DOI: 10.33469/oannes.1882031 ISSN: 2667-7059

Equipping and Dressing the Gods: Woven Products Used for the Hittite Gods

Hasan Tuncer, Gülgüney Masalcı Şahin
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The Hittites, who established political dominance in Anatolia during the second millennium BCE, possessed a polytheistic belief system in which religion occupied a central role. Among the more than thirty thousand cuneiform tablets unearthed in their capital, Hattuša, religious texts constitute a significant portion. The Hittites conceived of their gods in strongly anthropomorphic terms and engaged with them through offerings, numerous festivals, and a wide range of religious rituals. These texts frequently mention the names of deities, and some documents refer to specific types of textiles associated with the gods, including those they wore, used, or that were considered characteristic of them. The careful selection of garments with which the gods were adorned indicates that textiles were not merely objects of everyday use but also carried sacred significance. This study examines various Hittite texts—including inventory lists, ritual texts, divinatory and oracle texts, as well as mythological narratives—in order to analyze textile products mentioned alongside the gods or directly associated with them. Transliterations and translations of the cuneiform sources are provided within the text, and the subject is addressed in detail through the examination of primary sources. The role of textile products in the relationship between gods and humans in Hittite society is evaluated, and conclusions are drawn regarding their religious, cultural, and symbolic meanings.

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