rivers and the sea. The Hittites
themselves write of 'the thousand gods of Hatti', and more than
eight-hundred such names have been discovered. (Considerably
fewer will be dealt with here.) The associated myths have both
Hittite and Hurrian content, with the origin of many suspected to
be Hurrian. The Kumarbis-Ullukummis myth is chief among the
Hurrian tales and the Illuyankas stories and missing god myths of
Telipinus and the missing Storm-god are thought to be more
Hattic. There also exist fragments of a Hittite version of the
Gilgamesh epic and many Akkadian deities were worshiped outright.
Doubtless the Hatti left their mark in Hittite religion as well.
You will notice that many of the names carry an optional 's' as a
suffix, which comes from the nominative case ending for Hittite.
A. Hittite and Hurrian deities.
Alalu(s)
He was the king in heaven in olden days and Anus was the
first among the gods. Anus served as his cupbearer for 9
years before defeating him and dispatching him to under
the earth.
Anu(s) (Akkadian in origin)
While Alalus was king in heaven, Anus was more powerful.
He served as Alalus' cup bearer for nine years and then
defeated him, dispatching him to under the earth. He took
his seat on the throne and had Kumarbis as his cupbearer.
Likewise, after nine years Kumarbis rebelled, chased Anus
- who fled in the sky like a bird, and bit off and
swallowed his phallus. In this act Anus had some revenge
by impregnating Kumarbis with the Storm-god, the Aranzahus
(Tigris) river, and Tasmisus. He then hid himself in
heaven. He advised the Storm-god on the places where he
might exit Kumarbis. After the Storm-god's birth, they
plotted to destroy Kumarbis and, with his other children,
apparently succeeded.
Kumarbi(s) - 'the father of all gods' according to the Hurrians.
He is sometimes equated with Enlil and Dagan. His city is
Urkis. He thinks wise thoughts and carries a staff. He
served as Anus's cup-bearer for nine years and then
rebelled, chased Anus, and bit off and swallowed his
phallus, thereby becoming impregnated with the Storm-god,
the Aranzahus (Tigris) river, and Tasmisus. With that
news, he spat out Aranzahus and Tasmisus of on Mount
Kanzuras. The Storm-god begins to exit through Kumarbis's
'tarnassus', causing him to moan in pain. He asks Ayas to
give him his son to devour, which he does. Ayas has 'poor'
magic worked on him and his 'tarnassus' is secured, so the
Storm-god exits through his 'good place' instead. He is
then presumably defeated by the Storm-god, Anus, and his
offspring.
During a plot to overthrow the Storm-god, he lay with a
Rock as if it were a woman. He instructs Imbaluris, his
messenger to send a message to the Sea, that Kumarbis
should remain father of the gods. The Sea hosts a feast
for him and later Kumarbis' Rock gives birth to
Ullikummis. Kumarbis announces that his son will defeat
the Storm-god, his city Kummiya, his brother Tasmisus and
the gods from the sky. He charges Imbaluris to seek out
the Irsirra deities to hide Ullikummis from the Sun-god,
the Storm-god, and Ishtar.
Imbaluris
He is Kumarbis' messenger. He is sent to warn the
Sea that Kumarbis' must remain the father of the
gods.
Mukisanus
He is Kumarbis' vizier
Hannahanna(s) (Nintu, Mah) - the mother of all the gods.
She is associated with Gulses. After Telepinu disappears,
the Storm-god complains to her. She sends him to search
himself and when he gives up, she dispatches a bee,
charging it to purify the god by stinging his hands and
feat and wiping his eyes and feet with wax.
She recommends to the Storm-god that he pay the Sea-god
the bride-price for the Sea-god's daughter on her wedding
to Telipinu.
Apparently she also disappears in a fit of anger and while
she is gone, cattle and sheep are stifled and mothers,
both human and animal take no account of their children.
After her anger is banished to the Dark Earth, she returns
rejoicing. Another meeans of banishing her anger is
through burning brushwood and allowing the vapor to enter
her body.
After Inara consulted with her, she gave her a man and
land. Soon after, Inara is missing and when Hanna hanna is
informed thereof by the Storm-god's bee, she apparently
begins a search with the help of her Female attendant a.
She appears to consult with the Sun-god and the War-god,
but much of the text is missing.
Upelluri (Ubelluris)
Similar to Atlas, this giant carries the world on his
shoulders. The olden gods built the earth and heaven upon
him though he did not notice, even when those two were
separated with a cleaver. On the direction of Kumarbis'
messenger Imbaluris, the Issira deities place Ullikummis
on his right shoulder where the child grows. Ea interviews
him, in search of Ullikummis and Upelluri admits to a
small pain on his shoulder, although he can't identify
which god is causing it.
Storm/Weather-god (Hurrian's Teshub, Taru, Luwian's Tarhun(t) -
'The Conqueror'), 'The king of Kummiya', 'King of Heaven,
Lord of the land of Hatti'.
He is chief among the gods and his symbol is the bull. As
Teshub he has been pictured as a bearded man astride two
mountains and bearing a club. He is a god of battle and
victory, especially when the battle is with a foreign
power. As Taru, he is the consort of Wurusemu. He was the
child of Anus and Kumarbis - conceived along with Tasmisus
and the Aranzahus (Tigris) river when Kumarbis bit off and
swallowed Anus' phallus. He is, however, considered Ea's
son in the myth of Ullikummis. He is informed by Anus of
the possible exits from Kumarbis, and tries to exit
through Kumarbis's 'tarnassas', causing him great pain.
With the 'tarnassas' blocked, he exits through Kumarbis'
'good place'. He plots with Anus, Tasmisus, and Aranzhus
to destroy Kumarbis, and apparently succeeds seizing
kingship in heaven.
He sent rain after the fallen Moon-god/Kashku when he fell
from heaven.
Alerted to the imminent arrival of the Sun-god, who in
some myths is his son, he has Tasmisus prepare a meal for
their guest and listens to his report about the sudden
appearance of the giant Ullikummis. He and Tasmisus then
leave the kuntarra and are led to Mount Hazzi by his
sister, Ishtar, where they behold the monstrous creature.
He looks upon Kumarbis' son with fear and Ishtar chides
him. Later, emboldened, he has Tasmisus prepare his bulls
and wagon for battle, and has him call out the
thunderstorms, lightning and rains. Their first battle
resulted in his incomplete defeat. He dispatches Tasmisus
to his wife, Hebat, to tell her that he must remain in a
'lowly place' for a term. When Tasmisus returns, he
encourages the Storm-god to seek Ea in the city Abzu/Apsu
and ask for the 'tablets with the words of fate' (Tablets
of Destiny? 'me'?). After Ea cleaves off Ullukummis' feet,
he spurs Tasmisus and the Storm-god on to battle the
crippled giant. Despite the diorite man's boasting, the
Storm-god presumably defeats him.
He fought with the Dragon Illuyankas in Kiskilussa and was
defeated. He called the gods for aid, asking that Inaras
prepare a celebration. She does so and when the dragon and
his children have gorged themselves on her feast, the
mortal Hupasiyas binds him with a rope. Then the
Storm-god, accompanied by the gods, sets upon them and
destroys them.
In another version of that myth, he looses his eyes and
heart to Illuyankas after his first battle. He then
marries a poor mortal woman and marries their son to
Illuyankas daughter. He has the son ask for his eyes and
heart. With their return, he attacks the dragon again.
When his son sides with Illuyankas, the Storm-god kills
them both.
When his son, Telepinus, is missing he despairs and
complains to the Sun-god and then to Hannahannas, who
tells him to search for him himself. After searching
Telepinus' city he gives up.
In other versions of this myth, it is the Storm-god who is
missing. One is almost exactly the same, and in another,
he journeys to the Dark Earth in his anger, and is
returned with the help of his mother - here
Wuruntemu/Ereshkigal/the Sun-goddess of Arinna.
He sends Telipinu to recover the Sun-god who had been
kidnapped by the Sea-god. The Sea-god is so intimidated
that he gives Telipinu his daughter in marriage but
demands a bride-price from the Storm-god. After consulting
with Hannahanna, he pays the price of a thousand sheep and
a thousand cattle.
He notices his daughter, Inara, is missing and sends a bee
to Hannahanna to have her search for her.
Seris (Serisu)
This is one of the bulls sacred to the Storm-god. In
preparation for battle, the Storm-god has Tasmisus
anoint his horns with oil and drive him up Mount
Imgarra with Tella and the battle wagon.
Tella (Hurris)
This is another bull sacred to the Storm-god. In
preparation for battle, the Storm-god has Tasmisus
plate his tail with gold and drive him up Mount
Imgarra with Seris and the battle wagon.
Aranzahas - The Tigris river deified.
A child of Anus and Kumarbis, he was the brother of
the Storm-god and Tasmisus, spat out of Kumarbis'
mouth onto Mount Kanzuras. Later he colludes with
Anus and the Storm-god to destroy Kumarbis.
Tasmisus
A child of Anus and Kumarbis, he is conceived along
with the Storm-god and Aranzahus. The brother of the
Storm-god and Aranzahus, he was spat out of Kumarbis
upon Mount Kanzuras. Later he colludes with Anus and
the Storm-god to destroy Kumarbis. He serves as the
Storm-god's attendant.
He spies the Sun-god approaching and informs the
Storm-god that this visit bodes ill. At the
Storm-god's command he has a meal set up for their
visitor. After the Sun-god's tale, he and the
Storm-god depart and are met by Ishtar, who takes
them to Mt. Hazzi near Ugarit, where they can see
Ullikummis. The Storm-god has him take his bulls up
Mt. Imgarra and prepare them for battle. He is also
ordered to bring forth the storms, rains, winds, and
lightning. After their defeat, he is dispatched by
the Storm-god to Hebat, to tell her that he must
remain in a 'lowly place' for a term. He returns and
encourages the Storm-god to seek Ea in the city
Abzu/Apsu and ask for the 'tablets with the words of
fate' (Tablets of Destiny? 'me'?). After Ea cleaves
off Ullukummis' feet, he spurs Tasmisus and the
Storm-god on to battle the crippled giant.
Suwaliyattas
He is a warrior god and probably the brother of the
Storm-god.
Hebat (Hurrian name) (Hepit, Hepatu)
The matronly wife of the Storm-god. She is sometimes
depicted standing on her sacred animal, the lion. After
the Storm-god and Astabis' failed attacks on Ullikummis,
the giant forced her out of her temple, causing her to
lose communication with the gods. She frets that
Ullikummis may have defeated her husband and expresses her
concern to her servant Takitis, charging him to convene
the assembly of the gods and bring back word of her
husband. Presumably she is brought word of his defeat.
Tasmisus visits her in the high watchtower, telling her
that the Storm-god is consigned to a 'lowly place' for a
length of time. She is the mother of Sharruma.
Wurusemu, (Wuruntemu?), 'Sun Goddess of Arrina', 'mistress
of the Hatti lands, the queen of heaven and earth',
'mistress of the kings and queens of Hatti,
directing the government of the King and Queen of
Hatti'
This goddess is later assimilated with Hebat. She
made the cedar land. She is the primary goddess in
Arrina, with Taru as her consort. She is a goddess
of battle and is associated with Hittite military
victory. She is the mother of the Storm-god of
Nerik, and thereby possibly associated with
Ereshkigal. She aids in returning him from the
underworld.
Sharruma (Hurrian name), 'the calf of Teshub'
The son of Teshub and Hebat, this god is symbolized
by a pair of human legs, or a human head on a bull's
body. He is later identified with the Weather-god of
Nerik and Zippalanda.
Takitis
He is Hebat's servant. After Hebat was driven from
her temple he is told of her concern for her husband
and charged with convening the assembly of the gods
and returning with word of her husband's fate.
Mezzullas
She is the daughter of the Storm-god and the
Sun-goddess of Arinna. She has influence with her
parents.
Zintuhis
She is the granddaughter of the Storm-god and the
Sun-goddess of Arinna.
Telepinu(s) 'the noble god'
An agricultural god, he is the favorite and firstborn son
of the Storm-god. He 'harrows and plows. He irrigates the
fields and makes the crops grow.' (Gurney p. 113) He flies
into a rage and storms off, losing himself in the steppe
and becoming overcome with fatigue. With his departure,
fertility of the land, crops and herds disappears and
famine besets man and god. Hannahannas's bee finds him,
stings his hands and feet, and wipes his eyes and feet
with wax, purifying him. This further infuriates him, and
he wrecks further havoc with the rivers and by shattering
houses and windows. Eventually, the evil and malice is
removed through magic by Kamrusepas, but not before
Telepinus thunders with lightning. Telepinus returns home,
restoring fertility and tending to the life and vitality
of the royal family. His prosperity and fertility is
symbolized by a pole suspending the fleece of a sheep. In
other versions of this myth, the Storm-god or the Sun-god
and several other gods are missing instead.
He is asked by his father to recover the Sun-god from the
Sea-god, and so intimidates the Sea-god that he is given
his daughter as a bride.
Ullikummi(s), the diorite man
He is born of Kumarbis and the Rock. This god is made
entirely of diorite. He was born to be used as a weapon to
defeat the Storm-godand his allies. Kumarbis had him
delivered to the Irsirra deities to keep him hidden from
the Storm-god, the Sun-god, and Ishtar. After the Irsirra
deities presented him to Ellil, they placed him on the
shoulder of Upelluri where he grows an acre in a month.
After fifteen days he grows enough so that he stands waist
deep in the sea when the Sun-god and he notice each other.
Alerted by the Sun-god, the Storm-god eventually prepares
for battle atop Mount Imgarra, yet their first battle
results in an incomplete victory. He drives Hebat from her
temple, cutting off her communication with the other gods.
Astabis leads seventy gods on attack against him,
attempting to draw up the water from around him, perhaps
in order to stop his growth. They fall into the sea and he
grows to be 9000 leagues tall and around, shaking the
heavens, the earth, pushing up the sky, and towering over
Kummiya. Ea locates him and cuts off his feet with the
copper knife that separated the heaven from the earth.
Despite his wounds he boasts to the Storm-god that he will
take the kingship of heaven. Presumably, he is
none-the-less defeated.
Sun-god (of Heaven)
Probably an Akkadian import, this god is one of justice
and is sometimes the king of all gods. An ally of the
Storm-god, he notices the giant Ullikummis in the sea and
visited the Storm-god, refusing to eat until he reports
his news. After he has done so, the Storm-god proclaims
that the food on the table shall become pleasant, which it
does, and so the Sun-god enjoys his meal and returns to
his route in heaven.
When Telepinus disappears, bringing a famine, he arranges
a feast, but it is ineffective in assuaging their hunger.
At the Storm-god's complaint, he dispatches an eagle to
search for the god, but the bird is unsuccessful. After
the bee discovers Telepinus, he has man perform a ritual.
In another version of the missing god myth, he is one of
the missing gods. He keeps several sheep. At the end of
the day, he travels through the nether-world.
He was kidnapped by the Sea-god and released when Telipinu
came for him.
In a longer version of that story, the Sea-god caught him
in a net, possibly putting him into a Kukubu-vessel when
he fell. During his absence, hahhimas (Frost) took hold.
Hapantallis
He is the Sun-god's shepherd.
Moon-god (Hurrian Kashku)
He fell upon the 'killamar', the gate complex, from heaven
and disappeared. Storm-god/Taru rain-stormed after him,
frightening him. Hapantali went to him and uttered the
words of a spell over him. While known to bestow ill
omens, he can be appeased by sheep sacrifice.
The Sea, the Waters
She is told by Imbaluris that 'Kumarbis must remain father
of the gods!'. Struck with fear by this message, she makes
ready here abode and prepares to act as hostess for a
feast for Kumarbis. This feast may have served as a
meeting of Mother-goddesses who delivered Kumarbis' child
by the Rock, Ullikummis.
The Sea-god
He quarreled and kidnapped the Sun-god of Heaven. When
Telipinu came to recover the Sun-god, the Sea-god was so
intimidated that he also gave him his daughter. he later
demanded a bride-price for her of the Storm-god, and was
eventually given a thousand cattle and a thousand sheep.
In another version, he caught the Sun-god in a net as he
fell, and may have sealed him in a Kukubu-vessel, allowing
Hahhimas (Frost to take hold of most of the other gods.
He questions the fire in its role in one of Kamrusepa's
healing spells.
Inaras
Daughter of the Storm-god and goddess of the wild animals
of the steppe. After the Storm-god's initial defeat by
Illuyankas, she follows his request to set up a feast. She
recruits Hupasiayas of Zigaratta, to aid in revenge on
Illuyankas, by taking him as a lover. She then sets about
luring Illuyankas and his children to a feast. After the
dragon and his children gorge themselves on her meal,
Hupasiayas binds him with a rope. Then the Storm-god sets
upon them and defeats them.
She then gives Hupasiayas a house on a cliff to live in,
yet warns him not to look out the window, lest he see his
wife and children. He disobeys her, and seeing his family
begs to be allowed to go home. Gurney speculates that he
was killed for his disobedience.
She consults with Hannahanna, who promises to give her
land and a man. She then goes missing and is sought after
by her father and Hannahanna with her bee.
Illuyankas - the Dragon.
He defeated the Storm-god in Kiskilussa. Later he was
lured from his lair with his children by a well dressed
Inaras with a feast. After they were too engorged to get
into their lair again, the Storm-god, accompanied by the
other gods, killed him.
In another version of the myth, he defeated the Storm-god
and stole his eyes and heart. Later, his daughter married
the son of the Storm-god. Acting on the Storm-god's
instruction, his son asked for the eyes and heart. When
these were returned to him, the Storm-god vanquished
Illuyankas, but slew his son as well when the youth sided
with the dragon.
The ritual of his defeat was invoked every spring to
symbolize the earth's rebirth.
Hedammu
He is a serpent who loved Ishtar.
Irsirra deities
These gods who live in the dark earth are charged by
Kumarbis through Imbaluris to hide Ullikummis from the sky
gods, the Sun-god, the Storm-god, and Ishtar. They are
also charged with placing the child on the shoulder of
Upelluri. Later they accept the child and deliver it to
Ellil, before placing it on Upelluri's right shoulder.
Hapantalliyas/Hapantalli
He took his place at the Moon-god's side when he fell from
heaven on the gate complex and uttered a spell.
Kamrusepa(s) (Katahziwuri)
She is the goddess of magic and healing. She witnessed and
announced the Moon-god's fall from heaven on to the gate
complex.
She is the goddess of magic and healing. After Telepinus
has been found, yet remains angry, she is set to cure him
of his temper. She performs an elaborate magical ritual,
removing his evil and malice.
In another tablet, she performs the spell of fire, whic
removes various illnesses, changing them to a mist which
ascends to heaven, lifted by the Dark Earth. The Sea-god
questions the fire on its role.
Astabis (Zamama, Akkadian Ninurta)
He is a Hurrian warrior god. After the Storm-god's first
attack on Ullikummis is unsuccessful, he leads seventy
gods in battle wagons on an attack on the diorite giant.
They try to draw the water away from him, perhaps in order
to stop his growth, but they fall from the sky and
Ullikummis grows even larger, towering over the gate of
Kummiya.
Uliliyassis
He is a minor god who, properly attended to, removes
impotence.
Kurunta?
This god's symbol is the stag. He is associated with rural
areas.
Kubaba
She is the chief goddess of the Neo-Hittites, she became
Cybebe to the Phrygians and Cybele to the Romans.
Yarris
He is a god of pestilence. A festival was held for him
every autumn.
Hasamelis
He is a god who can protect travelers, possibly by causing
them to be invisible.
Zashapuna
He is the chief god of the town of Kastama, held in
greater regard there than the Storm-god, possibly gaining
such influence through drawing lots with the other gods.
Zaliyanu
She is the wife of Zashapuna.
Zaliyanu
She is the concubine of Zashapuna.
Papaya
One of the deities who sat under the Hawthorn tree
awaiting the return of Telipinus.
Istustaya
One of the deities who sat under the Hawthorn tree
awaiting the return of Telipinus.
Miyatanzipa
One of the deities who sat under the Hawthorn tree
awaiting the return of Telipinu. (S)he? also sat under th
ippiyas tree when Hannahanna found the hunting bag.
Fate-goddesses
They were among the deities who sat under the Hawthorn
tree awaiting the return of Telipinu. In one myth, they
and the Mother-goddesses are missing.
Dark-goddess
One of the deities who sat under the Hawthorn tree
awaiting the return of Telipinu.
Tutelary-deity, (Sumerian Lamma)
One of the deities who sat under the Hawthorn tree
awaiting the return of Telipinu.
Uruzimu
A deity involved in returning the lost Storm-god of Nerik.
Hahhimas (Frost)
When the Sea-god captures the Sun-god, he takes hold of
the other gods and of the land's plants and animals,
paralyzing them. He is half-brother to Hasamili's brothers
and spares them from his grip.
B. Akkadian Imports:
Anu
See section A.
Antu (See Assyro-Babylonian Antu)
Anu's female counterpart, imported to the Hitties through
the Hurrians.
Ellil (See Assyro-Babylonian Ellil)
He is presented with Ullikummis by the Irsirra deities and
declares that the child will bring the mightiest battles
and an awesome rival to the Storm-god. Later, Ea and
presumably the Storm-god present before him a case against
Kumarbis' for his creation of Ullikummis. He counters with
Kumarbis' good record of worship and sacrifice and is in
turn countered with Ea's testimony describing Ullikummis.
Ninlil (See Assyro-Babylonian Ninlil
Ellil's wife. She was imported by way of the Hurrians.
Lelwanis (Lilwani, Ereshkigal, sometimes assimilated with
Ishtar), 'Sun of the Earth'
Goddess of the earth and the nether-world, appeasement of
her through sheep sacrifices helps remove threats from
evil omens.
Ereshkigal
This goddess is the mother of the Storm-god. She plays a
role in returning him from the underworld by opening the
gates of the Dark Earth.
Ayas (Ea)
He is the keeper of the 'old tablets with the words of
fate' (Tablets of Destiny? 'me'?). The Ullikummis myth has
him as the father of the Storm-god.
He attends Kumarbis and fetches that god's son to be
devoured as a means of releaving Kumarbis pains from the
Storm-god. He advises Kumarbis to have experts work 'poor'
magic to aid him in his distress, bringing bulls and
sacrifices of meal. This magic helps secure Kumarbis's
'tarnassus'.
He is prevailed upon by the Storm-god following his defeat
by Ullikummis. He and presumably the Storm-god present a
case against Kumarbis' for his creation of Ullikummis
before Ellil. Rebutting Ellil's defense that Kumarbis is
well behaved regarding worship and sacrifices, Ea
proclaims that Ullikummis 'will block off heaven and the
gods holy houses.' He seeks out Upelluri, and after
interviewing him, locates Ullukummis feet on Upelluri's
shoulder. He charges the olden gods to deliver the copper
knife with which they severed heaven from earth, in order
to cut through Ullukummis' feet. He then spurs Tasmisus
and the Storm-god on to fight the crippled giant.
Tapkina(Hurrian) (Damkina)
Ea's wife, imported from the Akkadians by way of the
Hurrians.
Shaushka (Hurrian) (Ishtar)
She takes the form of a winged female standing on a lion.
She spies her brothers, the Storm-god and Tasmisus,
leaving the kuntarra following word of the appearance of
Ullikummis. She leads them by hand, up Mount Hazzi, from
which they can view the giant. When the Storm-god is vexed
and fearful at the site of Kumarbis' son, she chides him.
Later, she takes up her galgalturi/harp and sings to the
blind and deaf Ullikummis, but her folly is exposed to her
by a great wave from the sea, who charges her to seek out
her brother who is yet to be emboldened to the inevitable
battle.
She was loved by the serpent Hedammu.
Ninatta
Shaushka's attendant.
Kulitta
Shaushka's attendant.
C. Demons
Various rituals were performed to call upon demons for protection
or to drive away baneful deities summoned by sorcerers.
Alauwaimis
Properly propitiated with ritual, libation, and goat
sacrifice, this demon drives away evil sickness.
Tarpatassis
Properly propitiated with ritual and the sacrifice of a
buck, this demon staves off sickness and grants long,
healthy life.
D. Mortals
Hupasiya(s)
He is a resident of Ziggaratta. He is recruited by Inaras
to aid in defeating Illuyankas. He agrees to her plan
after elliciting her promise to sleep with him. When
Illuyankas and his children are gorged on Inaras's feast,
he ties them up for the Storm-god to kill. he is set up in
a house by Inaras with the instructions not to look out
the window while she is away, lest he see his family. He
does, and begs to go home. Here the text is broken and
some researches assume that he is killed.
III. Cosmology and the structure of the universe.
I haven't found as much about this as I would like:
The olden gods built heaven and earth upon Upelluri. They had a
copper knife which they used to cleave the heaven from the earth,
after which they stored it in ancient storehouses and sealed them
up - only to open them and retrieve it for use on Ullikummis.
Kuntarra house
The house of the gods in heaven.
The Dark Earth, i.e. the Underworld.
It has an entrance with gates. It holds bronze or iron
palhi-vessels with lead lids. That which enters them,
perishes within and doesn't return. Telipinu and
Hannahanna's anger is banished there.
IV. Source material:
* Goetze, Albrecht "Hittite Myths, Epics, and Legends", Ancient
Near East Texts Relating to the Old Testament, ed. James
Pritchard, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1955. This
has been my primary source for the texts of the Hittite myths
and prayers.
* Gurney, O. R. The Hittites, Penguin Books, New York, 1990.
Gurney's work is a solid overview of Hittite history,
culture, religion, and mythology.
* Hoffner, Harry Hittite Myths, Scholars Press, Atlanta,
Georgia, 1990. Intended to be a more idiomatic translation,
Hoffner's work also includes material more recent than Goetz.
I am replacing that material from Goetz with which this
conflicts.
* S.H.Hooke Middle Eastern Mythology, Penguin Books, New
York,1963. Hooke takes a comparative and summary approach to
Sumerian, Babylonian, Canaanite, Hittite, and Hebrew
mythological material.
* Laroche, Emmanuel, articles within Mythologies Volume One,
Bonnefoy, Yves (compiler), The University of Chicago Press,
Chicago, 1991. This handful of topically focused articles
provides depth in some areas of Hittite and Hurrian religion
but lacks an overall picture as Bonnefoy's work was designed
for an encyclopedic format.
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