The newly identified joins to Outline.11 provide previously unknown information about DAY 22 of the nuntarriyašḫa- festival. It can now be confirmed what was already suspected by Nakamura M. 2002a: 115, but doubted by others (e.g. Popko M. 2009a: 9f.), namely that Matilla (perhaps to be identified with Tahirabat 5 km south of Alaca Höyük) was indeed visited during the nuntarriyašḫa- festival. For DAY 22, the outline tablets schedule the king’s travel to Matilla, culminating in a great assembly, as well as activities involving the NIN.DINGIR priestess, although the location of the latter remains unclear. Also of note is the verb šunniyawanzi (“to fill”, Outline.11 clause 32), which may refer to filling the pithoi with grain and their sealing for the winter, an action characteristic of autumn festivals. Since the clause in which this verb appears is fragmentary, however, this interpretation must remain tentative.

The day-tablets identified for DAY 22 form a distinct group. Version 1 consists of a single-tablet composition explicitly referring to an autumn festival in Matilla, whereas Version 2 extends the celebrations by at least one additional day. It is therefore possible to reconstruct the events of DAY 23, which are otherwise only poorly attested in the outline tablets. With some confidence, it may be concluded that on DAY 23 the king traveled from Matilla to Arinna and celebrated the Sun-goddess and Mezzulla.

The remaining versions presented here likewise describe celebrations spanning more than one day and also include what must be DAY 24, when the king returns from Arinna to Ḫattuša and a further great assembly is convened. The structure of these compositions strongly suggests that DAYS 22–24 constituted a single, coherent three-day festival celebrated successively in Matilla, Arinna, and Ḫattuša. Interestingly, this corresponds to days 7–9 of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival, during which a similar festival was celebrated, including rituals connected with grain-filled pithoi. For this reason, the present edition treats DAYS 22–24 of the nuntarriyašḫa- festival as a unified complex.

It should be noted that the outline tablets prescribe additional events for DAY 23 and DAY 24 beyond those mentioned above. For DAY 23, these include dancing and a god-drinking rite for the deity Zayu. For DAY 24, they include the “festival of coming back” in the House of the Major-domo, a visit by the NIN.DINGIR priestess to the temple of Kataḫḫa, and a ḫadauri- festival celebrated in the temple of the Stag-god. None of these events seems to be described in the day-tablets presented here. For the activities of the NIN.DINGIR priestess, see the separate group of day-tablets under CTH 626.Tg24. For the remaining events, no day-tablets have so far been identified.

Prior to the identification of the new joins to Outline.11, the events on DAY 22 (still counted as the 18th day of the festival in Nakamura M. 2002a) remained unclear, and no day-tablets could be identified. Nevertheless, Nakamura M. 2002a: 115 already suggested that some of the manuscripts edited here might represent possible candidates (see individual versions for details).

Events corresponding to DAY 24 are attested in the oracle text KBo 31.167+ F3 v 2′–6′, in a passage that refers to the king’s return from Arinna to Ḫattuša and to the “festival of coming back” in the House of the Major-domo. The text further specifies that the offering provisions are to be supplied by the House of the Major-domo. The same sequence of events can likely also be reconstructed in KUB 34.48+ F5+6 iii 40′–42′.

According to the present reconstruction, on DAY 22 the king travels directly from Ḫattuša to Matilla in a chariot, without any intermediate stops. In Matilla, he first visits the aštatu- building, perhaps a type of barracks (see Popko M. 2009a: 112), where the local ‘lord of the troops’ receives gifts. This is followed by a great assembly in the local ḫalentu- complex. Of the deities honored in the drinking rite, only the name Tapalamazkuru can be recovered. The conclusion of the ceremony and the final events of the day are not preserved.

DAY 23 begins with the opening of the ḫalentu- complex and offerings to the Sun-goddess of Arinna and Mezzulla, followed by a drinking rite for several deities, all still taking place in Matilla. Only thereafter does the king depart the city in the ceremonial ḫuluganni- cart and proceed to a grove and the ḫuwaši- precinct. A detailed offering rite is then performed at a rocky location situated between Matilla and Arinna, described as the NA₄šura-. This ritual notably includes the filling of a libation vessel from a wineskin (KUŠkaluḫa/i-). Only after the completion of this rite does the king continue on to Arinna.

The events in the holy city are numerous but poorly preserved. They involve activities by wolf-men, SANGA priests and priestesses, and the kalaḫi- men; a stage combat between inhabitants of the nearby settlement Ḫallapiya and the ALAM.ZU₉ men; a celebration of Miyatanzipa conducted by the shepherds; and another wineskin ritual, this time carried out in a temple or the local ḫalentu- complex, as indicated by the mention of the loci numinosi. Noteworthy is the mention of 1,100 sheep provided by the king along with additional animals supplied by an individual from Ankuwa. As in earlier sections, the description of the concluding events of the day is lost.

On DAY 24, following the customary morning preparations, the king goes to the House of the Bronze Bowl Holders and then exits through the city gate to observe what appears to have been a horse race. He subsequently enters a city – either Arinna or Matilla. A reference to the female ammama- functionary proceeding from the temple of Mezzulla to the Queen’s Palace may point to Arinna as the location, but the subsequent notice that the king visits the aštatu- building complicates the matter. At this point, all extant manuscripts break off, and the remaining events of the day cannot be reconstructed.