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Latarak (Lātarāk) was a
Mesopotamian god Deities in ancient Mesopotamia were almost exclusively anthropomorphic. They were thought to possess extraordinary powers and were often envisioned as being of tremendous physical size. The deities typically wore ''melam'', an ambiguous substan ...
. He was most likely depicted as a figure clad in a lion's skin, or perhaps as a lion-like monster. He was regarded as a protective deity, invoked to defend doorways and ward off diseases. He was closely associated with Lulal, though the relationship between them varies between available primary sources, with some equating them and other treating them as a pair of similar, but not identical deities. He was worshiped in Mesopotamian cities such as
Uruk Uruk, also known as Warka or Warkah, was an ancient city of Sumer (and later of Babylonia) situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates River on the dried-up ancient channel of the Euphrates east of modern Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.H ...
, Nippur and
Assur Aššur (; Sumerian: AN.ŠAR2KI, Assyrian cuneiform: ''Aš-šurKI'', "City of God Aššur"; syr, ܐܫܘܪ ''Āšūr''; Old Persian ''Aθur'', fa, آشور: ''Āšūr''; he, אַשּׁוּר, ', ar, اشور), also known as Ashur and Qal'at ...
. It is also possible that a city named after him, Bāb-Lātarāk, existed, but the reading of this toponym is not certain. Outside Mesopotamia, he is attested in religious texts from Emar and in a trilingual god list from
Ugarit ) , image =Ugarit Corbel.jpg , image_size=300 , alt = , caption = Entrance to the Royal Palace of Ugarit , map_type = Near East#Syria , map_alt = , map_size = 300 , relief=yes , location = Latakia Governorate, Syria , region = ...
.


Name and character

According to
Wilfred G. Lambert Wilfred George Lambert FBA (26 February 1926 – 9 November 2011) was a historian and archaeologist, a specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern Archaeology. Early life Lambert was born in Birmingham, and, having won a scholarship, he was edu ...
, Latarak's name should be interpreted as a negated
infinitive Infinitive ( abbreviated ) is a linguistics term for certain verb forms existing in many languages, most often used as non-finite verbs. As with many linguistic concepts, there is not a single definition applicable to all languages. The word is de ...
form of an unidentified
Akkadian Akkadian or Accadian may refer to: * Akkadians, inhabitants of the Akkadian Empire * Akkadian language, an extinct Eastern Semitic language * Akkadian literature, literature in this language * Akkadian cuneiform, early writing system * Akkadian myt ...
word, analogously to Lagamal's. A single unpublished commentary on the Weidner god list explains it as a combination of ''lā'', "not", and ''tarāku'', "to switch a whip", additionally glossed as ''naṭû'', "to beat", but according to Frans Wiggermann this ancient attempt at etymologizing it is grammatically incorrect. While the suffix -''ak'' could be a
genitive In grammar, the genitive case ( abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive can ...
ending in
Sumerian Sumerian or Sumerians may refer to: *Sumer, an ancient civilization **Sumerian language **Sumerian art **Sumerian architecture **Sumerian literature **Cuneiform script, used in Sumerian writing *Sumerian Records, an American record label based in ...
, according to Joan Goodnick Westenholz Latarak's name is considered to be one of the cases where such an interpretation is implausible, similarly to
theonym A theonym (from Greek ''theos'' (Θεός), "god"'','' attached to ''onoma'' (ὄνομα), "name") is the proper name of a deity. Theonymy, the study of divine proper names, is a branch of onomastics (the study of the etymology, history, and u ...
s such as Tishpak, Inzak and Meskilak.
Lexical lists The cuneiform lexical lists are a series of ancient Mesopotamian glossaries which preserve the semantics of Sumerograms, their phonetic value and their Akkadian or other language equivalents. They are the oldest literary texts from Mesopotamia ...
explain Latarak's name as ''urgulû'', "lion", and it has been suggested that he possessed leonine features. It is assumed that he can be identified with a figure clad in lion garb known from Mesopotamian art. The lion skin is most likely meant to designate him as a deity responsible for subduing evil. Known depictions of the figure in a lion garb was depicted show him holding a whip. An alternative proposal is that Latarak was depicted as a lion-like monster, rather than as a man in a lion's skin. It is assumed that Latarak was associated with the steppe, though this interpretation is not universally accepted. An Akkadian hymn to
Shamash Utu (dUD " Sun"), also known under the Akkadian name Shamash, ''šmš'', syc, ܫܡܫܐ ''šemša'', he, שֶׁמֶשׁ ''šemeš'', ar, شمس ''šams'', Ashurian Aramaic: 𐣴𐣬𐣴 ''š'meš(ā)'' was the ancient Mesopotamian sun god ...
known from two copies, one from
Assur Aššur (; Sumerian: AN.ŠAR2KI, Assyrian cuneiform: ''Aš-šurKI'', "City of God Aššur"; syr, ܐܫܘܪ ''Āšūr''; Old Persian ''Aθur'', fa, آشور: ''Āšūr''; he, אַשּׁוּר, ', ar, اشور), also known as Ashur and Qal'at ...
and another from
Hattusa Hattusa (also Ḫattuša or Hattusas ; Hittite: URU''Ḫa-at-tu-ša'',Turkish: Hattuşaş , Hattic: Hattush) was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age. Its ruins lie near modern Boğazkale, Turkey, within the great loop of t ...
, refers to him as the "master of the open country" (''šar ṣe-ri-im''). A fragmentary Akkadian hymn to Latarak highlights his association with domestic animals. He is also attested as a divine protector of doorways and as a god capable of warding off diseases. While attempts have been made to classify him as one of the deities representing deified ancestors, similar to
Yakrub-El Yakrub-El or Ikrub-El was a Mesopotamian god worshiped in Terqa in the kingdom of Mari in the early Old Babylonian period. Since his name is structured as if it were a theophoric personal name, is commonly assumed that he was a deified hero or an ...
or Itūr-Mēr, according to Jack M. Sasson this view is incorrect.


Associations with other deities

Latarak was closely associated with Lulal. Wilfred G. Lambert suggested that it is possible the former was a secondary name of the latter. In Emar, Lulal's name was used as a
logographic In a written language, a logogram, logograph, or lexigraph is a written character that represents a word or morpheme. Chinese characters (pronounced '' hanzi'' in Mandarin, ''kanji'' in Japanese, ''hanja'' in Korean) are generally logograms, ...
representation of Latarak's. It is possible a further similar example is present in a single Old Babylonian inscription. Frans Wiggermann notes that these two gods were commonly equated, but they are also attested as a pair of two distinct figures sharing similar characteristics. According to Manfred Krebernik, they could be viewed as twin brothers. They appear separately in astronomical and texts and
apotropaic Apotropaic magic (from Greek "to ward off") or protective magic is a type of magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye. Apotropaic observances may also be practiced out of superst ...
rituals. A fragmentary
Neo-Babylonian The Neo-Babylonian Empire or Second Babylonian Empire, historically known as the Chaldean Empire, was the last polity ruled by monarchs native to Mesopotamia. Beginning with the coronation of Nabopolassar as the King of Babylon in 626 BC and bein ...
text (CT 51 102) with instructions for an unidentified ritual prescribes the preparation of a pair of figures representing Latarak and Lulal. A late tradition explains the pair as Sin and Nergal in astronomical context. Latarak could also be paired with Lugaledinna, a deity according to Lambert analogous to Lulal, and they appear together in lists of ''
asakku In the Sumerian mythological poem ''Lugal-e'', Asag or Azag ( Sumerian: ), is a monstrous demon, so hideous that his presence alone makes fish boil alive in the rivers. He was said to be accompanied into battle by an army of rock demon offspr ...
'', in which they could be grouped with figures such as Muḫra,
Šulak In the Babylonian magico-medical tradition, Šulak is the lurker of the bathroom or the demon of the privy. Šulak appears in the Babylonian ''Diagnostic Handbook'' (Tablet XXVII), in which various diseases are described and attributed to the "han ...
or Lugala'abba. They also appear together in the incantation series ''
Maqlû The Maqlû, “burning,” series is an Akkadian incantation text which concerns the performance of a rather lengthy anti-witchcraft, or ''kišpū'', ritual. In its mature form, probably composed in the early first millennium BC, it comprises eight ...
'', which contains the formula "Lugaledinna (and) Latarak are my chest" (tablet VI, line 7). It has been suggested that Latarak belonged to the circle of deities associated with Ishtar. References to him as the gatekeeper of Gula are also known, and might reflect their shared ability to ward off illnesses. Emmanuel Laroche proposed that the name of Iltara (Eltara), one of the Hurrian " primeval gods", was derived from Latarak. However, the modern consensus is that this god is most likely a reflection of
Ugaritic Ugaritic () is an extinct Northwest Semitic language, classified by some as a dialect of the Amorite language and so the only known Amorite dialect preserved in writing. It is known through the Ugaritic texts discovered by French archaeolog ...
El, with -''tara'' being an amplifying suffix in this case.


Worship

Latarak was worshiped in
Uruk Uruk, also known as Warka or Warkah, was an ancient city of Sumer (and later of Babylonia) situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates River on the dried-up ancient channel of the Euphrates east of modern Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.H ...
, and an instance of transfer of his cult from this city to Kish in relation to the move of an Urukean family to this northern city in the Old Babylonian period is known. In Nippur he is attested in two
theophoric name A theophoric name (from Greek: , ''theophoros'', literally "bearing or carrying a god") embeds the word equivalent of 'god' or God's name in a person's name, reflecting something about the character of the person so named in relation to that deit ...
s from the Kassite period. Additionally, a lexical list from this city from the Old Babylonian period mentions a
toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' ( proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name o ...
which might be read as either Bāb-Lātarāk or Ka-Lulal, possibly a cult center of the deity it was named after. A Middle Babylonian administrative document (TMH NF 5 29) mentions that a certain Amurru-nāṣir, identified as a physician (''asû''), received barley needed for an office related to the worship of Latarak, ''parṣu''. A single attestation of Latarak is available from a document from Mari describing a celebration dedicated to Ishtar. It states that during a ritual taking place in the morning he was seated to the left of this goddess alongside deities collectively referred to as Dingirgubbû. Latarak was also worshiped in Assyria, with attestations available from as late as the Neo-Assyrian period, though his cult was of minor importance in this area. A shrine dedicated jointly to him and Mīšaru, known under the ceremonial name Ursaĝsumkudda, existed in
Assur Aššur (; Sumerian: AN.ŠAR2KI, Assyrian cuneiform: ''Aš-šurKI'', "City of God Aššur"; syr, ܐܫܘܪ ''Āšūr''; Old Persian ''Aθur'', fa, آشور: ''Āšūr''; he, אַשּׁוּר, ', ar, اشور), also known as Ashur and Qal'at ...
in the lobby of Ešarra, the temple complex of
Ashur Ashur, Assur, or Asur may refer to: Places * Assur, an Assyrian city and first capital of ancient Assyria * Ashur, Iran, a village in Iran * Asur, Thanjavur district, a village in the Kumbakonam taluk of Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India * Assu ...
. It is also possible that a Neo-Assyrian letter alludes to a ritual during which Latarak was invoked to chase away Lamashtu. An incantation from the ''
Bīt mēseri Bīt mēseri, inscribed ''bit me-se-ri''meš and meaning “House of Confinement” or “Detention,” is an ancient Mesopotamian ritual incantation text complete on four cuneiform tablets for the protection of the house against invading evil. The ...
'' corpus indicates that figures of Latarak and Lulal were placed in gates to prevent evil from entering. ''
Šēp lemutti The work ''šēp lemutti ina bīt amēli parāsu'' (inscribed GÌR ḪUL''-tim'' AŠ É LÚ TAR''-si''), “to block the entry of the enemy (‘foot of evil’) into someone’s house,” also referred to as ''ana nasāḫ šēp lemutti'', "to expel ...
'' prescribes the preparation of two figures of Latarak and decorating them with "black paste", an unidentified substance represented by the
cuneiform Cuneiform is a logo- syllabic script that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Middle East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. It is named for the characteristic wedg ...
signs IM.GI6. It has been noted that darker pigments were typically used for figures of gods, with other examples attested in similar sources including Meslamtaea, Sebitti and Narundi, and lighter for these representing other supernatural beings, such as mythical hybrids or apkallu. Similarly, a section of the text labeled as ''An Address of
Marduk Marduk (Cuneiform: dAMAR.UTU; Sumerian: ''amar utu.k'' "calf of the sun; solar calf"; ) was a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon. When Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time o ...
to the Demons'' by Wilfred G. Lambert (K 4656 + K 9741) prescribes stationing him in the door alongside a number of other deities, including Lulal, Tishpak, the Sebitti and Ishtar.


Outside Mesopotamia

Latarak was worshiped in Emar, where a single document mentions him among the deities associated with the city of Tuttul. A ritual calendar mentions a three day long procession held in his honor after the
new moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclip ...
ending the month ''Abî''. A gate named after him, as well as a "great highway" dedicated to him (KASKAL-''nu'' GAL ''ša'' dLÚ.LÀL), possibly a road leading to it, are also attested. In a trilingual edition of the Weidner god list from
Ugarit ) , image =Ugarit Corbel.jpg , image_size=300 , alt = , caption = Entrance to the Royal Palace of Ugarit , map_type = Near East#Syria , map_alt = , map_size = 300 , relief=yes , location = Latakia Governorate, Syria , region = ...
, Latarak corresponds to Šarrani in the Hurrian column and to an only partially preserved theonym, restored as Nid -by Aaron Tungendhaft, in the
Ugaritic Ugaritic () is an extinct Northwest Semitic language, classified by some as a dialect of the Amorite language and so the only known Amorite dialect preserved in writing. It is known through the Ugaritic texts discovered by French archaeolog ...
one. However, this text most likely does not reflect religious practice of the period. Furthermore, many entries in the latter two columns are otherwise unattested.


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{refend Mesopotamian gods