Abstract
Historians specialised in the religion of ancient Israel describe different opinions on the use of characteristics which in Ugarit were assigned to the goddess Athirat for a reconstruction of the characteristics which in ancient Israel were assigned to Athirat’s namesake Asherah. My research shows that – regardless of which view
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of the origins of Israel as a people in Canaan is defended – ancient Israel was susceptible to influences from Ugarit. This influence may have existed through the shared culture and ethnic identity between Ugarit and ancient Israel but can also be the result of a complex process of constructing a new ethnic identity in Israel after the arrival in the land of Canaan. When we consider the complex process of constructing a new ethnic identity, it is important to note that the traits assigned to Athirat cannot easily be projected on her namesake Asherah. Processes in which deities were accepted into multiple cultures in the ancient Near East show that characteristics belonging to the so-called anthropomorphic core of the deity were less likely to change than those belonging to the so-called periphery of the deity. This means that we should look for Athirat’s characteristics of her anthropomorphic core. Epithets, assigned to the goddess Athirat, portray her as a mighty goddess with a high position in the Ugaritic pantheon and equipped with the trait ‘wisdom’. Epithets also show that maternity belonged to her characteristics. Both characteristics - wisdom and maternity – are depicted in the Legend of Kirta. A structural narrative of the legend shows that on the level of the plot, both Athirat’s characteristics are strongly confirmed. On the level of the narrative, the wisdom assigned to Athirat is being criticised, while maternity is confirmed. Ritual texts offer enough motivation to conclude that within this genre Athirat’s high position is established. Various texts lead to the assumption that the epithet ilt is used for her. Her name also appears in prominent places in the ritual texts. In addition, ritual texts confirm maternity as one of Athirat’s traits. As such, Athirat has a notable part in ritual texts related to the Ugaritic New Year’s festival at which the well-being of the royal family, among others, appeared to have been of great importance. Athirat was involved in the continuity of the royal family, the same way as Kirta also involved her in the continuity of his dynasty. My research leads to the conclusion that the Ugaritic texts do not speak of Athirat unambiguously. This conclusion needs to be taken into consideration when Athirat’s characteristics are employed to portray the west Semitic goddess Asherah.
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