A new edition of the Hittite hymn to Adad (KBo 3.21 – CTH 313)

Abstract

In the ancient Near East, hymns have preserved their stylistic and formal integrity across epochs, serving as exemplary models for translation and literary adaptation in different languages and cultures. They provide critical insights into linguistic and religious ideologies, and shed light on the phenomenon of religious syncretism in the ancient Near East. Originating in Mesopotamia during the 3rd millennium BCE, hymns were transmitted to Hittite Anatolia around 1450 BCE, likely through Hurrian mediation. Their subsequent prominence within the Hittite court can be attributed to the convergence of religious concepts, which highlights the intercultural exchanges that shaped the region’s religious landscape. The Hittite hymns dedicated to the Storm god, CTH 314 and CTH 313, exemplify the adaptation of Mesopotamian religious texts to Hittite ideological and ritual needs. CTH 313, dedicated to the god Adad, presents more interpretative challenges than CTH 314 but offers intriguing points for reflection, which are investigated here. The paper presents a new critical edition of CTH 313, exactly 41 years after Alfonso Archi’s edition. The aim is to further enhance our understanding of the reception and development of the hymnic genre in Late Bronze Age Anatolia, by integrating the new data with the most recent historical, linguistic and palaeographic discoveries.