Ziparwa

Last updated
Ziparwa
Head of the Palaic pantheon, god of the weather and vegetation
Other namesZaparwa
Major cult center Pala
Personal information
Spouse Kataḫzipuri

Ziparwa, originally known as Zaparwa, was the head of the pantheon of the Palaians, inhabitants of a region of northern Anatolia known as Pala in the Bronze Age. It is often assumed that he was a weather god in origin, though he was also associated with vegetation. Information about the worship of Ziparwa comes exclusively from Hittite texts, though some of them indicate that formulas in Palaic were used during festivals dedicated to him held in Hittite cities such as Hattusa.

Contents

Name and character

Ziparwa was the head of the "extremely heterogenous" pantheon of the Palaians, [1] [2] speakers of Palaic, a language closely related to Hittite and Luwian. [3] In the Bronze Age they inhabited Pala, [4] a northern region of Anatolia which later came to be known as Paphlagonia. [5]

The original Palaic form of Ziparwa's name, Zaparwa, was spelled in cuneiform as d Za-pár-waa(-a)-, while the standard Hittite spelling was dZi-pár-waa(-a)-. [6] The signs with subscripts, such as waa, constituted a Hittite invention, and it is assumed that they reflected "Hattic syllables beginning with the sound /f/ or /v/". [7] On this basis it is presumed that Ziparwa's name had Hattic roots. [6] It might have originally been pronounced as /Zaparfa/. [8]

Hittite scribes apparently considered Ziparwa to belong to the category of weather gods. [8] It has been proposed that in Palaic context, the logogram d10, used to designate such deities, can be read as Ziparwa's name, but there is no certain proof in favor of this interpretation. [9] Piotr Taracha has suggested that his name might have originally been an epithet applied to a weather god bearing a Palaic name. [10] This assumption relies on the proposed relation between his name and Taparwašu, a title of the Hittite storm god. [11] Both might be variants of the same Hattic term in origin. [8] Taracha assumes that under Hattian influence, a Palaic god received a new title, and that his original name was close to Hittite Tarḫunna and Luwian Tarḫunz. [11] Daniel Schwemer notes that another possibility is that might have been an epithet of Hattian Taru in origin. [8]

It is presumed Ziparawa also functioned as a god of vegetation. [1] [12] He appears in a Palaic myth assumed to be analogous to the Hittite composition about Telipinu. [13]

Kataḫzipuri, a Hattian goddess most likely comparable to or outright identical with Kamrušepa [11] was likely regarded as Ziparwa's spouse. [6] [14] They were regarded as the main pair of deities in the Palaic pantheon. [15]

Worship

The religion of the Palaians is only known from Hittite accounts. [11] As a result, most of the available information about Ziparwa comes from Hittite texts, though there is no indication that he was ever a "pan-Anatolian" deity, and it is presumed his cult was centered in Pala. [16] At some point he was incorporated into the Hittite pantheon, [2] and a temple dedicated to him existed in Hattusa. [11] Deities worshiped in association with him by the Hittites came chiefly from Palaic or Luwian milieus, with well attested examples being Tiyad (the Palaic sun god), Ilaliyantikeš  [ de ] or Ḫašamili. [11]

Celebrations in honor of Ziparwa formed a part of a state festival dedicated to the Sun goddess of Arinna and the "gods of Hatti" as a whole, established during the reign of Šuppiluliuma I. [17] They took part on the twelfth and thirteenth days, [18] and the king was expected to visit his temple on both. [19] The text CTH 750 had often been described as an account of a separate Hittite festival of Ziparwa following a proposal of Emmanuel Laroche from 1971, [20] However, according to Hannah Marcuson it might have been a part of the spring AN.TAḪ.ŠUM  [ de ] and fall nuntarriyašḫa celebrations, rather than a separate one dedicated specifically to this god. [18] The rites involved the recitation of "the words of the bread loaves" in Palaic. [21] The related text CTH 751 mentions a sacrifice of a bull during which the formula "Hey Ziparwa! A bull! A bull!" had to be recited. [14] An old woman speaking in Palaic had to reassure the god that the animal he was provided with was of best quality. [22] The text also explains which body parts were not suitable for an offering to Ziparwa. [23]

Related Research Articles

Palaic is an extinct Indo-European language, attested in cuneiform tablets in Bronze Age Hattusa, the capital of the Hittites. Palaic, which was apparently spoken mainly in northern Anatolia, is generally considered to be one of four primary sub-divisions of the Anatolian languages, alongside Hittite, Luwic and Lydian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Šarruma</span> Hittite and Hurrian deity

Šarruma, also romanized as Šarrumma or Sharruma, was a Hurrian god. He could be depicted in both anthropomorphic form, sometimes riding on the back of a leopard, and in the theriomorphic form as a bull. His character is not fully understood, though it is known that he could function as a mountain god. He was regarded as a son of Ḫepat and Teshub. He was also linked to various moon deities. Additionally, the only mythological text he appears in addresses him as a messenger (sukkalu) of Kumarbi. He was worshiped by Hurrians in southeastern Anatolia and northern Syria, for example in Kummanni and Lawazantiya in Kizzuwatna. From this kingdom he was introduced to the Hittite pantheon as well. Hittite influence in turn resulted in his introduction to cities such as Aleppo, Emar and Ugarit. He was also venerated in Luwian religion in the first millennium BCE, with theophoric names invoking him attested from as late as the Hellenistic period in Cilicia and Lycia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kušuḫ</span> Hurrian lunar god

Kušuḫ, also known under the name Umbu, was the god of the moon in Hurrian pantheon. He is attested in cuneiform texts from many sites, from Hattusa in modern Turkey, through Ugarit, Alalakh, Mari and other locations in Syria, to Nuzi, located near modern Kirkuk in Iraq, but known sources do not indicate that he was associated with a single city. His name might be derived from the toponym Kuzina, possibly the Hurrian name of Harran, a city in Upper Mesopotamia, but both this etymology and identification of this sparsely attested place name remain uncertain. He was a popular, commonly worshiped god, and many theophoric names invoking him are known. In addition to serving as a divine representation of the moon, he was also associated with oaths, oracles and pregnancy. Some aspects of his character were likely influenced by his Mesopotamian counterpart Sin, while he in turn was an influence on the Ugaritic god Yarikh and Luwian Arma.

Ḫašamili was a god worshiped in Bronze Age Anatolia. He originated in religious beliefs of the Hattians, and later came to be incorporated into the Hittite, Palaic and Luwian pantheons. He was regarded as a protective household deity, and was additionally associated with metalworking. He appears in the myth of Ḫaḫḫima, but his role in it is not fully understood.

Kamrušepa was a Hittite and Luwian goddess of medicine and magic, analogous to Hattic and Palaic goddess Kataḫzipuri. She is best known as one of the deities involved in the Telepinu Myth, in which her actions were crucial to pacify the anger of the "missing" vegetation god.

Ḫalmašuit was a goddess worshiped by Hattians and Hittites in Bronze Age Anatolia. She was the divine representation of a ceremonial throne, and acted as both an embodiment of royal authority and as a protective deity of kings.

Šuwaliyat was a Hittite god associated with vegetation. He was worshiped in Kanesh, Ḫupišna and Ḫunḫuišna, as well as in Hattusa. In a number of ritual texts he appears alongside the grain goddess Ḫalki. A close connection between him and the Hurrian god Tašmišu is also attested, and in Hittite adaptations of Hurrian myths and in other texts reflecting Hurrian influence his name could be used to designate his Hurrian counterpart.

Maliya was a goddess worshiped by Hittites in the Bronze Age. She was most likely a deified river in origin, but she was also associated with gardens and with artisanship, specifically with leatherworking and carpentry. The oldest attestations of her have been identified in the Old Assyrian texts from Kanesh. This city continued to be associated with her in later tradition, though she was also worshiped in Hattusa and elsewhere in the Hittite Empire. She is also present in texts originating in Kizzuwatna, which indicate she had a temple in Kummanni, where she was worshiped alongside various Hurrian deities.

Ugur was a Mesopotamian god associated with war and death, originally regarded as an attendant deity (sukkal) of Nergal. After the Old Babylonian period he was replaced in this role by Ishum, and in the Middle Babylonian period his name started to function as a logogram representing Nergal. Temples dedicated to him existed in Isin and Girsu. He was also worshiped outside Mesopotamia by Hurrians and Hittites. He might also be attested in sources from Emar.

Anna was the main deity of Kanesh, an Anatolian city which in the Old Assyrian period served as an Assyrian trading colony. Multiple possibilities regarding her origin have been considered by researchers. A temple, festivals and clergy dedicated to her are attested in texts from her city, and in contracts she appears alongside the Assyrian god Ashur. At some point her position declined, and an unidentified weather god became the main local deity instead. It is nonetheless assumed that she continued to be worshiped later on by Hittites and Luwians. It has also been proposed that a deity from Emar can be identified with her, though not all researchers share this view.

Taru was a weather god worshiped in ancient Anatolia by Hattians. He was associated with the bull, and could be depicted in the form of this animal. It is presumed that the names of the Hittite and Luwian weather gods, Tarḫunna and Tarḫunz, while etymologically Indo-European, were meant to resemble Taru's as a result of Hattian cultural influence on other cultures of the region.

Ḫalki was the Hittite deity of grain. While it is commonly assumed the name consistently referred to a goddess, a male form of this deity has also been identified. Ḫalki was associated with other grain deities, namely Mesopotamian Nisaba and Hattian Kait, with the latter presumed to be functionally identical. The oldest attestations come from Kanesh, though they are limited to theophoric names. In later periods, the female form of Ḫalki was worshiped in Hattusa, and the male one in Nerik, though evidence from other cities is also available.

Tiyaz or Tiyad was the sun god of the Palaians, regarded as the third most important deity in their pantheon. He was also incorporated into Hittite religion. He appears in a ritual written in Palaic, though presumed to belong to a Hittite corpus, in which he is implored to anoint the king. After the fall of the Hittite Empire, he might have been worshiped by Phrygians.

Šulinkatte was a Hittite god of Hattian origin. He was regarded as a war deity. Additionally, he could fulfill the role of a protector of palaces and houses. In the local tradition of Nerik, he was regarded as the father of the weather god of Nerik. He first appears in texts dated to the fifteenth or fourteenth century BCE. His main cult center was the sparsely attested city Tamarmara, but he was also worshiped elsewhere in ancient Anatolia, for example in Hattusa and Nerik. Fragments of a Hattic song celebrating him are also known.

Wurunkatte or Wurukatte was a Hittite war god of Hattian origin. He might have also been connected to the institution of kingship. His symbol was a mace, and based on textual sources it is presumed he could be depicted standing on the back of a lion. In known texts, he appears in association with deities such as Šulinkatte, Taru and Telipinu. He was worshiped in Hattusa, Nerik, Tuḫumijara and Tarammeka.

Kataḫḫa or Kataḫḫi was a name or title of multiple goddesses worshiped in ancient Anatolia by Hattians and Hittites, with the best known example being the tutelary deity of Ankuwa. It has been proposed that goddesses sharing this name were associated with nature and wildlife.

Nipas was a god worshiped in Kanesh. His name might have been derived from the Hittite word nepis, "heaven", and he might have been a weather god. While he was most likely one of the main deities of the city, and a temple, festival and clergy associated with him are attested, for unknown reasons he does not appear in any later sources.

Zilipuri, also known as Zilipuru or Zilipura was a god of Hattian origin worshiped by the Hittites in Bronze Age Anatolia. He was regarded as the protective god of the house and was associated with the hearth in particular.

Kataḫzipuri was a goddess worshiped by Hattians, Hittites and Palaians in Bronze Age Anatolia. She was associated with magic, and was commonly invoked in rituals dealing with healing and purification. She was closely associated with Kamrušepa. In Palaic religion she formed a pair with Ziparwa and headed the pantheon alongside him.

Kammamma was a Hattian god worshiped by Hittites and Palaians. He belonged to the category of tutelary deities (DLAMMA) and might have been associated with vegetation. He attained a degree of importance in the Hittite state pantheon in the Old Hittite period, and in some cases he is listed in hierarchically arranged lists directly after Tarḫunna and the sun goddess of Arinna, the main Hittite deities.

References

Bibliography

  • Beckman, Gary (2005), "Pantheon A. II. Bei den Hethitern · Pantheon A. II. In Hittite tradition", Reallexikon der Assyriologie, retrieved 2022-12-05
  • Haas, Volkert (2015) [1994]. Geschichte der hethitischen Religion. Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 1: The Near and Middle East (in German). Brill. ISBN   978-90-04-29394-6 . Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  • Marcuson, Hannah (2011). "The Festival of Ziparwa and the AN.TAḪ.ŠUM and nuntarriyašḫa-Festivals". Altorientalische Forschungen. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. 38 (1): 63–72. doi:10.1524/aofo.2011.0003. ISSN   0232-8461. S2CID   163784528.
  • Sasseville, David (2019). ""To show" in Hittite and Palaic Rituals". Altorientalische Forschungen. Walter de Gruyter GmbH. 46 (1): 22–32. doi:10.1515/aofo-2019-0003. ISSN   2196-6761. S2CID   198490660.
  • Schwemer, Daniel (2008). "The Storm-Gods of the Ancient Near East: Summary, Synthesis, Recent Studies: Part II". Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions. Brill. 8 (1): 1–44. doi:10.1163/156921208786182428. ISSN   1569-2116.
  • Schwemer, Daniel (2016), "Ziparwa", Reallexikon der Assyriologie (in German), retrieved 2022-12-05
  • Taracha, Piotr (2009). Religions of Second Millennium Anatolia. Dresdner Beiträge zur Hethitologie. Vol. 27. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN   978-3447058858.
  • Yakubovich, Ilya (2022). "Peoples and Languages". Handbook of Hittite Empire. De Gruyter. pp. 3–44. doi:10.1515/9783110661781-002. ISBN   9783110661781.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.