Open Collections

Minunno, Giuseppe

Database of Religious History (DRH)

During the Iron Age, the acropolis of Tell Afis, a site in north-west inner Syria which had been inhabited since the Chalcolithic period, seems to have progressively been reserved for ceremonial buildings, at the expense of residential units. The excavations carried out by the Italian archaeological mission directed by Stefania Mazzoni have brought to light several architectonical structures, different in plan, date and functions, of which the best known has been labelled the AI temple. It is a 38/32 x 28 m building, comprising three rooms (vestibule, a central hall, and a rear room) on the longitudinal axis and additional rooms along the sides. The AI temple was preceded, on the same spot, by an older building, of which, however, only a few remains remain. The hypothesis that these remains belong to a previous temple is suggested by the fact that, in an even earlier phase, dating back to Iron Age I, the same area had been occupied by two buildings, whose nature as shrines is indicated by structural elements as well as by some of the materials found within them, such as the remains of some kernoi (cultic vessels that seem to have been in a particular connection to the figure of the weather-god), and remains of birds in abnormal concentration. These Iron Age I buildings, which were built on top of each other, seem to be separated by a short period of time. The available data do not allow to identify the deities or deities that were worshipped in these shrines. Given the continuity of the cultic use for this area, however, it is possible that in Iron Age I there was worshipped the same deity as that of the later phases. According to an Aramaic inscription, almost certainly from Tell Afis, an important temple, and probably the main sanctuary of the city of Hazrak (the ancient name of the site) was dedicated to the god Ilwer. It is therefore possible that also in the previous phases it was Ilwer who represented the main deity worshipped here. The morphology of Ilwer is not well defined, but he seems to be akin to the figure of the weather-god. It is also possible, however, that Ilwer was not the only deity worshipped in his own temple. It is possible, for instance, that some anatomical votives recovered from the area may point to ritual activities related to the sphere of healing and are perhaps a clue of popular devotion rather than official religion. On the other hand, under Assyrian rule the holder of the temple may have been changed, or official cults related to the ruler may have been introduced (for example, that of the god Sin).

Other

eng

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0423136

Non UBC

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/