Eggsquisitely Mythical #2: Ancient Anatolia
- Wera Niyom
- Mar 23
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 24
Hello, fellow eggs and mythology lovers!
For our next Eggsquisitely Mythical issue, we are doing a deep dive on the myths and legends of Ancient Anatolia.
BACKGROUND
Anatolia is a peninsula in Western Asia also known as Asia Minor. Ancient Anatolia was home to many ancient kingdoms such as Aeolia and Ionia. The earliest populations of Anatolia included the Hattians in the central region and Hurrians in the east. The ancient history of Anatolia dates back to Old Stone Age / Paleolithic period and the Bronze Age (3300 BC), continuing into the Iron Age (550 BC). It makes up most of modern-day Turkey. Some common languages include Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian, Greek, Aramaic, and Karbardian.
DEITIES
The chief deity of the Hurrians was Teššub, a weather god.
Other well-known figures include the Hutena who were the three goddesses of Fate and considered the mother goddesses. Possible translations for their title include "the Scribes" or "the Determiners of Fate." They have the same duties as the Moirai of Greek mythology, Fates of Roman mythology, and Norns of Norse mythology.
HITTITE DEITIES
A'as is the god of wisdom.
Aduntarri is the diviner, chthonic, primordial deity.
Alalus is another primordial entity.
Amunki is a chthonic deity.
Anu is a primordial sky god.
Anzili/Enzili is the weather god consort, invoked to aid in childbirth.
Apaliunas is a patron deity of the city, Wilusa.
Āpi is a chthonic deity.
Aranzah/Aranzahas is a personified deity of the Tigris River.
Arinna is the sun goddess of Arinna whose actual name is unknown.
Arinniti is another sun goddess. It's possible she is the same person as the sun goddess of Arinna but it's not confirmed.
Arma is a minor moon god.
Aruna is the god of the sea.
Aserdus is the goddess of fertility.
Elkunirsa is a creator god.
Ellel is the god of the sky.
Halki is the god of grain.
Hanwasuit is the goddess of sovereignty.
Hapantali is a pastoral goddess.
Hasameli the god of metalworkers and craftsmen.
Hatepuna is the daughter of the sea.
Inara is the goddess of wild animals.
Irpitiga is the lord of the earth and a chthonic deity.
Ishara is the goddess of oaths and love.
Ištar also referred to as Inanna is the queen of heaven, patron goddess of the Eanna temple, goddess of sex, war, justice, and political power.
Istanu is the god of the sun and judgment.
Istustaya is a goddess of destiny who spins the thread of life.
Jarri is the god of plague and pestilence.
Kamrusepa is the goddess of healing, medicine, and magic.
Kaskuh is the god of the moon.
Khipa also referred to as Khebe is a patron deity.
Kuliwišna is a patron deity whose name is unknown.
Kurunta is the god of wild animals and hunting.
Lelwani is the god of the underworld.
Mezulla is the daughter of the unnamed goddess of Arinna.
Minki is a chthonic deity.
Miyatanzipa is an unknown deity.
Namšarā is a chthonic deity.
Narā is a chthonic deity.
Nerik is a patron deity whose name is unknown.
Papaya is the goddess of destiny who spins the thread of life.
Pihassassa is the god of weather and lightning.
Pirwa also referred to as Peruwa is an unknown deity.
Rundas is the god of the hunt and good fortune.
Sala is the goddess of fertility and agriculture.
Sandas is a lion god.
Šarišša is a patron deity of weather (name unknown).
Sarruma is a god of the mountains.
Sun Goddess of the Earth is the goddess of the underworld (Allani is her Hurrian counterpart).
Sutekh is a weather god (may be another name for Teššub).
Suwaliyat is the god of warriors and storms.
Tarawa is a collective of nursery goddesses (the Huttellurra are their Hurrian counterpart).
Tarḫunna is the god of thunder.
Tarhunt is a weather god.
Tašmišu is the god of storms, epidemics, and war.
Telipinu is the god of farming.
Tešimi also referred to as Tasimmet is "Lady of the Palace."
Uliliyassis is a minor deity who removes impotence.
Ubelluris is a mountain god who carries the western edge of the sky on his shoulders.
Wurrukatte is a god of war.
Zababa also referred to as Zamama is the god of war (may be another name for Wurrukatte).
Zaliyanu is a personified deity of the mountain, Zaliyanu.
Zašḫapuna is the patron deity of the city of Kaštama.
Zintuḫi is the daughter of Mezulla.
Ziplantil also referred to as Wašezzili, Wašezzil and Wašezzašu is a weather god of Zippalanda.
Zukki aids in childbirth and is associated with Anzili.
Zulki is the dream interpreter and a chthonic deity.
Hurrian Deities
Allani is the goddess of the underworld.
Ea is the god of the sea and river.
Hannahannah is a mother goddess.
Hazzi is a mountain and weather god.
Hebat is the mother goddess, but also a sun goddess in Hittite mythology.
Huttellurra is a collective of midwifery goddesses.
Kumarbi is the god of the moon.
Kushuh is a moon god.
Nergal is the deity of the netherworld. This deity's name is actually unknown, but Nergal is its Babylonian counterpart.
Šauška is a goddess of fertility, war, and healing.
Sharruma is the son of Teššub and Hebat.
Shaushka is a goddess of fertility, war, and healing (Ishtar is her Assyrian counterpart).
Shimegi is the sun god.
Teššub is the god of the sky, weather, and storms.
Tilla is a bull god.
MYTHICAL CREATURES
Ḫedammu is a sea dragon in Hurrian-Hittite mythology. He was known for causing trouble on the Syrian coast. His Hittite counterpart is Illuyanka. Ḫedammu is also the son of the gods Kumarbi and Šertapšuruḫi (who was the daughter of Kiaši, the personification of the sea). He is known for having a great appetite and consuming the goddess Ishtar. However, he was eventually defeated by her charms.
Illuyanka is serpentine dragon in Hittite mythology.
LEGENDS, MYTHS, AND FOLKTALES
Legend of Şahmaran
Şahmaran encounters a poor man named Camasb, who is known as Yada Jamsab or Jamisav in other versions of the story. When he tries to steal honey with some of his friends, he gets stuck in a cave and his friends leave him. While exploring the cave, he discovers a secret passage to a chamber that leads to a beautiful garden with thousands of snake and Şahmaran, a serpent-shaped female body. He falls in love with her and they live together for a while.
She teaches him about medicine and herbs, but he begins to miss his family and life on earth. When he expresses his desire to leave, he promises he won't share the secret of her home. As time goes on, he continues to maintain this secret. Until one day, the king of Tarsus becomes ill and it is explained that Şahmaran can cure his disease. She is caught in her cave and brought back to the king where she is killed in a bath called Şahmaran Hamam. Now a troubled physician, Camasb faces misfortune after betraying Şahmaran.
The Battle Between Illuyanka and Tarḫunz
In the first version, Illuyanka wins the battle. However, Tarḫunz goes to another goddess for advice. The goddess promises to sleep with a mortal, Hupasiyas, in exchange for his help in defeating Illuyanka. She approaches Illuyanka with food and alcohol, trying to persuade him to drink and eat to his heart's content. Once he is drunk, the dragon is bound by Hupasiyas with a rope. Once bound, Tarḫunz appears with other gods and kills Illuyanka.
In the second version, after Illuyanka wins the battle, he steals Tarḫunz's eyes and heart. Tarḫunz marries the daughter of a poor man to begin his revenge. Together, they have a son who grows up and marries Illuyanka's daughter. Tarḫunz tells his son to ask that his eyes and heart be returned to him as a wedding gift. After his eyes and heart are restored, he battles Illuyanka again. Close to eliminating Illuyanka, Tarḫunz realizes he was born for this purpose and demands that his father take his life along with Illuyanka, so Teššub kills both of them.
That concludes today's discussion about Ancient Anatolian Mythology. We hoped you found this informative and consider exploring the history of some ancient civilizations in your free time. Who knows what interesting facts you'll uncover?
Check out these other articles written by former team members:
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