The Historical Origin of the Cult of Haldi and the Worship of the God Haldi in the Assyrian Empire
Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions, 2026 (AHCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1163/15692124-12341358
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus, ATLA Religion Database, Old Testament Abstracts Online, Religion and Philosophy Collection, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Assyria, cult, Haldi, Musasir, Tākultu, worship
- Yozgat Bozok Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The earliest written evidence for Haldi, who is later attested as a divine name in Neo-Assyrian, Urartian, and Aramaic sources, has come down to us through Old Babylonian and Middle Assyrian cuneiform texts. Three categories of 13th-century BC documents provide evidence for the presence of the cult of Haldi in Assyria, including the possible incorporation of Haldi into the Tākultu ritual, a ceremony that appears to have contributed to the integration of the empire’s diverse regions within a common sacred order and to the reinforcement of royal authority. This study examines the emergence of Haldi’s cult within its historical context and its characteristics as reflected in Assyrian textual sources. It further argues that Haldi was regarded as a significant deity by at least some Assyrians and presents evidence that his cult attracted individuals from different social groups.