CTH 446 – THE RITUAL OF PURIFYING THE HOUSE AND INVOKING THE DEITIES OF THE UNDERWORLD

Abstract

The text - "The ritual of purifying the house and invoking the deities of the underworld" is presented as number 446 in Laroche's catalog: A = KUB 7.41; B = KBo 10.45 + KBo 46.54 + ABoT 2.30; C = KUB 41.8 + KBo 48.89; KBo 58.14; D = KUB 12.56; E = IBoT 2.128; F = KBo 7.57 + KBo 68.195; G = KBo 54.19; H = KBo 45.194; I = KBo 48.95; J = KBo 51.38; K = KBo 53.34; L = KBo 55.46; M = KBo 39.12; N = KBo 54.18; O = KBo 51.39; P = KBo 57.31; Q = KBo 58.15; R = ABoT 2.29.

The structure of the text, the content can be analyzed in different ways, certain places allow interpretation. In general, this is a ritual, where the performer of the ritual, after performing a series of ceremonies and sacrifices, calls upon the deities of the underworld to free the house, the city, purify it from all evil/impurities and take them to the underworld and never return to the earth. The cause of impurity could be murder, oath-breaking, false slander, cursing, rumor-mongering, witchcraft, theft, cultic crimes such as eating food destined for gods, neglecting food for gods, etc., that is, certain actions caused violation of social and religious rules, which was considered a crime. And its result was pollution/impurity, and all this had to be atoned for by appropriate ritual, purification and sacrifice.

Keywords: Assyriology, Hittites, Ritual, invocation, purification, underworld.