Ḫabūrītum

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Ḫabūrītum
Goddess of the river Khabur
A modern photo of the river Khabur in Syria.
Major cult centerpossibly Sikani

Ḫabūrītum (

Dagan and Ishara
.

Character

Tonia Sharlach notes that in the past, two possible explanations of the name Ḫabūrītum have been proposed: "the one from the Khabur river [region]" or "the one from [the city] Ḫabura."[2] While individuals from the latter, most likely located in the proximity of modern Al-Hasakah, are attested in documents from the Ur III period, it is generally considered more likely that the goddess represented the river instead.[1][3][4]

Nothing else is known about her character.[3]

Associations with other deities

In Mesopotamia Ḫabūrītum was associated with other deities of western origin, especially

Malkum, presumed to be an underworld deity, who might have originated in Syria like her.[4] However, Tonia Sharlach notes that it is not impossible that he was a Mesopotamian deity in origin.[6]

There is evidence that a degree of syncretism occurred between Ḫabūrītum and Inanna, as evidenced by occasional references to offerings made to "Inanna Ḫabūrītum."[7]

Alfonso Archi proposes that Ḫabūrītum can be identified with Belet Nagar, the goddess of Tell Brak, and by extension possibly also with Hurrian Nabarbi ("she of Nawar").[8]

Worship

The cult center of Ḫabūrītum might have been Sikani (si-ga-anki

Hurrian pantheon or at least was worshiped in a "Hurrian-dominated" region.[9]

In the

Ur III period, Ḫabūrītum was introduced to Mesopotamia.[10] Most of the available evidence indicates offerings to her were made in the Nippur province of the kingdom of the Third Dynasty of Ur.[11] Many other foreign deities entered the Mesopotamian pantheon at the same time, for example Allani, Šauška, Belet Nagar and Belet Dalatim.[10] The exact circumstances of this phenomenon remain uncertain.[12]

Documents from the Garšana archive from the indicate that

Ishtar of Andarig and the pair Belet-Šuḫnir and Belet-Terraban.[15]

Other texts also mention sacrifices made by Abi-simti to Ḫabūrītum. One mentions that she sacrificed three fattened

cup bearer, is designated as the "agent" responsible for a sacrifice of a fattened ewe to Ḫabūrītum and of a lamb to Dagan.[18] In one case, offerings to her are attested in Nippur in connection with a certain Lu-Nanna, a man from Zimudar.[19]

A pair of deities representing the Khabur and possibly related to Ḫabūrītum, Ḫābūr and Ḫabūrtu, appear in a text listing the deities worshiped in

Neo-Assyrian period.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b Edzard 1972a, p. 29.
  2. ^ Sharlach 2002, p. 103.
  3. ^ a b c d Sharlach 2002, p. 104.
  4. ^ a b c d e Feliu 2003, p. 55.
  5. ^ Archi 2004, p. 324.
  6. ^ Sharlach 2002, p. 92.
  7. ^ Sharlach 2002, pp. 104–105.
  8. ^ Archi 2013, p. 7.
  9. ^ Sharlach 2002, p. 114.
  10. ^ a b Sharlach 2002, p. 94.
  11. ^ a b Sharlach 2002, p. 105.
  12. ^ Sharlach 2002, pp. 107–109.
  13. ^ Sharlach 2021, p. 434.
  14. ^ Sharlach 2021, p. 433.
  15. ^ Sharlach 2021, pp. 433–434.
  16. ^ Feliu 2003, p. 49.
  17. ^ Feliu 2003, p. 50.
  18. ^ Feliu 2003, p. 51.
  19. ^ Sallaberger 1993, p. 107.
  20. ^ Edzard 1972, p. 29.
  21. ^ a b George 1992, p. 167.

Bibliography

  • Archi, Alfonso (2004). "Translation of Gods: Kumarpi, Enlil, Dagan/NISABA, Ḫalki". Orientalia. 73 (4). GBPress – Gregorian Biblical Press: 319–336.
    JSTOR 43078173
    . Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  • Archi, Alfonso (2013). "The West Hurrian Pantheon and Its Background". In Collins, B. J.; Michalowski, P. (eds.). Beyond Hatti: a tribute to Gary Beckman. Atlanta: Lockwood Press.
    OCLC 882106763
    .
  • Edzard, Dietz-Otto (1972), "Ḫābūr, Ḫabūrtu", Reallexikon der Assyriologie (in German), retrieved 2022-07-09
  • Edzard, Dietz-Otto (1972a), "Ḫabūrītum", Reallexikon der Assyriologie (in German), retrieved 2022-07-09
  • Feliu, Lluís (2003). The god Dagan in Bronze Age Syria. Leiden Boston, MA: Brill.
    OCLC 52107444
    . Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  • George, Andrew R. (1992). Babylonian Topographical Texts. Orientalia Lovaniensia analecta. Departement Oriëntalistiek.
    ISBN 978-90-6831-410-6
    . Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  • Sallaberger, Walther (1993). Der kultische Kalender der Ur III-Zeit. De Gruyter.
    ISBN 978-3-11-013932-7
    .
  • Sharlach, Tonia (2002). "Foreign Influences on the Religion of the Ur III Court". General studies and excavations at Nuzi 10/3. Bethesda, Md: CDL Press.
    OCLC 48399212
    .
  • Sharlach, Tonia M. (2021). "Local and Imported Religion at Ur Late in the Reign of Shulgi". Ur in the Twenty-First Century CE. Penn State University Press.
    doi:10.1515/9781646021512-031
    .
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