Cult inventory

(CTH 526.30)

Textual tradition

Basis of the edition

The present edition is based on the photographs available at the Mainzer Photoarchiv of the Hethitologie Portal Mainz, as well as the available hand-copies and relevant secondary literature up to 2019. When the original manuscripts have been collated, this is noted in the commentary.

Commentary

This inventory is drafted on a single-columned tablet, an unusual layout for a cult inventory. The text treats the cult images and festivals of various gods, among which the Storm god of Ḫulašš(iy)a stands out (mentioned in the colophon as well, l. e. 1). It seems therefore likely that the inventory pertains to this town, for which a southeastern location has been proposed, perhaps in Kizzuwatna (Barsacchi 2016: 5 with literature). The Storm god of Ḫulaššiya is associated with IMIN.IMIN.BI (obv. 5′), U.GUR (obv. 6′), UR.MAḪ LÚSUKKAL (rev. 9′, 12′), KAL and Maliya (rev. 12′). Noteworthy are the elaborate precious figurines described in obv. 1′-5′ (among which “fourteen statuettes of men, of silver, small”) and the elaborate festival descriptions – of a kind which is unusual in the genre – including the transport of the pithos to the mill (É NA₄ARA5, rev. 15′-16′).

Palaeography and orthography: Cursive script with verticals slanting to the left and horizontals leaning downwards (especially on the reverse). Note the unusual spelling ḫu-u-i-ša-wa-az (rev. 10′, also obv. 11′).

obv. 4′: In view of the context of cult image descriptions and of the occurrence of DUR.MAḪ LÚSUKKAL in rev. 9′ and 12′, the text is to be emended (cf. already van den Hout 1995: 178 fn. 324).

obv. 6′: A phrase like LÚSANGA-za [warpzi] would be expected, but the traces are not compatible with this reading.

obv. 11′: Cf. rev. 10′.

obv. 14′: The reading of walḫi has been kindly suggested by Detlev Groddek.

rev. 5′: Note the use of a null object.

rev. 11′: Possibly, the form akuwanzi “they toast” is to be restored at the end of the line.

rev. 15′-16′: Note the exceptional specification about the transport of the pithos (or pithoi) to the mill, where the grain contained in it would have been ground (malla- ḫarra-) to make the ritual loaves of bread.

rev. 21′: The glossed form zarpinzi belongs to Luw. zarpa/i- (not booked in CLL 280).

CC BY-SA 4.0 Michele Cammarosano | Produced as part of the research project Critical edition, digital publication, and systematic analysis of the Hittite cult-inventories (CTH 501-530), funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) – project number 298302760, 2016–2020.