Anat is a war goddess and deity of the hunt in ancient Ugarit, Ḫanat and Tanis. In the Baal Cycle she's an ally to the God Baal, battling death personification Mot. Anat is equated with Athena of the Greek pantheon.
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She's called Ḫanat in Iraq, namesake of her patron town. Many say Ḫanat is the forerunner of Anat. A ferocious goddess, she's admired for courage and warrior skill. symbols include the Atef crown of Egypt, connected to Osiris, God of the Dead.
She may have wings and powers of flight as an angelic, vengeful, protective or valkyrie figure. Anat carries a spear and shield. Baal or Set might act as consort. Her epithets include Mistress of Kingship, Mistress of Dominion and Mistress of the High Heavens.
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According to Ugaritic texts, Anat dwells on the mountain ‘Inbubu. The mountain's location is given in some sources as Mount Zaphon. Anat and Baal as Ba'al Zaphon live together there. Guardian of maritime trade, Ba'al Zaphon stands atop two mountains.
According to Theodore J. Lewis, Anat is "without doubt the most vivid of the Ugaritic goddesses." Anat is greatly beloved by Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BCE.
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At one time Anat is linked to fertility and sexuality. As time passes, she becomes more of a tomboy in nature and the association is rarely used today. Even El describes her as having masculine qualities.
In Ugarit she's worshipped together with Ashtart as Anat-wa-Ashtart in an incantation against snakebite. Fertility goddess Ashtart (Astarte) also consorts with Baal and is most likely mother of his three daughters. The best known is Asray of the Underworld.
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Anat may have Amorite origins. In an entry ritual of Ashtart taking place over several days, Anat receives the snout and neck of an unidentified animal. following the offerings of gold and silver to Shapash (Shapshu), Yarikh and Gaṯaru on the second day.
Israel and Palestine, ruled by the Pharaohs of Egypt during the Bronze Age, show evidence of her worship in the Levant. She's also attested in Phoenician inscriptions.
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On Cyprus she's associated with Greek Goddess Athena, also a deity of war. As a divine Huntress Anat relates to Greek hunting deity Artemis (Rom. Diana). Diana is considered one of the leaders of the European phenomenon the Wild Hunt.
Anat can be invoked against powers of the evil eye (‘nn hlkt). At the time of her popularity in the ancient world, women are not expected to be warlike. Her pursuit of activities deemed masculine, namely hunting and war, represents an inversion or reversal of gender roles.
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In sacrificial offerings she receives both rams and bulls. In the standard Ugaritic list of deities, she is placed between Athirat (Asherah) and Shapash.
In the Ba'al Cycle, Anat is first mentioned when El summons her to perform a ritual. Researchers suspect this is a ploy to distract Anat from helpng Baal. Although El is the father of Ba'al, he supports the chaos sea god Yam.
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Later, when Yam, Baal's rival for the position of King of the Gods, sends his messengers to the divine assembly, Anat and Ashtart prevent Ba'al from harming them. Anat seizes his right hand while the Ashtart seizes his left.
When Baal is killed by Mot, the personification of death, Anat comes for revenge. She kills Mot and cuts him up. She threshes his remains with a blade, winnows them with a sieve, burns them in a fire, grinds them with a millstone, and finally scatters them for birds to eat.
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Mot resurrects himself with some difficulty and complains to Ba'al at his treatment by Anat. However Mot gets no satisfaction and El's favor returns to Baal, who rules again as the King of Gods.
In the Epic of Aqhat (c. 1350 BCE) Anat covets a bow given by the craftsman god Kothar-wa-Khasis to Aqhat, the mortal son of King Danel. She asks Aqhat to give it to her, and he refuses, scoffing "now do womenfolk hunt?"
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Anat is piqued and asks El's permission to punish the impious human. El gives it and Anat invites Aqhat to a hunt. Secretly she plots to kill him, bringing in a man named Yatipan, a Sutean warrior.
Yapitan does the deed but the bow breaks in the struggle. Anat is enraged all the more. As Aqhat's body is eaten by vultures, a message gets to Danel that Anat is instrumental in the disappearance of his son.
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The rest of the text covers burial of Aqhat's remains, and the revenge of his sister Pughat against Yatipan. Thinking Pughat is Anat, Yatipan boasts to her about his killing of Aqhat, whereupon she slays him. Anat gets away with it in the end.
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