Ḫaldi

Ḫaldi
Supreme and war god
Depiction of the Araratian god Khaldi standing on a lion. Erebuni Fortress Museum: Yerevan, Armenia
Other names	Khaldi, Hayk
Affiliation	Urartian mythology, Theispas, Shivini
Abode	Urartu
Symbol	Lion
Children	Ardinis (?)[1]

Column base; the god Khaldi stands on a lion, holding in his left hand a bowl and in his right hand a spearhead (or a plant)
Reign of King Rusa II (685–645 BC); Urartu; Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara, Turkey

Ḫaldi (^d, Ḫaldi, also known as Khaldi or Hayk,^[2] Armenian: Խալդի) was one of the three chief deities of Urartu (Ararat). His shrine was at Ardini (Muṣaṣir).

The other two chief deities were Theispas of Kumenu, and Shivini of Tushpa.^[3]

Of all the gods of the Urartian pantheon, the most inscriptions are dedicated to Khaldi. His wife was the goddess Arubani. He was portrayed as a man with or without wings, standing on a lion.^[4]

Khaldi was a warrior god whom the kings of Urartu would pray to for victories in battle. The temples dedicated to Khaldi were adorned with weapons, such as swords, spears, bows and arrows, and shields hung off the walls and were sometimes known as 'the house of weapons'.

Gallery

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  Khaldi's temple in Erebuni, 782 B.C.

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  Khaldi god standing on a lion, Armenian postage stamp, 1993

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References

1. "Armenia (Vannic)" by A.H. Sayce, p.793-4; "Armenia (Zoroastrian)", by M(ardiros). H. Ananikian, p.794-802; in Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics, ed. James Hastings, vol. 1, 1908
2. Авдиев В. И. "История Древнего Востока", М.: "Высшая школа", 1970, с. 419 420.
3. Ernest René Lacheman, Martha A. Morrison, David I. Owen, General studies and excavations at Nuzi 9/1, 1987, ISBN 978-0-931464-08-9, p. 50f.
4. "Haldi | ancient god". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2015-11-25.

• Piotrovsky, Boris B. (1969) The Ancient Civilization of Urartu: An Archaeological Adventure. Cowles Book Co. ISBN 0-214-66793-6