Anatolian Hittite & Byzantine Eagles Meet Hurrian Music & Antioch Dabke, Meet Christianity, Trade & Anat, Goddess of War

Hittite & Byzantine Eagles Hurrian Music & Antioch Dabke, Meet Christianity, Trade & Anat, Goddess of War  Hittite | Byzantine Eagles GIF Double-headed eagle -- Hittite origin (land of Hatti) -- Anatolia (now known as Turkey, in Asia Minor) see: Sphinx gate of Hattusha 14th c. BC depicts:  ruler standing on two-headed eagle clasping 2 hares -- site at remains of large Hittite structure -- a royal necropolis of 13 tombs dating c. 2500 BC -- (in what is now Turkish Alaca Hüyük), Boğazköy) Double-headed eagle -- re-appears High Middle Ages, c. 10th Century or 11th Century -- notably used by Byzantine Empire -- representations also:  France, Bulgaria, Spain (then Islamic) -- from 13th Century widespread use:     -- Seljuk Sultanate of Rum     -- Mamluk Egypt (Mamluk = slave-soldier)     -- Holy Roman Empire     -- Serbia     -- Russia (evolved into triple-headed eagle) -- 'polycephaly' = more than single head -- bicephalic / dicephalic = 2 heads -- tricephalic = 3 heads -- mythological beasts depicted Ancient Near East -- today:  Middle East -- ie Mesopotamia (Anatolia, Syria, Iraq) -- + Levant + ancient Egypt     -- Sumer (indig. Sumer, Akkadian assim. / then Assyria & Babylonia     -- Egypt     -- Elam - Susa / absorbed into Assyrian emp. / then Iranian Persians     -- Akkad - location unknown /several proposals     -- Babylonia (Iraq)     -- Canaan - Levant     -- Hittite Empire (Anatolia)     -- neo-Assyrian Empire (Middle East, capital in Iraq)     -- Urartu, bib. Kingdom of Ararat (Armenia)     -- neo-Babylonian Empire     -- Medes -- intensive year-round agriculture -- first urban settlements -- centralised govt / empires -- organised religion -- organised warfare -- first writing & law codes -- deeply influenced by spiritual beliefs -- believed that divine action influenced all mundane matters -- believed in divination (predict future) -- Omens & records of major events inscribed http://hubert-herald.nl/TwoHeadedEagle.htm http://www.britannica.com/place/Alaca-Huyuk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Near_East https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-headed_eagle This is a lovely page http://hubert-herald.nl/TwoHeadedEagle.htm  Anatolian -- was branch of Indo-European -- Hittite: separate Anatolian branch of Indo-European family -- likely Anatolians reached Near East from north     -- via Balkans or Caucasus, 3rd millennium BC -- Anatolians + Tokharians = first wave Indo=Europeans migrating -- from Eurasian steppe -- they subjugated & later blended with indigenous Semitic tribes -- had wagons (but likely pre war-chariots era) -- earliest mention:  Assyrian mercantile texts 19thC. Kanesh -- Kaneš = known to Hittites as Neša (occasionally:  Anisa) -- Hattic, Hittite & Hurrian city -- contained large colonised merchant quarter (Karum) Old Assyrian Empire -- site of earliest traces of Hittite language -- ie earliest attestation of any Indo-European language -- dated to 20th Century BC -- native term for Hittite language:  nešili / language of 'Neša' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Anatolians http://modrodnovery.com/the-scythians-and-thracians-slavic-roots-in-late-antiquity/ Other of interest:   -- Hittite cosmology two versions:     -- Hurrian myth (pre-dating invasion)     -- other Semitic (Babylonian) cult *article says 'second' (presumably Babylonian) -- has hallmarks of Indo-European cosmology -- concept of dying god introduced *Find this a bit confusing:  why would Babylonian have hall-marks of Indo-European?  Or, do I misunderstand? -- Hittite religion described as strikingly similar -- to Scytho-Slavic practice -- divination by observing the flight patterns of birds -- voice of the goddess 'Bird Mother Sva' (Book of Veles) -- healing rituals were conducted by transferring sickness -- ritually adorned animal sent forth bearing the disease -- staple among eastern European folk magicians -- ancient shamanic roots -- Hittites, like the Scythians and Slavs,  -- understood their gods to be great ancestors -- Hittite kings were not viewed as god incarnate (unlike Egyptians) -- ** ascended to such status only after death  ** -- cremations took place on raised scaffolding -- libations poured before pyre -- this is signature of Indo-European origin -- Hittites = myth of Thunder God who marries Sun Goddess -- unique to pre-Kurgan, indigenous European cultures -- remains of this mythos now only in northern Slavic & Finno-Ugric cultures of Baltic coast -- Hittites called capital Hattusha:  'the land of the seven streams' -- proto-Slavs came from land: 'seven rivers beyond the sea' -- poss. reference to Anatolia, which borders Ukraine -- Ukraine land of Slavic ethno-genesis -- reason to believe that the Kurds are the descendants -- of eastward diaspora of Hatti ruling class that founded the Hittite Empire -- Hatti may have mixed with other Indo-European tribes (east & west) -- namely:  Mitanni class that ruled Hurians -- & the Luwians, who arrived from Balkans -- Luwians had dying god via cult of Cybele & Attis -- Mittani worshiped early Vedic pantheon (later Avestan, Mithra) also dying god -- ‘Kaveh the Blacksmith’ is Kurd hero versus Assyrian Empire -- Modern Zoroastrians & Pagan Kurds honour Kaveh victory -- Kaveh legend was co-opted by the Persian nobility -- to lend credibility to new Zoroastrian religion -- myth may have even older roots -- Hasameli, Hittite god of metalworkers and craftsmen -- Pagan Kurd Jashn-e-mehregan celebration of Kaveh victory -- coincides with Slavic harvest days (August 5 & September 22) -- hails victory of Perun over Veles -- first autumn rain the blood of the Cosmic Serpent (Veles) -- spilled by a Divine Warrior (Perun) -- pagan Slavs built ritual bonfires top mountains & hills -- summer solstice -- epic climb & triumphant decent of Zagros by Kaveh mirrors -- cyclical dualism present in Slavic religion -- Slavs built altars to deity atop mountains & hills -- &  to chthonic diety near caves, rivers & town squares -- Slavic Croats, or Hrvati -- descendants of the Arachosian (Persian Harahvaiti) Scythians -- Zagreb - poss. derived from:  Zagros -- considerable Indo-Iranian ancestry (DNA) -- east-to-west circular trajectory of Hittite-Mitanni-Median-Scythian-Slavic continuum -- out of Anatolia in unbroken line - unlikely -- exiled Hatti & Mitanni ruling classes -- formed the foundation of proto Indo-Iranian language family -- some may have merged with Armenians & Georgians -- who occupied the Caucus region since the 12th century BC -- Slav Svarog, celestial god of fire & metallurgy Scythian likely -- elevation of altar indicates celestial nature -- blood-fed sword indicates patron of warriors -- periodic burning of altar indicates the primacy of fire -- Slavs worshipped poly-cephalic gods  -- bore two, three- sometimes 7 aspects -- Svarog:  both fit warrior (by day) & lame smith (by night) -- see:  two heads of Vedic Agni -- Hittite Hasameli & Kurdish Kaveh associated:  war & forge -- Slavs viewed their gods as great ancestors -- chthonic nymph goddess ties Slavic, Kurdish, Greek, Scythian, Median and Hittite lore together -- Hittites worshipped the androgynous underworld God/Goddess Lelwanni, or the pourer -- Medians & Persians honoured Aredvi Sura Anahita -- known in Armenia as the 'Virgin-Mother of Mithra' -- Scythian cult of Argimpasa presided by female oracle-priestess -- likeness linked to Greek nymph & Kurdish goddess Shamaran -- 'King of the snakes' / gender ambiguity -- Slavic Goddess Mat Siri Zemlja depicted with phallus -- like Cybele or Isis -- snakes are sacred to her -- Kurdish Shamaran goddess, snake depictions -- dragons are bringers of storm clouds in Slavic religion -- goddess Dodola of South Slavs, is pourer who ends drought -- not unique:  concept all over world source http://modrodnovery.com/the-scythians-and-thracians-slavic-roots-in-late-antiquity/ Music - Hurrian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viMbnj_Ei2A&index=21&list=PLnOSH5j1sQh9AKl6-xab0tbGm-GyNM_h9 3,400 year old Hurrian Hymn. c.1400 BCE discovered in Ugarit (now Ras Shamra) - sea port ancient northern Canaan (now modern Syria) written in Cuneiform script   source http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/ugarit.html While discovered in modern day Syria, the Hurrians were not Syrian Hurrians were from modern day Anatolia Fragmentary Hurrian Hymn on clay tablets = dedicated to Nikkal, wife of the moon god SOURCE | Michael Levy (above & here) Ur Kasdim -- identified by some as Urkesh -- Urkesh, capital of Hurrian kingdom (now Syria, north-east) -- birthplace of Jewish patriarch Abraham -- not definitive / multiple other locations suggested https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur_Ka%C5%9Bdim Dabke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E106M4VuP9U Antioch (now in Turkey:  Antakaya, Hatay Province) -- once Akkadian -- then Amorite -- then succession of Hittites -- then neo-Hittite 'Hattena' -- then Assyrians -- then Uraartu (now Armenians) -- then Persians -- centre of Hellenistic Seleucid empire -- home to 4 Greek cities of Syrian tetrapolis -- important regional centre of Roman Empire -- 638 CE:  conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate -- 969 CE:  Antioch recaptured by Byzantine Empire -- 1084 CE:  captured by Suleiman I, Sultan of Rum    (later Anatolian Seljuks) -- 1086 CE:  passed to Sultan of Aleppo (ruler of Syrian Seljuks) -- 1098  CE:  captured by Crusaders -- became centre of Principality of Antioch -- 1268 CE:  Hatay captured from Crusaders by Mameluks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatay_Province   Antioch Syrian Antioch -- ancient Greek-Roman City -- eastern site of Orontes River -- Antioch founded near end 4th Century BC -- by Seleucus I Nicator (general of Alexander the Great) -- strategic re trade:     -- spice trade     -- Silk Road     -- Persian Royal Road -- rivalled Alexandria -- main centre of Hellenistic Judaism -- end of Second Temple period (2nd Temple destroyed 70 AD) -- Antioch is the cradle of Christianity -- pivotal role in emergence of:     -- Hellenistic Judaism     -- early Christianity -- name 'Christian' first emerged in Antioch Antioch:  Hellenistic Judaism & early Christianity http://www.forumancientcoins.com/Articles/the_travels_of_paul.htm -- declined in significance Middle Ages -- due to:     -- warfare     -- repeated earthquakes     -- change in trade routes (after Mongol conquests) -- settlement of Meroe pre-dated Antioch -- shrine to Semitic goddess Anat / 'Persian Artemis' -- Anat is a violent war-goddess -- virgin sister-lover of great god:  Ba'al Hadad -- Ba'al son of Dagan, sometimes son of El -- fierce, wild and furious warrior in battle, -- wading knee-deep in blood     -- striking off heads     -- cutting off hands     -- binding heads to her torso     -- binding hands in her sash -- linked to Judaeans & Canaanites -- Book of Zohar:  Anat among     the holiest of angelic powers  under the name of Anathiel -- Anat revived as woman's name by Zionists https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anat -- Hurrians spoke Hurro-Urartian, called Hurrian -- lived Anatolia & Northern Mesopotamia -- largest most influential multi-ethnic kingdom:  Mitannni -- Mitanni (poss. Indo-Europeans) ruling class over Hurians -- Indo-European speaking Hittite Emp. Anatolia,     large Hurrian population -- significant Hurrian influence on Hittite mythology -- Hurrian & Urartian languages -- related to North Caucasian languages -- present-day Armenians = amalgam of Hurrians & Urartians -- Hurrian, language isolate - not related to Semitic    or Indo-European -- 2000 BCE:  adopted Assyrian Akkadian cuneiform script -- Mitanni closely associated with horses -- 'Ishuwa' town meant 'horse land' -- Hattusha texts re Hurrian training of horses -- terminology re horses:  Indo-Aryan loan-words Išuwa / Ishuwa -- ancient Hittite name for neighbouring Anatolian kingdom -- later Luwian neo-Hittite state -- state:  Kammanu (c. 1200 BC - 712 BC) -- proto-Armenian speaking -- main city:  Melid -- city conquered by Hittites 14th Century BC -- Melid was base of Hittite king:  Suppiluliuma I -- on way to sack Mitanni capital Wassukanni -- Wassukanni location unknown https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melid -- Kikkuli -- author of a chariot horse training text -- written in Hittite, c. 1400 BC -- Hittite power was their charioteers   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikkuli -- 13th century BCE all of the Hurrian states vanquished -- Hittites civilisation was greatly influenced by the Hurrians -- knowledge of Hurrian culture from cuneiform tablets -- found at Hittite capital:  Hattusha -- in addition to other sources -- Hurrian culture significant impact on religion of Hittites -- Hittite syncretism: merger of Old Hittite & Hurrian religions -- note:  Kushuh (Kušuh) MOON GOD -- Kušuh symbols:  SUN & CRESCENT MOON, on iconography -- Hurrian settlements (in now):  Turkey, Syria, Iraq -- heart of Hurrian world:  modern border Syria & Turkey  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrians HITTITE EMPIRE | DOCUMENTARY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2mu2Atduas At the moment, I'm more in the mood for this up-tempo dabke music. Really enjoyable playing with images, reading history and listening to music.  Wish I could go faster than I'm capable of going.