Arinna

Relief of goddess Arinna in Alaca Höyük

Arinna was the major cult center of the Hittite sun goddess, (thought to be Arinniti) known as ^dUTU ^URUArinna "sun goddess of Arinna". Arinna was located near Hattusa, the Hittite capital.^[1]The name was also used as a substitute name for Arinniti.

The sun goddess of Arinna is the most important one of three important solar deities of the Hittite pantheon, besides UTU nepisas - "the sun of the sky" and UTU taknas - "the sun of the earth".

She was considered to be the chief deity in some source, in place of her husband. Her consort was the weather god, Teshub; they and their children were all derived from the former Hattic pantheon.

The goddess was also perceived to be a paramount chthonic or earth goddess. She becomes largely syncretised with the Hurrian goddess Hebat.

In the late 14th century BC, King Mursili II was particularly devoted to the sun goddess of Arinna.

See also

• Hittite mythology
• Alaca Höyük

References

1. Bryce, Trevor (2004). Life and Society in the Hittite World. pp. 142–143.

Literature

• Hans G. Güterbock, An Addition to the Prayer of Muršili to the Sungoddess and Its Implications, Anatolian Studies (1980).