Hittite Religion

Hittite mythology and religion were the religious beliefs and practices of the Hittites who forged an Anatolian empire that persisted from 1,600 to 1,180 BCE. Most of the narratives embodying Hittite mythology are lost, but part of the writings used to train young scribes have survived, most of which dating from the last few decades before the the Hittite capital of Hattusa was sacked by the Kaskas in 1,190 BCE and burnt to the ground. Hattusa was thereafter abandoned. The Hittite Empire disintegrated in the wake of Assyrian conquests. The scribes in were part of a royal bureaucracy, and performed duties would be considered a part of religion today such as temple administration and recording the utterances of prophets and diviners. Reconstructions of Hittite mythology depend on interpretations of surviving stone carvings, deciphering the iconology represented in seal stones, and analyzing the ruins of Hittite temples. A few images of deities have survived. The Hittites often worshipped their gods through the medium of Huwasi stones which depicted deities and were treated as sacred objects. Gods were often portrayed standing on the backs of animals associated with them, or the animal itself served as symbol of a god. Hittite mythology is a blend of Hattian, Hurrian and native Hittite influences. Mesopotamian and Canaanite influences entered the mythology of Anatolia through the conduit of Hurrian mythology which is summarized just below. Intermediary between the worlds of gods and humans was the king, chief priest of the Hittites. Smaller regional festivals did not always require the priest-king's presence, so these rural cults were free to choose the methods they used to worship the gods. The king did, however, make it a point to know about every cult site and temple in his kingdom. When a king died, he was deified because of his service to his people and his faithful worship of the gods. The priest-king had his duties, but so did the gods who were obligated to provide for the people if they were being worshiped properly. Gods held much of the obvious power, but unless mortals faithfully discharged their ritual obligations, the gods were not capable of helping them. The preservation of good relationships with deities was closely affiliated with nature and agriculture. A good standing with sun goddess Arinna, for example, was essential to establishing  a balance between respect for and, criticism of the gods. Offenses against these god couldt result in a poor harvest. Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar was one of several,deities that were assimilated iinto the Hittite pantheon mainly due to her identity with preexisting deities whose myths became adjusted to better justify and accommodate Ishtar's inclusion. Knowing the focus and magnitude of Ishtar's powers, as well as her history, was essential first step for the development of rituals and incantations designed to invoke her presence and elicit her favor.