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Religion and State In the ancient world the religion was integrated to all aspects and areas of the peoples life. In the kingdom of Urartu the conformation of the state was closely related to the religion, for this was an aristocratic theocracy, in which the king was the representative in earth of the supreme god Haldi, as well as political and religious supreme authority. The Urartians were not only valorous warriors, but also very much spiritual. Everything regarding the social-cultural life was governed by their religion. It was clearly a patriarchal religion, in which Haldi or Khaldi was the supreme god, father and king of all other gods, creator of heaven and earth. The habitants of Urartu considered themselves his sons (haldios). The sacerdotal class was the bearer and guardian of the holy knowledge, having a fundamental role in the power structure of the kingdom. The Urartian priests, like their Chaldean peers, practiced astrology and magic, both considered sacred sciences by the ancient peoples. Besides to guide the nation spiritually, they performed the interpretative functions on the religious issues, having the definitive word in decisions or judgments of theological nature. Urartian inscriptions clearly distinguish three kinds of priest, denominated Sheluini, Urpigani and Urunutardi. Each of them has its maximum authority. On top of them was the Monarch of Urartu, who was considered the maximum religious authority, supreme priest, who could be replaced by his son, heir and successor in the throne. In inscriptions containing the works of a defunct king, his name is followed by the term that means god, which is clearly indicating that the Urartians deified their monarchs after death. There are inscriptions proving the presence of Babylonian priests performing functions jointly with Urartian priests and sharing their religious ceremonies. Gods Haldi was father and supreme king of all gods, creator of heaven and earth. The habitants considered themselves people and sons of Haldi. Haldi not only headed the pantheon, but also gave his name to the habitants of Urartu, who were called Haldios o Khaldios, while Urartu was called Haldia. It is noted that Jenofonte, greek historian and disciple of Socrates, mentions the people Haldio in his work “Ciropedia”. It can be said that Haldi was the name associated to the concept of god. This characteristic is so remarkable that many authors coincide to affirm that Haldi can be called “The god of Urartu”, the “unity” or unique, being the other gods different functions of this one. Haldi (the supreme), Teisheba (god of storm) and Artini or Shivini (god of sun) formed a triad, common characteristic in all indo-aryan peoples. 1) Haldi was represented with human form, standing over a lion. He had a scepter or baton in his left hand, and his right hand raised in sign of wisdom (with the palm upward). He had in his head a hat, like those from the egyptian gods. 2) Teisheba, god of the storms, was the administrator of the rains, and he was related to the war. He wears a war helmet and carries weapons. Standing over a bull (animal related to the atmospheric divinities), he is considered to be the same Teshub from the Hurrians of the kingdom of Mitanni. 3) Artini (Shivini for some authors), god of sun, decided over the life and justice. He is related to the god Arinnitti of the Hittite. We must highlight the root of the name of the god Artini. “Ar” and “Arev” mean sun in armenian language. Those who inhabit the zone before the kingdom Urartu, had a supreme god called “Ar” (god sun), considered the original god of the region. His similitude with other solar gods, like “Aras” from Macedonia, “Arali” from the georgian territories and “Ra” from Egypt, among others, has made the researchers to confirm a common root in the solar religions, understanding that it is the same god and origin. Besides, we found this root in many monarchs, cities and in the word “Armenia” itself. In all Urartian scriptures we found anathema with the formula of invocation to this triad, with curses for those who try to destroy them. Haldi had his consorted Arubani, goddess of fertility. The consorted of Teisheba was the goddess Khuba or Khepa (also with Hurrian correspondence). The moon was worshiped in the figure of goddess Sielarti. Every city, village and town had its local protector god, always respecting the supremacy of Haldi and the other main Urartian gods. That’s the reason why the local gods can only be found in company of Haldi and below him. All of them are considered his sons, and in the inscriptions they are cited just with the name of the place to which they belonged, with no mention about their functions. Every mountain, forest, river and lake had also its own god. As the ancient sumerian and Hittite, the Urartians worshiped sacred trees and plants. As all peoples of Minor Asia, the Urartians venerated the nature, but they differentiate mainly in the fact that three male gods composed the triad. We found female divinities in the pantheon, but occupying secondary positions. Some other gods were Huduini, Uas, Nalaini, Shipidu, Arzimelu, Durani, Anabzas, Tituaini, Adpini, Kuera, Elibri, Daraini, Ataruda, Irmusini, Alabdusini, Erina, Siniri, Unina, Araini, Suzumaru, Hara, Arazu, Ziukuni, Urm, Arzipetini, Arni, Zupa, Eliaha, Dalabura, Kilipani, Artuara-sahue. Offerings and Ceremonies The king Ishpuini and his son Menua as maximum authorities of the empire, left written to their people and the posterity the conformation of the pantheon of Urartu gods. In the named “DOORS OF HALDI” there are engraved names of 46 gods, headed by Supreme God Haldi, as well as the detail of the offerings and sacrifices the people must give to each of them. We will mention only those for the triad. For god Haldi were 17 bulls and 34 sheep; for Teisheba 6 bulls and 12 sheep; and for Artini 4 bulls and 8 sheep. Haldi, as supreme god, had his sites of cult throughout all the empire. It can be seen in the inscriptions that many cities, palaces and constructions were consecrated to Haldi. Inside the temples, there were wide gardens with big pools, in which the Urartian priests washed themselves before and after the sacrifices. The Urartians sacrificed sheep, bulls, birds, horses and deer. In their rituals they used offerings that included bread, meat, wine and diverse food. Temples, statues and altars were constructed to perform the offerings to the gods. Some part of the sacrificed animals were threw to the fire, while some other parts with more meat were eaten in the banquets. The inscriptions show that the Urartians believed that in sacrifice banquets and in wine celebrations (time of the vine harvest) the gods shared the meetings with them. According to archeological excavations in Toprakkale (Lehmann-Haupt), a high number of animal and human skeletons were found in a type of sanctuary. The human skeletons had not their respective skulls, from which can be deducted that the victims were beheaded during the ritual sacrifice. Professor K. V. Trever, who discovered a seal that shows an altar in which there are beheaded human bodies, confirms this theory. The supreme god Haldi was considered patriarch, invisible god and commandant of the troops. The victories were attributed to him. Before going to the war, the kings offered sacrifices and offerings to the god, and when they came back victorious they brought the prisoners and the treasures to the temples of Haldi. The inscriptions of the “DOORS OF HALDI” say that in the born of the summer, the winter and the spring, sacrifices for Haldi were performed. Based on this we conclude that, like their neighbors from the Caucasus, the Urartians divided the year in three stations that last four months each one. At the moment of the offering of the wine, the priests broke its receptacles but kept the inscriptions and images engraved in the picks and in the internal parts. In front of the temple of Musasir, 80 barrels were found, which during the offerings dedicated to Haldi supplied metallic pools with wine. The armenian historian Movses de Jorem refers to a type of construction that works as hostelry, in which there was a temple next to a dining room, both close to the tomb of one of the supreme priest of Urartu. It is believed that the pilgrims arrived there looking for lodging, and they were offered with the meat of the sacrificed animals. In their pilgrimages, while transited snowed mountains, they were usually caught by the weather conditions. Because of that, the hostelries had dogs specially trained to find these lost voyagers and guide them to a safe shelter. These dogs were traditionally called “aralez”, and they were considered sacred animals under the protection and guidance of the supreme god. The Urartians attributed them the ability to cure injures of the pilgrims and warriors with their tongue. We found again the root “ar” with the term “lez”, that in armenian language means tongue. Gold and silver censers used to burn incense in their ceremonies were found, as well as gold and silver receptacles in which selected flowers were planted. There were menhirs and megaliths disseminated in the region, some of them with form of phallus and some other with representations of animals or birds of totemic style, especially those carrying the emblem of a marine dragon called Vishab (dragon in armenian language). These Vishabs were related to the irrigation systems, of which they were considered protectors. |
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