New Hittite Cuneiform Texts Concerning the Religious Context

Abstract

This paper introduces three new Hittite cuneiform tablets from the collection of Muhtar Kent, an offi cial collector connected with Turkish and Islamic Art Museum in İstanbul. Unfortunately, the origins of all these cuneiform tablets haven't recognized yet, but they probably came from Hattuša, the capital of Hittite Kingdom, in Boğazköy, Çorum. 1) The Cuneiform tablet, Inv. No. 265-(308), is a document with a written single side; it seems that the ending parts of lines were broken on the written side of this cuneiform tablet. The preserved words, galaktar- and parhuenaš-, which were assigned in lines 5 and 7, give evidence about the character of this text. These two words were ritual materials using for pacifying and attracting the deities. Beside these words, UDUiyant- "sheep, a species of sheep" also appear in l. 6. Owing to these words, it is assumed that this cuneiform tablet includes a ritual (rite). 2) The cuneiform tablet, Inv. No. 266-(309), that the beginning and the ending parts of lines were broken entirely is a single-sided tablet. It is a sacrifi cial list including Hurrian sacrifi cial terms. A number of sacrifi cial animals as I MUŠEN (1 bird) and I UDU (1 sheep) and some "Hurrian sacrifi cial terms" as ambašši "burnt off ering", naši- etc. were identifi ed in this text. A number of goddesses which were off ered sacrifi cial animals are also assigned in this text: DAl-l]a-a-ni; DNI]N.GAL; DIŠTA]R; DNi-n]a-at-ta DKu-li-it-ta. Between 266-(309) Vs. x+1-10' and KBo 27.191 Vs. II 1-1, the paralel and duplicate lines are found. 3) In the observe of cuneiform tablet, Inv. No: 269, the beginning and the ending parts of lines were broken. There are so many desquamations in the obverse of this cuneiform tablet. A part of reverse of this text is well-preserved, but it includes any cuneiform signs. The preserved words which the beginning and the ending parts were broken indicate that this cuneiform tablet includes a Hattic text.