Shivini

Shivini or Artinis (the present form of the name is Artin, meaning "sun rising" or to "awake", and it persists in Armenian names to this day)[1] was a solar god in the mythology of the Urartu. He is the third god in a triad with Khaldi and Theispas. The Assyrian god Shamash is a counterpart to Shivini. He was depicted as a man on his knees, holding up a solar disc. His wife was most likely a goddess called Tushpuea who is listed as the third goddess on the Mheri-Dur inscription.[2] Shivini is generally considered a good god, like that of the Egyptian solar god, Aten, and unlike the solar god of the Assyrians, Ashur to whom sometimes human sacrifices were made.[3]

References

  1. ^ Turner, Patricia and Charles Coulter. Dictionary of Ancient Deities. Oxford Univ. Press US, 2001. pp. 71, 268, 399, 461.
  2. ^ Piotrovsky, Boris B. (1969). The Ancient Civilization of Urartu: An Archaeological Adventure. Cowles Book Co.. ISBN 0214667936. 
  3. ^ Chahin, Mark (1987). The Kingdom of Armenia. Dorset Press. ISBN 0-88029-609-7.