The Cults of Uruk and Babylon : The Temple Ritual Texts as Evidence for Hellenistic Cult Practice
Marc J.H. Linssen (Author)
This volume deals with temple ritual texts from ancient Mesopotamia, in particular from the cities Uruk and Babylon. Key question is whether they are a reliable source of information on the cult practices in Uruk and Babylon during the Hellenistic period. In the book an extensive description is presented of the festivals, rituals, ceremonies and offerings in Hellenistic Mesopotamia. The appendix consists of a selection of the most important temple ritual texts, which are presented in transliteration, translation and with philological comments. Four plates with so far unpublished text fragments are also included. The evidence clearly shows how important the public cults were in Hellenistic times, at least until the first century B.C., and how active the Mesopotamians were in matters of religion and cult during this period
Texts
1 online resource.
9789047412335, 9789004124028, 9047412338, 9004124020
1294390148
Introduction: 1.1. Hellenistic Babylonia
1.2. The texts
1.3. The cult
II. Ceremonies, rituals and festivals: II. 1. Introduction
II. 2. Daily ceremonies
II. 2.1. The cultic day
II. 2.2. dik biti
II. 2.3. pit babi
II. 3. Monthly ceremonies
II. 3.1. Unspecified monthly ceremonies
II. 3.2. essesu
II. 3.3 lubustu
II. 3.4. bajjatu
II. 3.5. nubattu
II. 3.6. salam biti
II. 4. Annual ceremonies
II. 4.1. Unspecified annual
II. 4.2. Annual clothing ceremonies
II. 4.3. Processions
II. 4.4. Divine marriage ceremonies
II. 4.5. The new year festival
II. 4.5.1. Uruk
II. 4.5.2. Babylon
II. 4.6. The brazier festivals
II. 4.7. The cultic calendars
II. 5. The kettledrum ritual
II. 5.1. The kettledrum
II. 5.2. The ritual of the covering of the kettledrum
II. 5.3. Who performed the kettledrum ritual?
II. 6. The building ritual
II. 6.1. The first version
II. 6.2. The second version
II. 6.3. Who performed the building ritual?
II. 6.4. Building programs in Uruk and Babylon
II. 7. The eclipse of the moon ritual
II. 7.1. The first version
II. 7.2. The second version
II. 7.3. The third version
II. 7.4. The fourth version
II. 8. Other festivals
II. 8.1. A temple festival in Esabad
II. 8.2. A palm festival
II. 8.3. A haru-ritual
II. 8.4. A Greek festival
II. 8.5. Festivals for Istar of Babylon and Istar of Uruk
II. 8.6. TU 41: a nocturnal festival in the res-temple
II. 8.7. Ruler cults
III. The divine meal
III. 1. Introduction
Cultic meals
III. 2.1. Terminology
III. 2.2. TU 38
III. 3. The offering site
III. 4. The offering preparations
III. 4.1. passuru and patiru
III. 4.2. tabnitu
III. 4.3. mubannu
III. 4.4. riksu
III. 5. Fumigation
III. 5.1. saraqu and sakanu
III. 5.2. Fumigation materials
III. 6. Consecration, purification and washing
III. 6.1. Consecration
Purification
Washing
III. 7. Offerings and libations
III. 7.1. The presentation of the offerings
III. 7.2. Food and drink offerings
III. 7.3. Burnt offering
Conclusion
Appendix
Text concordance
Selective word indices
Plates
Summery
Originally presented as the author's thesis (doctoral--Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), 2002