The deities of Ebla
Nov 9, 2010 13:17:01 GMT -5
Post by sheshki on Nov 9, 2010 13:17:01 GMT -5
from: www.nino-leiden.nl/calendar.aspx?id=40
The gods of Ebla (35° 47′ 56″ N, 36° 47′ 55″ O)
Documents from ancient Ebla, dated to the 24th century BC, offer scarce elements for a reconstruction of actual mythology. They provide, however, an overview of the cults in Northern Syria, reflecting a situation a millennium older than that of Ugarit, and not limited to a single city-state. Some “prime gods” had regional relevance, with their major sanctuaries in minor centers: Dagan (at-Tuttul) for the Middle Euphrates; the Storm-god Hadda for the region of Halab; ’Adabal for the Orontes valley. The great political centres could have a god at the head of their pantheon (e.g., Kura at Ebla), with only local relevance.
Astral gods as the Sun (at Ebla attested as female, but also male deity) and the Moon (attested as the New Moon) were universally recognised. Ashtar (Ishtar) (with astral implications?) was the major goddess of Mari and Akkad, and also important at Ebla, where, however, the main goddess, Ishara (later with attributions similar to those of Ishtar), was related to the Ebla royal dynasty, and remained important into the Late Middle Bronze Period.
It makes no sense to speak of a “Semitic pantheon”. Rashap was an important god, at that time diffused only in Western Syria. Hayya (Ea) was just a minor god expressing an underground life force which favoured nature. Although his name was always written in the Sumerian form dEn-ki, the personality of this god, as we know it from the Old Babylonian period, is completely derived from the Sumerian culture. This is a clear proof (if necessary) of the Sumerian impact on the Semitic-speaking populations settled in Babylonia already from the first centuries of the 3rd millennium.
During the 2nd millennium a geographic extension of the cult of some gods and a genealogical restructuring took place. Dagan became an “older” god, its cult reached Palestine, and his name survived until the Christian age. Hadda (already well known at Mari in the 3rd millennium) became the first god for all the Semites of the Northern area. Some gods of minor relevance in Semitc local panthea were included by the Hurrians in their pantheon. This is the case of Ha(l)abaytu “She of Halab”, i.e. the spouse of Hadda, who became Hebat, spouse of Teshshub of Halab. Ishhara was also Hurrianized.
The cult had a cyclical basis bound to the idea of renewal. The silver face of the god Kura was renewed each year. The cult of Hadda of Halab, with two renewal rites, was clearly bound to the seasonal cycle. Each year, king and queen renewed the marriage ceremonial at the mausoleum of their ancestors.
The dynastic cult was bound to the cult of the ancestors, whose memory went back to the 28th century. The dead of the royal family were introduced in the Netherworld by their ancestors as in the Ugaritic ritual.
The gods of Ebla (35° 47′ 56″ N, 36° 47′ 55″ O)
Documents from ancient Ebla, dated to the 24th century BC, offer scarce elements for a reconstruction of actual mythology. They provide, however, an overview of the cults in Northern Syria, reflecting a situation a millennium older than that of Ugarit, and not limited to a single city-state. Some “prime gods” had regional relevance, with their major sanctuaries in minor centers: Dagan (at-Tuttul) for the Middle Euphrates; the Storm-god Hadda for the region of Halab; ’Adabal for the Orontes valley. The great political centres could have a god at the head of their pantheon (e.g., Kura at Ebla), with only local relevance.
Astral gods as the Sun (at Ebla attested as female, but also male deity) and the Moon (attested as the New Moon) were universally recognised. Ashtar (Ishtar) (with astral implications?) was the major goddess of Mari and Akkad, and also important at Ebla, where, however, the main goddess, Ishara (later with attributions similar to those of Ishtar), was related to the Ebla royal dynasty, and remained important into the Late Middle Bronze Period.
It makes no sense to speak of a “Semitic pantheon”. Rashap was an important god, at that time diffused only in Western Syria. Hayya (Ea) was just a minor god expressing an underground life force which favoured nature. Although his name was always written in the Sumerian form dEn-ki, the personality of this god, as we know it from the Old Babylonian period, is completely derived from the Sumerian culture. This is a clear proof (if necessary) of the Sumerian impact on the Semitic-speaking populations settled in Babylonia already from the first centuries of the 3rd millennium.
During the 2nd millennium a geographic extension of the cult of some gods and a genealogical restructuring took place. Dagan became an “older” god, its cult reached Palestine, and his name survived until the Christian age. Hadda (already well known at Mari in the 3rd millennium) became the first god for all the Semites of the Northern area. Some gods of minor relevance in Semitc local panthea were included by the Hurrians in their pantheon. This is the case of Ha(l)abaytu “She of Halab”, i.e. the spouse of Hadda, who became Hebat, spouse of Teshshub of Halab. Ishhara was also Hurrianized.
The cult had a cyclical basis bound to the idea of renewal. The silver face of the god Kura was renewed each year. The cult of Hadda of Halab, with two renewal rites, was clearly bound to the seasonal cycle. Each year, king and queen renewed the marriage ceremonial at the mausoleum of their ancestors.
The dynastic cult was bound to the cult of the ancestors, whose memory went back to the 28th century. The dead of the royal family were introduced in the Netherworld by their ancestors as in the Ugaritic ritual.
Well I have to this point hardly known much on the pantheon of Ebla or much on West Semitic theology so this a great stuff to learn about. I have just now been reading a little about the presence of Semitic Solar theology in Canaan and also hints of this vestage of belief in the Hebrew concept of the sun, the word for which like Shamash as a root of sh m sh - I'm reading this stuff for a paper I'm writing about the existence or non-existence of Necromancy in early Israelite religion. Will have to post it when its finished. Theres a good chance I'll be able to use some of my back reading on Utu and Sisig, which I'm very pleased about 
