Ritual and cult at Ugarit 9781589830264

Table of contents :
Frontmatter
Series Editor's Foreword (page ix)
Abbreviations (page xi)
Explanation of Signs (page xiii)
INTRODUCTION (page 1)
THE TEXTS Part One: The Sacrificial Cult (page 9)
I. DEITY LISTS (page 11)
II. PRESCRIPTIVE SACRIFICIAL RITUALS (page 25)
III. DESCRIPTIONS OF SACRIFICIAL RITUALS (page 117)
IV. MEMORIALS OF A SACRIFICIAL RITE (page 123)
V. AN EX VOTO INSCRIPTION (page 126)
VI. DIVINATION (page 127)
VII. PRAYERS (page 149)
Part Two: Ritual Activity Outside the Sacrificial Cult (page 155)
VIII. INCANTATIONS (page 157)
IX. HISTORIOLAE (page 167)
X. RITES INCLUDING DIVINE PARTICIPATION (page 192)
XI. A MYTH THAT EXPLAINS A RITUAL PRACTICE (page 211)
XII. ADMINISTRATIVE TEXTS (page 214)
Summary and Conclusions (page 221)
Concordance of Text Numbers (page 244)
Bibliography (page 252)
Glossary (page 267)
Indexes (page 286)

Citation preview

Writings from the Ancient World Society of Biblical Literature Simon B. Parker, General Editor

Associate Editors Jerrold S$. Cooper Richard Jasnow Anne D. Kilmer Ronald J. Leprohon Theodore J. Lewis Peter Machinist Gregory McMahon C. L. Seow

Volume 10

Ritual and Cult at Ugarit by Dennis Pardee Fidited by Theodore J. Lewis

Ritual and Cult at Ugarit

by Dennis Pardee

Edited by

Theodore J. Lewis

Society of Biblical Literature Atlanta

RITUAL AND CULT AT UGARIT Copyright © 2002 Society of Biblical Literature

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by means of any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to the Rights and Permissions Office, Society of Biblical Literature, 825 Houston Mill Road, Atlanta, GA

* 30329 USA. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pardee, Dennis.

, Ritual and cult at Ugarit / by Dennis Pardee ; edited by Theodore J. Lewis. p. cm. — (Writings from the ancient world ; no. 10) Contains Ugaritic texts and Eng. translations. Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 1-58983-026-1 (pbk. : alk. paper) ,

1. Ugarit (Extinct city)—Religious life and customs. 2. Sacrifice—Syria—Ugarit (Extinct city) 3. Rites and ceremonies—Syria—Ugarit (Extinct city) I. Lewis, Theodore J. II. Title. III. Series. BL1640 .P37 2002 299'.26—dc21 2002004828

Printed in the United States of America

: on acid-free paper

| Contents

Series Editor’s Foreword ix

Abbreviations Xi Explanation of Signs xiii INTRODAUCTION 1

THE TEXTS 9 | I. DEITY LISTS 11 Part One: The Sacrificial Cult

2. RS 6.138 16 3. RS 92.2004/RS 24.643 17 A. RS 24.246 19 5. RS 4.474 21 1. RS 1.017/RS 24.264*/RS 20.024/RS 24.643:1-9 12

II. PRESCRIPTIVE SACRIFICIAL RITUALS 25

Rituals for a Single Month 26 6. RS 1.009/RS 24.253/RS 24.284 (month name lost

or never indicated) 26 7. RS 24.248 (month name lost or never indicated) 34

8. RS 24.256 (month name lost) 36 9. RS 24.276 (month name lost or never indicated) 39 10. RS 24.298 (month name lost) AO

Rituals for Two Months 40 11. RS 24.249 (?Iba‘latu ‘ — Hiyydru) Al V

vi Ritual and Cult at Cgarit 12. RS 24.643 (?Iba‘latu ? — Hiyyaru °) Ad 13. RS 24.266 (?Iba‘latu — Hiyydaru ‘) 50

14. RS 24.250+ (Hallatu’—Gannu) — 53

) (Rau-yéni — §[...]) 56 15. RS 1.003 (Ra?su-yéni — nl *)/RS 18.056

16. RS 24.260 66

Ritual for a Single Day: A Royal Ritual

17. RS 1.001 67 18. RS 1.005 69 Contemplation Rituals 72

Ritual for a Day and a Night

An Entry Ritual Extending Over Two Days

19. RS 19.013 73 20. RIH 77/2Bt 74

21. RIH 77/10Bt 76 Texts with No Stated Time Frame 77

22. RS 1.002 77

Ritual for National Unity

A Ritual for the Gods of the Land

23. RS [Varia 20] | 84

24. RS 34.126 85 Hurro-Ugaritic Bilinguals 88

A Funerary Ritual in Poetic Form

25. RS 24.254: Sacrifices 89 26. RS 24.255: A Three-Day Sacrificial Rite

Followed by a Divine Betrothal Rite 90

27. RS 24.261: Sacrificial Ritual of