Iconography of Syria-Mesopotamian Goddess from Kakheti (Meli-Ghele Shrine)

ARAMAZD ARMENIAN JOURNAL OF NEAR EASTERN STUDIES VOLUME VIII, ISSUES 1-2 – 2013-2014 ASSOCIATION FOR NEAR EASTERN AND CAUCASIAN STUDIES YEREVAN 2014 ²ð²Ø²¼¸ غðÒ²ìàð²ðºìºÈÚ²Ü àôêàôØܲêÆðàôÂÚàôÜܺðÆ Ð²ÚÎ²Î²Ü Ð²Ü¸ºê вîàð VIII, вزð 1-2 – 2013-2014 ²è²æ²ìàð²êÆ²Î²Ü ºì ÎàìβêÚ²Ü Ðºî²¼àîàôÂÚàôÜܺðÆ ²êàòƲòƲ ºðºì²Ü 2014 Association for Near Eastern and Caucasian Studies In collaboration with the Institute of Oriental Studies and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography (National Academy of Sciences of Armenia) ARAMAZD ARMENIAN JOURNAL OF NEAR EASTERN STUDIES (AJNES) Editor–in–Chief: Vice–Editor: Aram Kosyan Armen Petrosyan Associate Editors: Arsen Bobokhyan, Yervand Grekyan Editorial Board: Levon Abrahamyan, Gregory Areshian, Pavel Avetisyan, Raffaele Biscione, Elizabeth Fagan, Andrew George, John Greppin, Hrach Martirosyan, Mirjo Salvini, Ursula Seidl, Adam Smith, Aram Topchyan, Vardan Voskanyan, Ilya Yakubovich Communications for the editors, manuscripts, and books for review should be addressed to the Editor–in–Chief or Associate Editors. Editorial Ofice: Marshal Baghramyan Ave. 24/4, 375019, Yerevan, Armenia Tel. (374 10) 58 33 82 Fax: (374 10) 52 50 91 E–mail: ancs@freenet.am, armenianjournal@yahoo.com http://www.ancs.am ISSN 1829–1376 © 2014 by Association for Near Eastern and Caucasian Studies, Yerevan. All rights reserved. The PublIcATIon of ThIs jouRnAl Is sPonsoReD by The ReseARch PRogRAM In ARMenIAn ARchAeology AnD eThnogRAPhy of The coTsen InsTITuTe of ARchAeology AT The unIVeRsITy of cAlIfoRnIA, los Angeles AnD funDeD by The chITjIAn fAMIly founDATIon (usA) Առաջավորասիական և կովկասյան հետազոտւթյւնների ասոցիացիա ՀՀ ԳԱԱ հնագիտւթյան և ազգագրւթյան ինստիտւտ, ՀՀ ԳԱԱ արևելագիտւթյան ինստիտւտ ՍԵՎԸ ԵՎ ՍՊԻՏԱԿԸ ՊԱՏՄԱԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ, ՀՆԱԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ, ԱՌԱՍՊԵԼԱԲԱՆԱԿԱՆ ԵՎ ԲԱՆԱՍԻՐԱԿԱՆ ՈՒՍՈՒՄՆԱՍԻՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐ ՆՎԻՐՎԱԾ ԱՐՄԵՆ ՊԵՏՐՈՍՅԱՆԻ ԾՆՆԴՅԱՆ 65-ԱՄՅԱԿԻՆ Խմբագիրներ Արամ Քոսյան, Երվանդ Գրեկյան, Արսեն Բոբոխյան ԵՐԵՎԱՆ 2014 Association for Near Eastern and Caucasian Studies Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography NAS RA, Institute of Oriental Studies NAS RA THE BLACK & THE WHITE STUDIES ON HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY, MYTHOLOGY AND PHILOLOGY IN HONOR OF ARMEN PETROSYAN IN OCCASION OF HIS 65TH BIRTHDAY Edited by Aram Kosyan, Yervand Grekyan, and Arsen Bobokhyan YEREVAN 2014 Armen Petrosyan has joined Armenian, Indo-European and ancient Oriental Studies in his late 30’s, a phenomenon not quite usual in our ield, coming from diametrically opposite direction. Perhaps, when at some point a desire to deal with Armenian prehistory prevailed, his excellent knowledge of natural sciences (physics, biology and related ields), gained at the Yerevan State University played a signiicant role in his humanitarian scholarship. Within several years he achieved so much irst in linguistic matters then in mythology. Armen Petrosyan ranks among the leading authorities in the ield of comparative mythology. We hope that he will receive this Festschrift as a token of our esteem. It is a distinct pleasure to present this volume in honor of Armen Petrosyan’s substantial and wide-ranging contribution to scholarship. The title of this volume comes from an IndoEuropean myth reconstructed by him. The papers range several areas to which Armen has contributed: philology, mythology, history. The idea for this volume was conceived only two years ago, joyfully accepted by all our colleagues, except one person – Armen Petrosyan, but we insisted it to be fulilled. The editorial board is happy to thank all our colleagues who participated in the making of this Festschrift. EDITORIAL BOARD TABLE OF CONTENTS _____________________ PART I HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY ARSEN BOBOKHYAN. Problems of Ethnicity in the Context of Archaeology of Ancient Armenia ........................................................................................................14–35 MANUEL CASTELLUCCIA, ROBERTO DAN. Metal Horse Bits from Urartian Sites .............36–47 ARAM GEVORGYAN, ARSEN BOBOKHYAN. Bull Sacriices ...............................................48–56 YERVAND GREKYAN. When the Gods Leave People (The Climatological Hypothesis of the Collapse of the Urartian State) ........................57–94 MICHAEL HERLES, HAYK AVETISYAN. An Old Site at Oshakan in a Different Light: the Small Hill of Pokr Blur ..........................................................95–109 MEHMET IŞIKLI. Relections on Twenty Five Years of Excavations at Ayanis Castle: Past, Present and Future ................................................................110–119 MEHMET KARAOSMANOĞLU, MEHMET ALI YILMAZ. Some Considerations on Urartian Religious Activities in the Light of Recent Evidence from Temple Complex of Altıntepe .....................................................................................120–127 ARAM KOSYAN. Rulers of Hayasa: Hukkana ........................................................................128–134 NINO SHANSHASHVILI, GODERDZI NARIMANISHVILI. Iconography of Syria-Mesopotamian Goddess from Kakheti (Meli-Ghele Shrine) ............................135–142 NVARD TIRATSYAN. Two Pithos Burials from ArgištiÆinili ..................................................143–158 PART II MYTHOLOGY AND PHILOLOGY LEVON ABRAHAMYAN. The Killing of Hero’s Adversary in the Armenian Epic .................................................................................................160–177 YURI BEREZKIN. Serpent that Closes Sources of Water and Serpent that Devours Nestlings of Giant Bird: Assessment of the Age of the Dragon-Fighting Myths in Eurasia .......................................................................................................178–185 ROCÍO DA RIVA. The East India House Inscription. A New Duplicate from the British Museum (BM 122119) ......................................................................186–190 10 HASMIK HMAYAKYAN. The Goddesses of Artamet .............................................................191–197 SIMON HMAYAKYAN, LILIT SIMONYAN. Traces of Folk Calendar and Fests in the Urartian Texts ..................................................................................198–206 SERGEY JATSEMIRSKIJ. “Para-Lydian” Inscription from Sardis ........................................207–214 MARGARIT KHACHIKYAN. Relections on the Origin of the Hurrian Ergative Case Marker -ž and the Correlative Particle -šše .......................................215–218 HRACH MARTIROSYAN. An Armenian Theonym of Indo-European Origin: Ayg ‘Dawn Goddess’...................................................................................................219–224 JAAN PUHVEL. Perils of Postulates: A Hittite Example .........................................................225–228 VITALY SHEVOROSHKIN. Milyan trija ................................................................................229–261 YAROSLAV VASSILKOV. Some Observations on the Indian and the Mesopotamian Flood Myths .........................................................................262–281 ILYA YAKUBOVICH. The Luwian Deity Kwanza ...................................................................282–297 SUMMARIES .........................................................................................................................299–318 ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................319–320 TABLES ...................................................................................................................................321-347 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................349–355 11 PART I HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY ICONOGRAPHY OF SYRIA-MESOPOTAMIAN GODDESS FROM KAKHETI (MELI-GHELE SHRINE) Nino Shanshashvili, Goderdzi Narimanishvili Female high relief was discovered in Eastern Georgia, in Kakheti, on the shrine of Meli-Ghele. This site is situated in Gurjaani municipality, near village Melaani, where in 1964-67 archaeological expedition of Kakheti directed by K. Pitskhelauri excavated the Bronze Age shrine. There, on area of 3000 square meters were discovered two shrines of different periods. The oldest one, of low layer, was named “Meli-Ghele I” and the later one, in the upper layer – “Meli-Ghele II.”1 The western side of “MeliGhele I” is covered by eastern side of round stone cover of “Meli-Ghele” II.2 MeliGhele I is dated from the 2nd half of the 2nd mill. B.C.3 Meli-ghele II is dated from the 1st half of the 1st mill. B.C.4 The sanctuary of “Meli-Ghele I” is a high platform surrounded with cobblestone enclosure, which is also surrounded by a ditch of two meter in width and 60 cm in depth.5 On the territory of the site different artefacts were grouped in big and small heaps. Along with ceramics here were discovered lots of carnelian beads, obsidian spearheads, bronze rings, pendants, bangles and clay and bronze miniature igurines, clay stamp seals, miniature imitations of arms and etc. In “Meli-Ghele I” sanctuary were found 86 000 artefacts and fragments.6 Remarkable are stylized images of different animals and birds on the loor of the sanctuary. These igures were represented by grooves illed with ash and burned bones of sheep. These images are of different sizes. The length of some images does reach 2 meters. We ind relief and incised igures of animals on the pottery from Meli-Ghele I. Often, there are representations of deer, sheep and snake and on some fragments we see hunting scenes.7 In this case our interest is limited with two high relief images of women, which were discovered on Meli-Ghele I shrine. These high reliefs are modelled on 1 Pitskhelauri 1973: 112. Pitskhelauri 2005: 23. 3 Pitskhelauri 1973: 116; idem. 1984: 25; idem. 2005: 105. 4 Pitskhelauri 1973: 117; idem. 1984: 109. 5 Pitskhelauri 1973: 112. 6 Pitskhelauri 1973: 112f. 7 Pitskhelauri 1973: 113f. 2 AJNES VIII/1-2, 2013-2014, p. 135–142 Nino Shanshashvili, Goderdzi Narimanishvili the ears of a big jar (Fig. I-1, 2) and represents a igure of naked woman with the face of a bird. Its height is 13.5 cm. One of the igurines has both hands raised up. This woman has a belt on her waist and round hat on her head. The second is similar to the irst one with one exception; it has only one hand raised up (Fig. I-2), and another one on her waist.1 According to K. Pitskhelauri, igurines of goddesses as well as great number and diversity of jewellery indicate, that the main deity of the sanctuary was goddess of fertility and hunting – The Great Mother. Hunting scenes and images of wild animals on ceramics also indicates this theory.2 Among the artefacts, discovered on the MeliGhele II sanctuary, predominate arms and igurines of male gods and horses. K. Pitskhelauri supposed that in later time on the sanctuary along with the great goddess of fertility, also god of the war used to be worshiped.3 Those high relief images do not have any analogies in South Caucasus. High reliefs of women from Kakheti have similarities only with images of women from Levant and Mesopotamia. Almost similar images are on the pottery from Larsa (Fig. I-10),4 Mari (Fig. I-6)5 and so called “Burney” high relief (Fig. I-3).6 Similar images are also often represented on clay “plaquettes”7 from Old Babylonian period Mesopotamia (Fig. I-5) and Hurrian period of Nuzi (16th – 14th cc. B.C.).8 From the 2nd half of the 2nd mill. B.C. until the 2nd half of the 1st mill. B.C. images of naked woman with her hands raised up were spread in Syria and Palestine. For example, on gold pendants from Minet el Beida (Fig. I-8,9),9 Uluburun (Fig. I-17)10 and Lakhish, on the clay mould from Tell Karnaim,11 also on the “Syrian group” and Mitannian style cylinder seals,12 and stone steles (Deir el Medina) from Egypt (Fig. I-4) should be mentioned.13 Some women on the images from Levant have a lower, mirror, aurochs or people holding in their hands, some of them have wings. Some igures of naked women with their hands raised up are standing on lions, antelopes and some of them are riding a horse.14 1 Pitskhelauri 1973: Pl. XLIV/2, 3; Miron, Orthmann 1995: 251, Abb. 131. Pitskhelauri 1973: 114. 3 Pitskhelauri 1973: 117. 4 Barrelet 1952: Fig. 8. 5 Bunatz, Kune, al-Mahmud 1999: 83, Fig. 80. 6 Andre-Salvini 2008: 22. 7 Barrelet 1952: 285-293, Fig. 10. 8 Starr 1937: Pl. 57-М, 99- M-R, 100-A-T. 9 Schaeffer, Dussau 1929: Pl. LIV; Barrelet 1952: sur. 18. 10 Bass et all. 1989: Fig. 3. 11 Cornelius 1993: Pl. VIII/21, 22. 12 Marinatos 2000: Fig. 1.8-1.11, 2.1, 2.2; Cornelius 1993: Pl. IX/23. 13 Cornelius 1993: Pl. II/4; Cornelius 1994: Pl. 20, 21, 30, 41, 42; Marinatos 2000: Fig. 1.27, 1.28. 14 Barrelet 1955: 222-260, Fig. 10-13; Cornelius 1994: Pl. 20, 21, 30, 38, 41, 42, Fig. 4; Cornelius 1993: Pl. II-4, VII-2, VIII-2, 21, 22, IX-4, 24. 2 136 Iconography of Syria-Mesopotamian Goddess from Kakheti Based on Ugaritic texts, some scholars believe that on the artefacts is drawn a goddess of fertility and mistress of animals Anat.1 It is corroborated in the inscription on the stele from Egypt, in Deir el Medina ( Fig. I-7), which is dated from 1300 – 1200 B.C. and on which the same goddess is drawn.2 French scholar M.T.Barrelet, who studied iconography of goddesses on Sumerian, Old Babylonian and Mitannian artefacts, believes that they are images of InannaIshtar, the old goddess of Mesopotamia. Despite the diversity of the iconography, all images represent this goddess of fertility and war, who in the same time is a mistress of animals. Iconographical diversity is of regional character.3 In the art of ancient civilizations is a well known image of goddess lanked with two birds.4 N. Marinatos believes that the images of women with bird face, which we ind in archaic Greek art, is Circe, because in old Greek word Kirke is a feminine form of word Kirkos, which means hawk.5 On the Greek ceramics of classical period Circe is depicted with two birds. It must be mentioned, that according to Ugaritic and Hurrian texts goddess Anat is associated with a hawk.6 After Homer, Circe was a great goddess, “who can speak with man voice.”7 She was “the true sister of murderous-minden Aeetes. Both were bred by the Sun who light our lives; Their mother was Perse, a child the Ocean bore.”8 Circes palace was built of dresses stone. “Drifting up from the broad terrain through brush and woods9 Mountain wolves and lions were roaming round the grounds.”10 N. Marinatos believes that the personage of old Greek mythology Circe is connected to solar cult as a daughter of Helios and in the same time is a mistress of Animals. In our opinion, reason of punishment of Odysseys and his companions was killing of “Big stag with high branching antlers” in Circes homeland.11 Georgian mythological legends tell us how cruelly punish mistress of animals those hunters, who kill her animals, or consume them in large quantities. Crime of hunting and killing animal with the “Sign” causes punishment of hunters.12 Reason of punishment could be also break of promise given to the goddess, or rejection of offer.13 1 Day 1992: 181. Cornelius 1993: 22, Pl. II/4. 3 Barrelet 1955: 232, 240-243. 4 Maxwell-Hyslop 1992: Pl. VII/a, VIII/a; Marinatos 2000: Fig. 3.1 6.11, 6.13; Shanshashvili 2000: 87f. 5 Marinatos 2000: 35. 6 Marinatos 2000: 38, Fig. 2.7. 7 Homer 1997: Book X, 135. 8 Homer 1997: Book X, 135. 9 Homer 1997: Book X, 150. 10 Homer 1997: Book X, 210. 11 Homer 1997: 235, X, 155-160. 12 Surguladze 2003: 22. 13 Tsanava 1992: 37. 2 137 Nino Shanshashvili, Goderdzi Narimanishvili According to Georgian mythology, masters or mistresses of animals were Aphsati, Ochokochi, Ochopintre, Tkashmapha, Dali.1 Also in Georgian mythology we ind Mesephis – male and female souls of forests and masters of animals.2 In Georgian mythology deity Dali was mistress of wild animals. She was golden-haired beautiful woman, who live in impassable mountains. She can transform and appear before people in form of animal or bird. Dali helps her elected hunter, with whom she has an intimate relationship. Hunter must promise her to keep in secret her place and their relationships. If he reveals the secret, he will be cruelly punished.3 Circe also helps Odysseus to return to Ithaka after intimate relationship with him. According to Homer, Circe met Odysseus and his companions at the loom.4 According to Hittite, Greek and Roman mythology, knitting attributes are symbols of the deities of Fate (Istustaya and Papaya, Moirai, Parcae and Norns form Norse mythology). According to Georgian ethnography and folklore, thread and knitting is connected to Fate and Destiny. In Georgian ethnography deity of Fate is old woman sometimes dressed in black. Black colour indicates her chtonical character.5 Chtonical character of Circe is shown in a fact that she knows how to enter the underworld kingdom of Aid. For this Odysseus must go on the world’s edge and on rocky terrain, “Where the two rivers thunder down and meet Dig a trench of about a forearm’s depth and length and around it pour libations out to all the dead— irst with milk and honey, and then with mellow wine, then water third and last, and sprinkle glistening barley over it all, and vow again and again to all the dead, to the drifting, listless spirits of their ghosts, that once you return to Ithaca you will slaughter a barren heifer in your halls, the best you have, and load a pyre with treasures—and to Tiresias, alone, apart, you will offer a sleek black ram, And once your prayers have invoked the nations of the dead in their dim glory, slaughter a ram and black ewe, turning both their heads toward Erebus, but turn your head away, looking toward the Ocean River [Homer 1997: Book X, 550-560]. Only after execution of this ritual Odysseus became able to contact the spirits of the dead. It is remarkable, that on Meli-Ghele I were excavated two pits, illed with ash and many other things, along with two huge pots illed with ash.6 Probably, these pits were used for special rituals to connect with the underworld. Also we can mention 1 Tsanava 1992: 37, 78. Tsanava 1992: 85-88. 3 Tsanava 1992: 37. 4 Homer 1997: Book X, 220. 5 Shanshashvili 1998: 24f. 6 Pitskhelauri 1973: 113. 2 138 Iconography of Syria-Mesopotamian Goddess from Kakheti that according to Georgian mythology, legendary hero Iakhsari returned from chtonical world after sacriicing the sheep with “Sign” – the sheep with four horns and four ears.1 According to folklore of different nations, mythological hero must get down in a pit, or a well, from which using ram, or sheep he enters the underworld. Deinite importance has colour of the animals. Using black animals the hero enters the underworld and using white ones returns to our world.2 Marinatos believes that Circes similarity to Ishtar and other goddesses of ancient Near East is doubtless.3 Ishtar is the only goddess, who safely entered the underworld kingdom of Ereshkigal. In his opinion, the image of nude and winged goddess, who has claws instead of feet, represents Ishtar who used to be connected to death and chtonical world.4 Ancient images of birds connected with death were discovered in Neolithical sanctuary of Çatal Hüyük.5 In opinion of M.T. Barrelet, the image of nude, winged warrior goddess appears from the beginning of the 2nd mill. B.C. “Travelling through time and space, step by step she moved to the West”.6 In art of the Near East of the 2nd – 3rd mill. B.C. scholars have marked out the existence of the so called “Intercultural Style.”7 International relations, long travels by sea and land, as well as written correspondence, in the 3rd mill. B.C. became a good base for spread of luxuries and works of art in Eastern Mediterranean and inner regions of Middle East. Works of art of “Intercultural Style” have such characteristics which are beyond the cultural and geopolitical boundaries.8 In the 2nd half of the 2nd mill. B.C. in ancient Near East we see deepening of the processes of cultural and political integration and globalization, that is why, this period is named “Age of Internationalism.”9 Archaeological and written sources of this period conirm an intense interaction between Egypt, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Cyprus and Aegean, what resulted in the appearance of the so called “International Style” in Mediterranean and inner regions of Near East.10 Apparently, South Caucasus used to be a part of the “International style” spread area. Evidence of it are Mitannian cylinder seals, faience and glass beads, scarabs and scaraboids, women igurines and high reliefs of Levantine style, which were excavated in South Caucasus. 1 Tsanava 1992: 11. Shanshashvili, Narimanishvili 1989: 57f. 3 Marinatos 2000: 35, 44f. 4 Barrelet 1952: 291ff. 5 Mellaart 1964: Pl. VII/b, VIII/b, Fig. 20. 6 Barrelet 1955: 259. 7 Aruz 2003: 244. 8 Aruz 2003: 244. 9 Feldman 2002: 6. 10 Feldman 2002: 6. 2 139 Nino Shanshashvili, Goderdzi Narimanishvili High reliefs of bird faced women, found in Meli-Ghele I sanctuary have a similarity with Homer’s sorceress goddess Circe, as well as with Georgian mythological deity Dali. High reliefs associated also with Mesopotamian (Ishtar) and Levantine (Anat) goddesses. Basing on the ancient Near Eastern and ethnographical parallels, we believe that woman with bird face from Meli-Ghele shrine has an iconographical similarity with Mesopotamian and Levantine goddess of fertility. Supposedly she is genetically connected to the goddesses of ancient Near East as well as to the pantheon of ancient population of South Caucasus and is a local variation of Ishtar or Anat. Nino Shanshashvili Georgian National Museum Otar Lordkipanidze Archaeological Centre Uznadze str. 14, 0102, Tbilisi, Georgia nino_shanshashvili@yahoo.com Goderdzi Narimanishvili Georgian National Museum Otar Lordkipanidze Archaeological Centre Uznadze str. 14, 0102, Tbilisi, Georgia goderdzi_narimanishvili@yahoo.com 140 Iconography of Syria-Mesopotamian Goddess from Kakheti BIBLIOGRAPHY Andre-Salvini B. 2008, Babylon, in: Aruz et al. 2008, 18-26. Aruz J. 2003, Art and Interconnections in the Third Millennium B.C., in: Aruz, Wallenfels 2003, 239-250. Aruz J., Benzel K., Evans J.M. 2008 (eds.), Beyond Babylon. Art, Trade and Diplomacy in the Second Millennium B.C., New Haven – London. Aruz J., Wallenfels R. 2003 (eds.), Art of the First Cities. New York. 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