Lawazantiya

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Lawazantiya (URULa-wa(-az)-za-an-ti-ya) was a major city in the Kingdom of Kizzuwatna and the cultic city of the goddess Šauška.[1] It was famous for its temple that got purification water from its seven springs.[2]

History[edit]

Middle Bronze[edit]

It is mentioned in Old-Assyrian documents as Luhuzantiya. The earliest mention of the city comes from the Old Assyrian documents as a trading colony in Kaniš, where the place Luḫuzatia is often mentioned, which is common to Lawazantiya.[3]

Late Bronze[edit]

In Hittite texts the city is known as Lawazantiya (also: Lahuwazantiya, Lauwanzantiya or Lahuzzandiya), in Ugarit as Lwsnd[4] and in Assyrian Annals as Lusanda.[5] There is a Hittite document entitled "Festival of Teššub and Ḫebat of Lawazantiya" which has the king calling these deities in to open the spring festival.[6]

In the Telipinu Edict that Hittite ruler (c. 1525-1500 BC) reports that the city had rebelled and been retaken.[7]

In the 13th century BC, Hattušili III met and married Pudu-Heba, daughter of Pentipšarri, a priest of Šauška, in Lawazantiya. She was a strong promoter of Kizzuwatnean cults and traditions. [8]

Location[edit]

The city is known to have been part of the Kizzuwatna region. Gojko Barjamovic considers Luḫuzatia and Lawazantiya to be two separate localities, with the former locating in Elbistan.[9] Meanwhile Lawazantiya might be located at Sirkeli Höyük. Tatarli Höyük has also been proposed as the location based on cylinder and stamp seals found at that site.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Frayne, Douglas R. and Stuckey, Johanna H.. "Š". A Handbook of Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Near East: Three Thousand Deities of Anatolia, Syria, Israel, Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria, and Elam, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, 2021, pp. 318-337
  2. ^ CTH 475
  3. ^ Philo Hendrik Jan Houwink Ten Cate. The Luwian Population Groups of Lycia and Cilicia Aspera. p. 19.
  4. ^ KTU2 2.40 line 10
  5. ^ "Historical Topography… and the Identification of Sirkeli Höyük". 2013. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  6. ^ Görke, Susanne. "Hurrian and Luwian Elements in the Kizzuwatna Religious Texts" Altorientalische Forschungen, vol. 49, no. 1, 2022, pp. 148-157
  7. ^ Bilgin, Tayfun. "3. The Top-level Offices of Hittite State Administration". Officials and Administration in the Hittite World, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2018, pp. 97-359
  8. ^ Martino, Stefano de. "5 Hatti: From Regional Polity to Empire". Handbook Hittite Empire: Power Structures, edited by Stefano de Martino, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2022, pp. 205-270
  9. ^ Gojko Barjamovic. A Historical Geography of Anatolia in the Old Assyrian Colony Period. pp. 133–143.
  10. ^ Girginer, K. Serdar, and Dominique Collon. "Cylinder and Stamp Seals from Tatarli Höyük." Anatolian Studies, vol. 64, 2014, pp. 59–72