Muwatalli's prayer to the assembly of gods through the storm-god of lightning (CTH 381)

By Itamar Singer

Book Description

This scholarly work opens a window into the spiritual world of ancient Anatolia through the careful examination of a remarkable 290-line Hittite prayer. Dating to the reign of King Muwatalli II, this ancient text represents one of the longest and most complete religious documents to survive from the Hittite civilization.

The prayer itself serves as a bridge between the earthly ruler and the divine assembly, channeled through the powerful storm-god of lightning. Through meticulous philological analysis, this edition reveals how royal spiritual practices evolved across generations of Hittite kings, offering insights into the changing relationship between political power and religious devotion in the ancient Near East.

What makes this text particularly fascinating is its detailed catalog of deities organized by their sacred locations, providing a unique map of Hittite theological understanding. The prayer emerges from a pivotal moment in Hittite history when the capital was relocated from Hattusa to Tarhuntassa, reflecting the spiritual and political tensions of that era.

For readers interested in ancient spirituality and the historical development of prayer traditions, this work demonstrates how rulers of antiquity sought divine guidance and protection through formal religious discourse. The careful restoration of this text from original sources in Berlin has uncovered new dimensions of meaning, making accessible a voice from over three millennia ago that still speaks to the human desire for connection with the divine.