This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Sigurd Dragon Slayer (talk | contribs) at 16:43, 17 May 2009. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 16:43, 17 May 2009 by Sigurd Dragon Slayer (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Though heavily influenced by Mesopotamian mythology, the religion of the Hittites and Luwians retains noticeable Indo-European elements, for example Tarhunt the god of thunder, and his conflict with the serpent Illuyanka.
Tarhunt has a son, Telepinu and a daughter, Inara. Inara is involved with the Puruli spring festival. She is a protective deity (LAMMA). Ishara is a goddess of the oath.
Kumarbi is the father of Tarhunt, his role in the Song of Kumarbi being reminiscent of that of Kronos in the Theogony of Hesiod. Ullikummi is a stone monster fathered by Kumarbi, reminiscent of Hesiod's Typhon.
The Luwian god of weather and lightning Pihassassa may be at the origin of Greek Pegasus. Depictions of hybrid animals (like hippogriffs, chimerae etc.) are typical for the Anatolian art of the period.
Arinna was the major cult center of the Hittite sun goddess, known as UTU Arinna "sun goddess of Arinna (Lycian Arñna, Greek Xanthos)".
The Hittites often worshipped their gods through Huwasi stones. These stones represented deities and would be treated as a sacred object.
Literature
- Gary Beckman, The Religion of the Hittites, The Biblical Archaeologist (1989).
- J. G. Macqueen, Hattian Mythology and Hittite Monarchy, Anatolian Studies (1959).
See also
Template:Mythology portal Template:ANE portal
 | This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Hittite mythology and religion" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2006) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 | This article relating to a myth or legend from the ancient Middle East is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |