Song of Kumarbi
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The Song of Kumarbi (CTH 344, also Kingship in Heaven) is the title given to a Hittite version of the Hurrian Kumarbi myth, dating to the 14th or 13th century BC. It is preserved in three tablets, but only a small fraction of the text is legible.
- tablet A. KUB 33.120 + KUB 33.119 + KUB 36.31 + KUB 48.97
- tablet B. KUB 36.1
- tablet C. KUB 48.97
Kumarbi bit off the genitals of Anu and spat out three new gods: Alalu was overthrown by Anu who was in turn overthrown by Kumarbi. When Anu tried to escape Kumarbi bites off his genitals. Anu tells his son that he is now pregnant with the the storm god (Teshub/Tarhun), Tigris and Tashmishu. Upon hearing this Kumarbi spit the semen upon the ground and it became impregnated with two children. Kumarbi becomes pregnant and is cut open to deliver the storm god. Together, Anu and Teshub depose Kumarbi. In another version[citation needed] of the Kingship in Heaven, the three gods, Alalu, Anu and Kumarbi, rule heaven each serving the one who precedes him in the nine-year reign. It is Kumarbi's son Tešub, the Weather-God, who begins to conspire to overthrow his father.
Scholars have pointed out the similarities between the Hurrian creation myth and the story of Ouranos, Kronos, and Zeus from Hesiod's Theogony.
[edit] References
- Güterbock H. G. (1946-48), The Hittite Version of the Hurrian Kumarbi Myth, American Journal of Archaeology, New York.
- Laroche E. (1971), Catalogue des textes hittites, Paris
