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Ḫaḫḫima (Hahhima) is a dreaded frost demon god of the ancient Hittites. His realm is a frozen wasteland. He spreads bitter cold and devastation throughout the earth. Two myths featuring Hahhima revolve around a similar theme, as the demon captures the Sun. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Hahhima - Deadly Hittite Frost Demon Bull of Heaven - Inanna vs Gilgamesh Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books When Hahhima kidnaps the Sun Goddess of Arinna, Storm God Tarhunna calls a meeting. Without the Sun, the earth will die, and the mortals too. Then who will sacrifice to the gods, tend their temples, prepare their meals and clean their clothes? Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Tarḫunna sends messengers to find the missing Sun goddess of Arinna. Among them is Inar, God of Wild Animals. Inar discovers the demon's plot, but Hahhima freezes him to sabotage the search. See also: Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Owl - Death, Messages, Mystic Wisdom Ugarit - Trade Hub of Bronze Age Syria Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle With manic glee Hahhima freezes everything and everyone he sees. Only the rare white hare escapes to warn the Gods because she pretends to be frozen already. While the Sun is gone, the Earth is dark and cold. Nothing grows. Evil spirits roam the frozen wastes. The people make fires but the Frost Demon sends howling winds and snow to blast through their houses and put the fires out. See also: The Shekelesh - Bronze Age Mysteries Curse of the Evil Eye & Apotropaic Magic Baba Yaga - Slavic Forest Witch Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books He's a deity of ice, freezing rain, extreme cold, killing frost, hail and blizzards. Hahhima wreaks havoc through the lands, leaving a path of suffering and destruction. Shauska the Great Goddess assumes her love goddess aspect and turns on her radiant charms, but Hahhima has a heart of ice and her seductive allure doesn't work on him. He freezes her on the spot. See also: Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea Teshub: Hurrian Bronze Age Storm God Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books War God Zababa and Storm God Tarhunna rise to the challenge. Hahhima sends a hailstorm even Tarhunna's lightnings bolts can't withstand. They fizzle out, and with a cry of triumph Hahhima turns the Gods to ice. The only ones to escape his manic destruction are the brothers of his father, the divine smith Hashamili, and the Fate Goddesses. All the world lies frozen, and the Sun goddess weeps in vain. See also: Amurru - God of the Amorites Hutena & Hutellura: Dyad of Birth & Fate Earth Mother - Goddess of Life Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The great Mother Goddess Ḫannaḫanna (Hannahanna) comes to the rescue. She performs spells, dance, noise with shakers and drums. Her magic spreads throughout the land. Rituals against the against the demon at first make him vaguely ill. Then his heart begins to melt. See also: Ninkarrak: Ancient Medicine Goddess Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle As he looks around at all the pain and destruction he has one moment of fragility, a tweak of emotion, before he flees back his lands of ice and hastily releases the Sun Goddess. Once he's back in his own realm, his heart freezes again and Hahhima feels more like himself. The balance has been restored. The Gods thaw out. See also: German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Roads Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Hannahanna teaches them the sacred rites to banish the Frost Demon, and how to prevent him from appearing too soon or staying too late. She gives them natural medicine to heal the bite of frost. The gods send a teacher to the humans, and thus are the rituals passed down. See also: Baltic Amber - Gold of the North Lukka: Bronze Age Warrior Sea People Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Back to Top

Erra (Irra) is an Akkadian plague god dating back to the time of Sargon the Great in the c. 2400 BCE. Erra holds court for centuries. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure He spreads terrible diseases and infestations throughout humankind and revels in the suffering of mortals. He even overcomes the Babylonian hero god Marduk. See also: Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters Ugallu - Lion Headed Storm Demon Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Epic of Erra is a poem by Kabti-ilani-Marduk. He's among the most important writers before Homer. As the story opens, the god Erra is asleep with his consort Mamītum. His advisor Ishum wakes him up. Ishum is followed by the Seven Sibitti / Sebetti, called the sons of Heaven and Earth. See also: Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Sukkals - Mythic Viziers to the Gods Destroying Angel: Nature's Deadly Poison Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Also known as the "champions without peer", each entity has chaos aspects and a destructive destiny assigned by the Creator Sky God Anu. They may be personified weapons or traits. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Erra is enraged at being woken. The Sibitti are hungry for blood. They yell and rampage, calling on Erra to lead the total destruction of humankind. Always the mediator, Ishum tries to pacify Erra, with little effect. See also: Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea Wild Women and Winter Tales German Harvest Spirits - Dragons Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Erra spits forth toxins, pests and ravaging diseases. Invaders of Babylon are struck by waves of plague. The people cry out in suffering and pain. Weevils and rats decimate grain supplies. Even Marduk, patron of Babylon, abandons his throne to Erra. In the second and third tablets of the poem, Erra and Išum talk things over, but Erra is just getting started. See also: Rabbit Fever Plague & Warfare: Hittites Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books He explodes into battle in Babylon, Sippar, Uruk, Dūr-Kurigalzu and Dēr. Righteous and unrighteous alike fall ill. There are not enough wagons or healthy people to bring the dead to burial. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The cities and homes are infested with vermin, lice and fleas. Pleased with his work, Erra orders Išum to finish the job by defeating the enemies of Babylon. See also: Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Namtar: Underworld Sukkal & Disease Demon Asag - Horrific Disease Demon of Kur Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Finally, his anger spent, the god returns to his temple Emeslam in Kutha, residence of the Underworld gods. The terrifying Seven accompany him back to Emeslam, and mankind is saved once more. The poem is well known in Babylonian culture. About three dozen copies of the five tablets are found at Assur, Babylon, Nineveh, Sultantepe and Ur. They may have been used in scribal schools where students copy written works as part of their training. See also: German Vampires - Nachzehrer Thapsos - Trade Center & Necropolis Mot - Death & the Ugarit Underworld Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books According to archaeologists, more copies of the Epic of Erra have been recovered than the famous Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. Although it seems to point to a crisis or disastrous plague similar to rabbit fever of the 14th century BCE, scholars disagree. The time of its writing, the 8th century, is one of many periods of instability and war in Babylonia. See also: Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Herbology & Lore: Stinging Nettle Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life Back to Top

Erra (Irra) is a powerful plague demon, bringing sickness, blight, mental chaos and political confusion. Mortal pain, suffering, madness, disruption of systems, consequences of plague and disaster such as famine can be attributed to Erra, and others like him. See also: Epic of Erra - Plague God of Babylon Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters Ugallu - Lion Headed Storm Demon Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books A plague refers to any contagious, crippling and deadly sickness affecting people on a large scale. It can include plagues of pests such as locusts or rats. A famous historical plague is rabbit fever or the Hittite Plague. Other disease and pestilence demons include: Namtar, Disease Demon & Sukkal to Underworld God Nergal Asag, Horrific Mesopotamian Disease Demon Ninkilim (Lord Rodent) Sumerian Pest God Plagues include plant blight, crop sickness, livestock diseases and human conditions such as tuberculosis, evidence of which recently surfaced in Bronze Age Hungary. The plagues of Erra also create confusion, madness and mayhem in societies and systems. See also: Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Baba Yaga - Slavic Forest Nature Witch Erinyes - Vengeful Women of Ancient Greece Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle He causes kings to topple. Entire lineages go extinct. Although first mentioned in the Early Bronze Age c. 3000, Erra is an immortal demon. His attendant Ishum is known in mythology as sukkal to the underworld god Nergal. It's part of the eventual assimilation of Nergal and Erra. As demons are not generally worshipped Erra doesn't depend on the offerings and works of the humans to keep him alive. Elements of chaos, demons exist from time immemorable. He's a master of many forces acting out his will. See also: Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Terramare Culture - Bronze Age Italy Dragons: German Harvest & Nature Spirits Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Epic of Erra, or Erra and Išum (Ishum), is a popular 8th century BCE poem by Kabti-ilani-Marduk. The epic tells of Erra's rage upon being woken by his advisor, Ishum, and seven ferocious noisy demons. Despite attempts by Ishum to pacify him, Erra in bloodthirsty fury ravages the earth. The Seven and their swarms wreak havoc, disease and destruction upon the cities of the mortals. See also: Pomegranate - Food of the Ancients Caspian Tiger: Bronze Age Wild Predators Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Erra appears in two prayers. The first one, for Babylonian King Hammurabi (r. 1792 - 1750 BCE) is badly damaged. The second is a hymn to Goddess Queen of Heavens Inanna, with prayers for king Ur-Ninurta, who usurped the throne. In the hymn Inanna and other divinities confer with the king. They give him guidance for ruling the land in wisdom and strength. The god Enlil says king Ur-Ninurta should emulate the courage of war-like deities and be 'like the warrior Erra', referring to Erra's mighty battle fury. See also: Ninazu: Healing, Death, Snakes & War Nergal - Ancient Underworld Gods Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In exorcism rituals regarding demons the god Adapa is one of those invoked. In Mesopotamian myth Adapa himself is the unwitting cause of human disease. Head god Anu names goddess Ninkarrak as one who can alleviate human sickness and suffering. A long list of diseases, their associated demons, treatments and cures has been found in an excavation. See also: Shulpae (Šulpae): Demon Warrior God Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Edimmu: Evil Demons of Vengeance Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In omen texts from the Seleucid period of Uruk (c.305 - 64 BCE), bad omens of plague often brings the saying: 'Erra will devour the land'. As a bringer of death the name of Erra is included in a Neo-Assyrian incantation banishing demons from the city of Huzirina. He's described as 'great Erra who strikes people down in the street'. As a powerful god or death and destruction he has mercy on none. See also: Bau - Healing Goddess of Babylonia Ereshkigal Goddess of Underworld & Night Botanical Alchemy - White Dead Nettle Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Rituals to drive away evil are performed by special priests with knowledge of incantations and arcane secrets, and sometimes medicine. Doctors and priests are accorded the same respect. Doctors may live or have an 'office' in the temple. In Mesopotamia there are three main types of doctors - the objective doctor who prescribes treatments with medicinal properties, such as herbs or poultice; the diviner, who identifies the demon and its nature, thus how to treat it. See also: Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral German House Spirits: Beer Donkey (Bieresel) Eileithyia: Birth Goddess of Ancient Greece Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The third is the exorcist. Doctors can be male or female. All three types of doctor are equally valued and may work together in curing the patient. See also: Asherah: Goddess of Childbirth & Fertility Rhinestones: Treasures of the Rhine Rabbit Fever Plague & Warfare: Hittites Back to Top

Mercenaries, pirates, fugitives and thieves, what better place to plunder than the sunny eastern Mediterranean? With cunning coves and tricky shoals the turquoise coasts are perfect for sneak attacks on passing traders. See also: Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Taurus Mountains: Bronze Age Bounty Lukka: Bronze Age Warrior Sea People Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Many a merchant vessel could perish in these waters. The Shekelesh (Hittite: Shikalayu) are pirate warriors who live beyond the reach of the forces of authority. They're elusive. They don't want to be found and take care to cover their tracks. They seem to roam from place to place, land and sea, valleys and hills. Shadows in the night until it's time to strike, they have no settlements. They move like wild animals in the forests, and their oars dip silently as they glide through glistening waters. See also: Amurru - God of the Amorites Saffron - Most Precious Ancient Spice Byblos Vibrant Port City: the Egyptians Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Shekelesh are among the Sea Peoples who decimate the Mediterranean and area in the Bronze Age Collapse c 1250 - 1170 BCE. The Shekelesh are considered the primary force behind the destruction of Ugarit, Syria. Ugarit (Ras Shamra, Latakia) is a city kingdom on the northern Levant coast. A crossroads of trade and travel over land, sea and river routes, Ugarit commands its small but crucial part of the world. See also: Urash (Uraš) Primal Queen of the Gods Uluburun - Bronze Age Shipwreck Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books For the last fifty years tremors and earthquakes have been shaking up the land. The eastern Mediterranean is built on shifting tectonic plates and volcanic activity. Earthquakes and drought are considered possible contributors to the big collapse. It's thought by some a combination of factors work together to cause a mass migration of sea peoples due to climate and quake conditions, which also affect the major powers like the Greeks and Hittites. The migrations lead to territorial battles. See also: Byblos, Vibrant Port City - Bronze Age Ninkarrak: Ancient Medicine Goddess Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Since the Neolithic era, Ugarit is a growing metropolis, and the seat of kings. Trading vessels and camel caravans come bearing papyrus, fabric, and spices; donkeys are laden with lapis lazuli and ingots of tin. Date honey and olive oil are in demand. By 1250 BCE seven different scripts are used in Ugarit: Egyptian, Hittite, Cypro-Minoan, Sumerian, Akkadian, Hurrian and Ugaritic cuneiform. Over the years different countries take over Ugarit, which doesn't have a large military force itself. See also: Erra - Plague Demon of Mesopotamia Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Phoenician Canaanite city kingdom depends on its conquerors, or allies, to provide military aid. In return Ugarit takes vassal status and pays a tithe or tribute. Other coastal settlements such as Byblos have similar agreements. Toward the end of the 13th century BCE, an ongoing drought depletes supplies and brings famine throughout the lands. Dry winds blow and trade grinds to a slow stop. People who only a few years ago brought grain to trade in excess now can count their ribs. See also: Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral Cassiterite - Tin Source of Ancients Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books And then, the attacks. In a letter to the governor of Ugarit, King Šuppiluliuma of the Hittites calls them Shikalayu "those who dwell on ships," referring to the Shekelesh. They're only part of the attack force, It includes tribes such as the Lukka and Sherden Sea People. By c. 1200 BCE, correspondence from Ammurapi, the last King of Ugarit rings with despair. He answers a letter from the nearby king of Alashiya, who is pleading for help. See also: Bronze Age Trade of Mesopotamia Potnia: Mystery Goddess of Ancient Greece Dragons: German Harvest & Nature Spirits Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Ammurapi says, "My father behold, the enemy's ships came (here); my cities were burned, and they did evil things in my country. Does not my father know that all my troops and chariots are in the Land of Hatti, and all my ships are in the Land of Lukka?...Thus, the country is abandoned to itself. May my father know it: the seven ships of the enemy that came here inflicted much damage upon us." After 1200 BCE official correspondence is desperate. Letters speak of biru (Akkadian for “hunger”). A Hittite official begs, “If there is any goodness in your heart, then send even the remainders of the [grain] staples I requested and thus save me." See also: Striped Hyena - Bronze Age Wild Baba Yaga - Slavic Forest Witch Ashur - Tutelary God of Assur, Assyria Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle King Ammurapi writes to Egyptian Pharaoh Seti II: “In the land of Ugarit there is a severe hunger. May my Lord save it, and may the king give grain to save my life…and to save the citizens of the land of Ugarit.” See also: Pomegranate - Food of the Ancients Arcadia - Greek Lands of Ancient Gods Cyclades Islands: Paradise of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The most fearsome blow comes from the Sea Peoples. They bring their boats to anchor just over an hour's brisk walk down the coast. Ugarit's King Ammurapi hastens a plea to the Hittite vassal city-state of Carchemish: “Send me forces and chariots and may my lord save me from the forces of this enemy!” See also: Erinyes - Vengeful Women of Ancient Greece Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Terramare Culture - Bronze Age Italy Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The enemy are the Shekelesh. They attack and sack Ugarit and burn it to the ground. At the same time, effects are felt throughout the Mediterranean. Drought, famine, disease, mass migration, seismic upheaval and internal conflict shuts down military and trading networks alike. A final catastrophic battle with the Sea Peoples comes in 1177 BCE. See also: Assyrians: Reign of Tukulti-Ninurta I Aruru - Violent Vegetation Goddess Nungal (Manungal) Prison Goddess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The remains of the Kassite Empire of Babylon, parts of Cyprus, Canaan and Turkey crash into oblivion, joining the Late Bronze Age Collapse. The Mycenean civilization explodes to ruin. After the time of collapse, the Egyptians eventually rise again to power, along with the Assyrian Empire. The Phoenicians rebuild and revise a vast trading complex, establishing settlements throughout the Mediterranean. See also: Pagan Pantheon - Anu, Oldest of the Gods Inanna (Ishtar) - Goddess of Ancients Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle No one knows what happens to the Sea People. They continue to skirmish with Egypt as they have for hundreds of years. Some may have assimilated into other cultures. Some settle in the land of the Canaanites, for that is where the Sherden lived, not so long ago. Origin theories of the Shekelesh range from Sicily, to Sagalassos in the western Taurus Mountains. See also: Humbaba: Giant Mountain Forest Man Namni & Hazzi - Mountain Gods Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books From some contemporary letters and mentions, it's believed these tribal warrior sea pirates come from a mysterious island called Shikala. Maybe they just went home. See also: Gula - Medicine Goddess of Mesopotamia Lahar: Flock & Sheep Pastoral Goddess Apkallu - Seven Sages of Mesopotamia Back to Top

Hashamili (Ḫašamili, Ḫašameli) is the Hittite god of metal workers and metallurgists, metal working, smiths and smithing. He's also a household protector deity. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure Originally a god of the ancient Hatti people, Hashamili enjoys worship in Bronze Age Anatolia, in the region of today's Turkey. He's adopted by resident Hittite, Palaic and Luwian cosmology. See also: Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Cassiterite - Tin Source of Ancients Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books As a trade, blacksmith appears c. 1500 BCE in the ancient world. The farrier, a smith specializing in horseshoes and tack, shows up about 400 BCE, with the advent of horseshoes. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure Long before the blacksmith and farrier, the metallurgist is working and smelting raw and molten metals. Metallurgy is a precursor to alchemy, which in turn evolves into chemistry. Some might call it magic. See also: Before the Viking Age - Gods of the Sámi Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Steam & Style - Agrippina of the Rhine Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Early in human history metal working is limited to found metals which could be hammered into shape. Among the Seven Ancient Metals, the soft silvery metal tin is discovered as placer deposits of cassiterite. It's extracted by heating the stone. Iron is limited, found sometimes as meteorites. The easy availability and low melting point of copper make it ideal for experimentation and early mass production from molds. See also: Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral Lukka: Bronze Age Warrior Sea People Amurru: Amorite Bronze Age Kingdom Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The technology to extract iron from ore comes c. 1200 BCE, earlier in some cultures. The Anatolians are making quality steel by c. 1800 BCE. In other locales, stone such as flint and diorite, obsidian or bone utensils are still preferred. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure Hashamili's main cult center is Hattusa, Anatolia (Turkey), the capital of the Hittite Empire. He's connected to Zilipuri, another domestic protector god. See also: Gibil - Fire God of Mesopotamia Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Zilipuri is specifically a god of the hearth, linking him to the warm, nurturing and positive nature of elemental fire. In this way he's similar to Ishum, the Divine Night Watchman of Mesopotamia. Together with Zilipuri, Hashamili belongs to a group of chthonic entities associated with Lelwani, Hittite Underworld Goddess. The Underworld is populated by demons and some vegetation or fertility deities. See also: Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Women of Alchemy - Mary the Jewess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The smith god is said to embody creator energy due to the connection with elemental earth and fire, shaping and smelting the metals. The tools or symbols of Hashamili are iron, nails and bronze hammers. In one tale as divine smith, Hashamili hides the Hittite army from enemies. In a temple ritural he's known as the "strong smith". Although a connection exists between Hashamili and war, and he assumes a protective role, he's not a warlike deity. See also: Early Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Urash (Uraš) Primal Queen of the Gods Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle From Old Assyrian texts at the karum or trading town of Kanesh, Anatolia, the name Ḫazamil is considered an early variant of Ḫašamili. In later Hittite sources he's placed with other "gods of Kanesh". These include grain goddess Ḫalki and warrior horse god Pirwa. Maliya, goddess of artisans, gardens, carpentry and leather working, is also part of the group. See also: Iron Age - Metallurgy & Metal Magic Lavender (Lavandula) Health and Nature Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In a treaty between the Hittite and Hurrian forces, Hashamili acts as a divine witness. Ḫašamili appears in the myth of Ḫaḫḫima. He and the fate goddesses (Gulšeš) are the only ones who escape the fearsome Frost Demon Hahhima, a personification of frost or numbness. See also: Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Back to Top

The Phoenicians rise from semi-nomadic hunter gatherers who settle the coasts of today's Lebanon to become the foremost merchant and trading culture of the ancient world. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Although the seafaring fleets prosper for centuries, the height of Phoenician power comes c. 1200 - 600 BCE. See also: Ancient Greece - the Mycenean Invasion Bronze Age Trade of Mesopotamia Nungal (Manungal) Prison Goddess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Semitic speakers, the early Phoenicians are centered in Arwad, Syria. At the height of power their range extends to Mount Carmel in Israel. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The ambitious Phoenicians immediately follow the Canaanites of the Bronze Age, whose dominion ends during the Bronze Age collapse. They build on the beginnings of the Canaanite network. See also: Lahar: Flock & Sheep Pastoral Goddess Tin Trade Routes - Ancient Networks Dromedary Camel: Animals of Ancient Arabia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Early Canaanites evolve from the copper age culture of the Ghassulians. The Phoenicians consider themselves Canaanites in the ancient world, and it's thought the division between the two is a modern interpretation. The Phoenicians easily slip into the roles of primary merchant mariners of the Levant. The people are a collection of city states, not united under one leader. Settlements are run by oligarchies of wealthy trading families. See also: Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The most important sites for the Early Bronze Age people are Byblos and Sidon-Dakerman. The site of Byblos is first inhabited in the Neolithic period c. 8800 BCE, and continuously inhabited from c. 5000 BCE. Few administrative records have been found, and most of the information about the Phoenicians comes from the cultures who interact with them. The early Greeks call them φοῖνιξ phoînix, the word for a Phoenician person, purple dye or the date palm. See also: Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Ushumgallu: Dragon Lion Snake Sukkal Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Phoenicians are famous for Tyrian purple, a dye extracted from the mucus glands of certain rock snails. The rock snails originate in the Indo-European ocean. Most murex species live in intertidal or shallow subtidal waters among rocks and coral. Many snails have to die for just a narrow purple trim so the color is too expensive for ordinary people. The color purple is associated with royalty and high status ever after. See also: Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Assyrians: Reign of Tukulti-Ninurta I Apkallu - Seven Sages of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Tyre is reputed to be the birthplace of Europa, for whom Europe is named. A Phoenician princess, she's the mother of King Minos of Crete, after she's abducted by Zeus, who takes the form of a bull. Besides Tyrian purple, the Phoenicians are famous for wood. The Lebanese cedar (Cedrus libani) comes to light in the second millennium BCE. The Phoenicians use the wood to build a massive fleet of ships. See also: Minoan Genius (Genii) Helper Spirits Gods of Ugarit c. 1800 - 1200 BCE Humbaba: Giant Mountain Forest Man Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books By the mid-14th century BCE, Phoenician city-states are called "favored cities" by the Egyptians. Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, and Byblos are the major coastal trade centers. Byblos is leader among them. It's famous for metal work such as bronze, and it's also a terminal point for tin and lapis lazuli. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Nahr al-Kabir and the Orontes rivers lead inland from the coast. The Phoenicians control the prosperous cities. Ancient powers like the Egyptians consider takeover action as Phoenician wealth and influence grows. See also: Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Gold - Precious Metal of the Sun Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Already in the fifteenth century BCE, the Pharoah takes coastal towns for their links to the interior. Egypt tries for control of trade routes to Mesopotamia and access to the great cedar forests. The Phoenicians tell tales of great monsters guarding the forests. This facade is shattered when the Epic of Gilgamesh, written c. 2000, features the legendary king defeating the forest giant. See also: Taurus Mountains: Bronze Age Bounty Figs - Food of the Ancient World Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The desire for wood escalates throughout the Egyptian and Mesopotamian lands. The Early Greeks want their share too. The Phoenicians create their civilization on the laws of supply and demand. Powers compete to build ships and construct forts, palaces and city centers. Between 1350 and 1300 BCE, capture of strategic cities by the Hittites and Amorites means territory losses for Egypt. The seeds of disaster are sown, and about a century later the Bronze Age collapse devastates major civilizations. See also: Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Land of Punt: Pre-Bronze Age Kingdom of Riches Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The collapse affects most of the Eastern Mediterranean (North Africa and Southeast Europe). Civilizations including the Near East and Egypt, eastern Libya, the Balkans, the Aegean, Anatolia, and the Caucasus are all but wiped out. The Phoenicians fill the gap gladly. They reach the height of their influence c. 1200 BCE and during the following centuries. The recovery of the Mediterranean countries after the Bronze Age devastation is credited to Phoenician trade and commerce. See also: Ninlil - Sumerian Matriarch Goddess Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Cleopatra the Alchemist of Greece Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Always opportunists, they take advantage of the niche markets and promote the flow of merchandise. They establish colonies throughout the Mediterranean and Aegean, North Africa and Spain. The Eurasian Iron Age is the time of their greatest achievements. Among the most important contributions of the Phoenicians is an alphabetic writing system. When adopted by the Greeks, it becomes the basis of the Western alphabet(s). See also: Myrrh - Mystique, Death & Divinity Goddess Nisaba - First Lady of Writing Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Phoenicians raise ship-building to new standards. The cutwater is a sharp point allowing ships to cut through water with ease. Due to the engineering advances, Persian and Assyrian royalty use Phoenician ships themselves. Phoenician sailors are known to be especially skilled seafarers. They're among the first people to use stars to navigate. See also: Herbology & Lore: Death Cap Mushrooms Angel of Long Point - Abigail Becker Asteria - Starry Gems of Myth & Magic Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books One of the most significant events of the 1st millennium BCE is the founding of Carthage, North Africa by the Phoenicians. The city becomes a major center of trade and commerce. See also: Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Road Egyptian Blue Lotus: Visionary Beauty Back to Top

A prosperous sea and trading culture, Ugarit shines like a jewel as a city of commerce and exchange on the coast of ancient Syria. Excavations show activity in the area as early as 6000 BCE. In the Late Bronze Age Ugarit makes its presence felt throughout the known world. It's a city vibrant with success. See also: Wadjet - Winged Snake Goddess of Egypt Tollense Valley Battlefield: Ancient Germania Urnfield Culture: Bronze & Iron Age Europe Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books By the Neolithic or New Stone Age the city of Ugarit is already surrounded by sturdy stone walls. The Ugaritic ruins are known as Ras Shamra after their region of discovery. On the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Ugarit is a vassal kingdom to the Hittite Empire. It becomes a center of great importance in the Levant and other areas from c. 1800 BCE. Ugarit falls into destruction in the late 12th century BCE as part of the Bronze Age Collapse. See also: Lusatians - Nordic Bronze Age Cultures Sun God of Heaven - Hittite Solar Deity Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle A progressive region, in the ancient world Ugarit exchanges goods and correspondence with Egypt, the Aegian, Syria, the Hittites, Isle of Cyprus and the east Mediterranean. Sea routes and overland roads come together here. Trade and travel prosper. First written mention of Ugarit comes from Ebla in 1800 BCE. Egypt and Ugarit were in contact even earlier, from c 1970 BCE. By the 19th century BCE the Ugarites have their own language and many also speak and write Akkadian, the international language of trade and commerce. See also: Puduhepa - Queen of the Hittites Bull of Heaven - Inanna vs Gilgamesh Nefertari Queen of Peace Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The height of power for Ugarit comes in the 1400s BCE. Influenced by Egyptian, the Ugaritic alphabet is composed c. 1400 BC and consists of 30 letters, corresponding to sounds, inscribed on clay tablets. Another language seemingly derived from Egytian is Phoenician, coming from the coastal and inland areas of today's Lebanon. The Phoenicians occupy the area for many years before they rise in might as an international seafaring society. See also: Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Cyclades Islands: Paradise of Ancients Ancient Greece - the Mycenean Invasion Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Literary works such as poetic odes are composed by the Kingdom's countless scribes, who immortalize legends and heroes in tablets of clay. Royal correspondence flows, delivered by boat or beast to countries once strange and unknown. Most people, especially those in business, speak at least two or three languages. At the advent of popular writing, engagement of scribes, education of the priest classes and self-learning gain momentum. In the Mediterranean, the late Bronze Age is an Age of Communication. See also: Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt 1st Peace Treaty 1258 BCE - the Queens Zababa - Bronze Age War God of Kish Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Legends known from the Ugaritic include: Baal Cycle - Baal, Ba'al, storm & fertility god, various stories Legend of Keret - Epic poem, King of Hubur's many misadventures Tale of Aqhat - Danal needs an heir, asks help of Gods; 650 poetic lines, damaged Later Hebrew biblical literature, especially divine imagery and poetic form, contains stylistic parallels with Ugaritic poetry. Other important texts include accounts of daily life. See also: Wiedergänger - One Who Walks Again Sekhmet - War Goddess of Ancient Egypt Lelwani - Hittite Underworld Goddess Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Baal cycle represents Baal Hadad's destruction of Yam (the god of chaos and the sea). This motif often appears in creation myths. A warrior god rises up as the hero of the new pantheon to defeat chaos and bring order. In Hurrian mythology and Hittite mythology the Old Gods are banished to the Underworld. Another example is that of Mesopotamian hero-god Marduk battling Tiamet (sea, chaos) in her sea serpent form. Ugaritic mythology envisions the concept and embodiment of chaos as divine despite, or because of, opposing forces. See also: Divine Twins: Germanic & Greek Mythology Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Mušḫuššu - Mythic Snake Dragon Sukkal Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Ugaritic mythology has the complexity of a developed civilization. Early gods at their basic are equated with nature and worshipped as the Sky (God), Earth (Goddess). Later, assimilation of cultures or migration, marriage and trade-based contacts introduces new gods and new forms of old gods. The last King of Ugarit, Ammurapi (c. 1215 to 1180 BCE), is a contemporary of the last Hittite king, Suppiluliuma II. In a letter, Ammurapi stresses the cataclysmic effects of unprecedented attacks on near Eastern states. See also: Sun Goddess of the Earth: Hittite Underworld Minoan Genius (Genii) Helper Spirits Stone Age Botai - First Horse People Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In another, the coastal towns are under attack. An appeal for help from the king of Alashiya (Cyprus) highlights the desperate situation of Ugarit and other cities: My father, behold, the enemy's ships came (here); my cities(?) were burned, and they did evil things in my country. Does not my father know that all my troops and chariots(?) are in the Land of Hatti, and all my ships are in the Land of Lukka? ... Thus, the country is abandoned to itself. May my father know it: the seven ships of the enemy that came here inflicted much damage upon us. The Land of Hatti is the Hittite Empire; Land of Lukka refers to Lycia. The ruler of Carchemish (northern Syria) sent troops, but Ugarit has already been sacked. See also: Tumulus Culture - Nordic Bronze Age Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books From a letter sent after the destruction of Ugarit: When your messenger arrived, the army was humiliated and the city was sacked. Our food in the threshing floors was burnt and the vineyards were also destroyed. Our city is sacked. May you know it! May you know it! After the late 12th century, the city stands shattered and abandoned. Eventually it's overgrown and filled in. In the early 20th century, a peasant plowing his field uncovers ancient ruins. See also: Bull of Heaven - Inanna vs Gilgamesh Botanical Alchemy - Lavender (Lavandula) Ptah: God of Creators & Creation Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books They include elaborate buildings such as a royal palace of ninety rooms, laid out around eight courtyards. Rich private dwellings are also found. Atop the city hill are two temples, one to Baal and one to the chthonic god of fertility and wheat, Dagon (Dagaon). Dozens of stelae, deity worship momuments of wood or stone, often found in temples, are uncovered. The status of women shows a greater degree of autonomy than some other regions at the time. The woman is officially considered the head of the household. She is responsible for domestic duties but can work outside the home or run a business; she can own livestock, property and slaves. See also: Anatolia - Alaca Höyük City of the Sun Nefertum: He Who is Beautiful Gods of Egypt Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Women are often scribes, in positions requiring study and education at special schools. The most common languages include Ugaritic, Akkadian, Sumerian, and Hurrian. Seven different scripts are used in Ugarit: Egyptian, Hittite, Cypro-Minoan, Sumerian, Akkadian, Hurrian and Ugaritic cuneiform. The Queens of Ugarit have their own estates, and act in chief diplomatic capacities. Queen Thariyelli personally sacrifices a bull on the acropolis of Ugarit, a role usually given only to men. See also: Lusatians - Nordic Bronze Age Cultures Cult of the Bull - Prehistoric Aurochs Sobekneferu - Queen of the Pharaohs Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Bull is a representative of the King, the God, and masculinity. People believe the Bull's sperm runs through his bones. A Queen taking this role would raise some eyebows. It's like a man trying tell a woman about menstruation. It might even cause a divorce. The last King of Ugarit, Ammurapi, marries Ehli-Nikkalu, a daughter or niece of the Hittite king. Marriages are often arranged to forge unions of empires. See also: Iron Age - Metallurgy & Metal Magic Hepat - Sun Goddess of Aleppo Zircon - the Primordial Gemstone Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Divorce is a common option at the time. It's not considered wrong, though it has to be mediated. The reason for the royal marriage ending isn't found. The Ugaritic King says the Queen committed a grievous sin. Is there a connection? In archaeology, the city has much to share. The Ras Sheras mound shows several layers of settlement. Sound wave technology is able to distinguish about five levels from the Neolithic through the Copper and Bronze Ages. See also: Earth Mother - Goddess of Life Rosemary: Immortal Essence & Balm of Kings Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Road Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Control of Ugarit in the 18th and 17th centuries BCE belongs to a newly known tribe. They're related to the Hyksos or West Asians. According to scholars they could be Hurrians or Mitannians. Their rule marks the mutilation of Egyptian monuments. In c.1200 BCE Ugarit comes under attack by the notorious Sea People. It's razed to the ground and eventually abandoned. See also: Phosphorus: Element of Fatal Fascination Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books After the collapse of the Bronze Age the region is populated by small settlements. As time goes by, one settlement is built atop another, a style of mound or tumulus building. The history and culture of cities like Ugarit are preserved layer by layer. See also: Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Road Cult of the Fire God - Coming 2024 Arzawa - Rebel Kingdom of the Bronze Age Back to Top

The Amorite god Amurru (Akkadian) or Martu (Sumerian) is revered since the third millennium BCE. Strong centers of worship in Babylon and Assyria ensure his name lives on long after the Amorites are gone. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure See also: Amurru: Amorite Bronze Age Kingdom Urash (Uraš) Primal Queen of the Gods Abu - Ancient Vegetation Snake God Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Amurru is a deific representation of the Amorite people, who battle the Egyptians and everyone else to rule the lucrative lands of the Levant. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure The Amorites first appear in c. 2000 BCE as a specific type of people. As hunter-gatherers and fierce warriors they've been around longer. See also: Kusarikku - Bull Men of Mesopotamia Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle They settle into a more permanent type of existence near the coveted coasts and trade cities of today's northern Lebanon and north-west Syria. They forge the kingdom of Amurru, Although the Amorite conqueror calls himself King, the Amorites are not a unified people under one ruler. In this they resemble the Phoenicians, whose settlements are run by oligarchies of wealthy independent merchant families without an overlord. See also: Saffron - Most Precious Ancient Spice Eileithyia: Birth Goddess of Ancient Greece Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Expanding along the coast and inland to the grave consternation of the current residents, they threaten Byblos and attack Tyre. The King of the Amorites befriends and organizes the Habiru, the lowest classes of society. They're outlaws, outcasts, fugitives and "workers of inferior status." READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Adventure One surviving myth of Amurru as personification of the Amorite people involves his victory in competition at a festival of Inab. The city god, Numushda, with his wife Namrat and daughter Adgarkidu, is in attendance. See also: Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Bronze Age Trade of Mesopotamia Dumuzi & Geshtinanna: Reasons for Seasons Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Amurru wins the contests. Instead of taking the gold and riches offered, he asks to marry Adgarkidu, daughter of the city god. She seems to have no objection, but a friend tries to dissuade her: "Now listen, their hands are destructive and their features are those of monkeys; (An Amorite) is one who eats what (the Moon-god) Nanna forbids and does not show reverence. "They never stop roaming about ... they are an abomination to the gods’ dwellings. Their ideas are confused; they cause only disturbance. (The Amorite) is clothed in sack-leather ... lives in a tent, exposed to wind and rain, and cannot properly recite prayers. See also: Warrior Portal Gods Lugal-irra & Meslamta-ea Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Figs - Food of the Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books "He lives in the mountains and ignores the places of gods, digs up truffles in the foothills, does not know how to bend the knee (in prayer), and eats raw flesh. He has no house during his life, and when he dies he will not be carried to a burial-place. My girlfriend, why would you marry Martu?" She marries Amurru anyway. It's thought this deific marriage symbolizes the acceptance of the god Amurru into the Mesopotamian pantheon. See also: Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Assyrians: Reign of Tukulti-Ninurta I Apkallu - Seven Sages of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In Babylon, Amurru comes to power in the Iron Age, after the destruction of parts of the Levant coast. Before then he's more a figurehead, a stereotype or the Amorite people. He has cult centers in Babylon and is also worshipped in mystical Sea-land. After the fall of the region Amurru, the God Amurru sheds his Amorite identity. He gains popularity as a divine exorcist. This remains his chief role until the Neo-Assyrian king Sennacherib in c. 750 BCE. See also: Ḫulbazizi - Ancient Exorcism Ritual Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Demons - Evil Udug of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Amurru is connected to the Steppe, as with the nomadic Amorites. One of his epithets being "Lord of the Steppe." His pastoral influence extends to the mountains, as he also assumes the role of a mountain god. Another of his epithets is lu hursagga or man of the mountains. As his symbol, Amurru carries a crooked staff, or gamlu. It's thought to be a shepherd's crook. His sacred animal is the gazelle, or possibly the mountain goat. He's also associated with storms and weather. See also: Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Nature Spirits of German Mythology Uluburun - Bronze Age Shipwreck Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books He's also connected to mice and prayers are given to Amurru for protection of the crops. Some believe the mice are a negative portrayal of Amorites, the pests who will eat all the grain. The Sumerian pestilence god is Ninkilim, Lord Rodent. Amurru might also carry a sickle sword or khopesh. Although it's most famous as an Egyptian weapon, the manufacturing techniques of the khopesh are thought to be Canaanite. See also: Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books During the First Dynasty of Babylon, Amurru is a popular god. Although he appears only on a handful of official god lists, he's also worshipped in Assyria, Nippur and Larsa. Two temples exist in Babylon in his name. One is "the house which undoes guilt", or Enamtaggaduha on the east side of the city and Emesikil or "house of pure mes" to the west. A 'me' is the decree of a deity, usually regarding human behavior. See also: The Igigi - Why Humans are Created Ishara - Goddess of Death & Desire Ebla - Shining Jewel of the Bronze Age Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Amurru is also worhipped in Assyria, as a divine guardian of oaths; in Assur, the Assyrian capital, he's given offerings at Enindabadua or "house where bread portions are baked". It's thought this is part of the main temple complex of goddess Gula. Ashur, tutelary god of the Assyrians, and Amurru, are sometimes worshipped together. At the same time, Amurru's name begins to show up in West Semitic languages. See also: Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt House Spirits of Germanic Mythology Curse of the Evil Eye & Apotropaic Magic Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle He's the fourth most popular god attached to given names. The others are Bel (Marduk) hero god; Nabu, god of scribes, and Nanaya, goddess of erotic love. It's probable he also has a cult center in Sealand at this time. A Sealand text mentions a scribe and priest from the temple of Amurru act as witnesses of legal proceedings between two citizens. See also: Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Art, Power and the Calamitous Crusade Witches' Night - Hexennacht Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The parents of Amurru are Anu, the oldest god and earth mother Urash. His consorts are Ashrtum or Adgarkidu, and possibly Geshtinanna. He has no known children. See also: Epic of Erra - Plague God of Babylon Bau - Healing Goddess of Babylonia Striped Hyena - Bronze Age Wild Back to Top

Cilicia (Kazziwatna) in today's southern Turkey is a busy place in the ancient Bronze Age. The land is bountiful, the climate sublime, and hidden coves give shelter. Not only is Cilicia a major center of trade and commerce, it's also a den of pirates. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Saffron - Most Precious Ancient Spice Byblos Vibrant Port City: the Egyptians Sherden Sea Peoples in Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Cilicia is inhabited since the Neolithic period, as people turn to agriculture and gradually become more settled. The climate is favorable for grain crops, livestock and fruits such as grapes. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The grape vine, with its abundant fruits and leaves for food and drink, is one of the seven ancient plants named in the Bible (which are wheat, barley, pomegranate, grape vine, figs, olives and dates). See also: Ninkarrak: Ancient Medicine Goddess Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The region is known as two parts. Uru Adaniya (flat Cilicia) is a water-fed plain. Tarza (rough Cilicia) occupies the mountainous west. In the 2nd millenium BCE, the time of the Hittite and Hurrian empires, Cilicia is called Kizzawatna. Cities in Kizzawatna known to exist by the time of the ancient Greeks include Tarzu (Tarsus), Ingira (Anchiale), Danuna-Adana, Pahri, Anazarbus (Kundu) and Azatiwataya (Karatepe). See also: Gula - Medicine Goddess of Mesopotamia Nanshe - Nature Goddess of Justice Land of Punt: Pre-Bronze Age Kingdom of Riches Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the 17th century BCE the Hittite kings have free travel up and down the Pyramus (Ceyhan) River in Kizzawatna. They have control of the region, and fight with Syrians / Hurrians for the prime piece of real estate. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure After 1595 BCE the Hurrians gain control of the land and Cilicia / Kizzawatna is liberated from Hittite domination. The first king of free Kizzawatna, Išputahšu is documented as a "great king" in cuneiform and Hittite hieroglyphs. See also: Agrippina & Son: Poisonous Plots of Rome Chaoskampf: Order & Chaos Battle Out Cassiterite - Tin Source of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the 15th century BCE King Pilliya of Kizzawtna establishes treaties with neighboring Kingdoms. Early treaties usually relate to land borders, dispute resolutions and oaths of alliance against a common enemy. The first peace treaty is between the Hittites and Egypt c. 1258 BCE. Kizzawatna is famous as the birthplace of celebrated Hittite Queen Puduhepa. As a temple priestess she meets a warrior general coming back from the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BCE). They fall madly in love. See also: Lavender (Lavandula) Health and Nature Pomegranate - Food of the Ancients Bronze Age Trade of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books She returns with him to Hattusa, the Hittite capital. He later takes the throne as King Hattusili III, with Puduhepa at his side. She becomes one of the most influential women of the ancient world. Around 1200 BCE the Iron Age begins as the Bronze Age collapses. Hittites and other civilizations are wiped out by a series of misfortunes, disasters and invading sea peoples. Sherden sea peoples are documented attacking the Egyptian coast as early as 1400 BCE. See also: Enuma Elish: Marduk & the Chaos Monsters Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Roads Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The coastal empire of Kizzawatna is reduced to ruins. Later Romans re-discover the region's bounty, and name it Cilicia. Due to seaway trade routes a trend of piracy establishes itself in the area. The rocky hills, caverns and sheltered coves are perfect hideaways and retreats. Pirates in the Bronze Age are famous for raiding attacks on coastal towns. See also: Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea German Harvest Spirits - Dragons Nungal (Manungal) Prison Goddess Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle As trade prospers they also harass the trading routes of ancient Greece and other nations. From Roman ships they are reported to seize cargoes of grain, olive oil, saffron, gold and trade goods. Sometimes the pirates are other traders. Piracy for power leads to trade wars between city-states and nations. Inland the The Cilician Gates, a narrow rocky pass in the mountains, is one of the few routes to the fertile valleys and prosperous trade centers of Anatolia. Whoever controls trade controls the ancient world. See also: Ninlil - Sumerian Matriarch Goddess Mušḫuššu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Road Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books After the end of the Neo-Assyrian Empire in c. 610 BCE, Cilicia breaks away from Syria and emerges as an independent state. The Cilician Kingdom soon grows in power to rival Babylonia. See also: Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Taurus Mountains: Bronze Age Bounty Back to Top

The Taurus Mountains rise from the eastern coast of the Mediterranean to overlook the Anatolian plateau and lush highlands above and the sunny Island of Cyprus below. WIKI MAP READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest See also: Abzu - Primal Waters of Creation Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Landslides, wild predators, scorpions, snakes and robbers are among the dangers to traders and travelers in the mountains in the ancient world. Trade, immigration and war parties carve and solidify their paths. From the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, all ports are possible. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Taurus mountains are named after the bull because in ancient times there were many temples to storm gods built in the mountains, where storm gods typically reside. Storm gods are often associated with bulls, such as Hurrian Teshub and his two bulls Seri and Hurri. See also: Kusarikku - Bull Men of Mesopotamia Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The mountain range is created by collision of tectonic plates and massive crumpling of the crust. Gemstones occur in areas of high volcanic activity. The Taurus Mountains are more productive for important metals and minerals but igneous gemstones are found in such areas as the extinct shield volcano Karaka Dağ. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Wavy green malachite and brilliant blue azurite may be found in the Taurus range. Both stones get their colors from copper inclusions, and often form near copper deposits. Serpentine is another stunning mountain gem. See also: Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Lisin - Medicine Goddess of Ancients Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the area of Ergani-Maden in southeastern Taurus mountains, copper has been mined for over 4000 years. The metals found in the Taurus Mountains include gold, silver, iron, copper, lead and zinc. The first five along with tin and mercury, are the Metals of Antiquity. A zinc mine is found also in the southeast. See also: The Anxious Victorian - Mental Health Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Benu - Ba Heron God of Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Coming to attention c. 2250 BCE, the Hurrians occupy parts of Anatolia, Mesopotamia and Syria. They have enduring influence on the culture and religions of other regions, especially the Hittites of Anatolia. Hurrian origin is thought to be in the Taurus Mountains, back to c. 4000 BCE. Bronze age Taurus range wildlife includes the mountain gazelle, Caspian tiger, and Eurasian Lion. Larger birds include eagles, vultures, and osprey, while songbirds like the golden oriole share their music. One might see foxes, wolves and jackals, but if so this little rock hyrax will be quickly out of sight. See also: Rhytons - Animal Vessels of the Ancients Kaska - Mountain Raiders of Anatolia Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Taurus range is part of the Eurasian Alpide belt, following a continuous range for about 15,000 km (9300 mi) west to east. The Alps are stunning examples of the movement of the earth when plates collide. The Himalayas are also in the system with their own belt. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest New 2024 The mountains are formed by the powerful convergence of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, thrusting the Earth's crust upward. Much of the local rock is limestone, a sedimentary rock easily eroded, over time creating karst landscapes and gargantuan caverns. See also: Ninhursag - Great Mountain Mother Namni & Hazzi - Mountain Gods Kish: Glory Days in Ancient Babylonia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Taurus range is the birthplace of both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The mountain range falls entirely within the borders of today's Turkey. In Turkish the mountains are Toros Dağları. Overall the Taurus Mountain Range is defined in three parts: Western Taurus (Batı Toroslar) Central Taurus (Orta Toroslar) Southeastern Taurus (Güneydoğu Toroslar) See also: Kohl: Eye Beauty Magic of Ancients Shakhar & Shalim: Divine Twins of Ugarit Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Western Taurus range creates the sheltered sunny bay of Antalaya, a tourist favorite today. An old city, Termessos, is famous for its semi-circular theater, and for being one of the few cities Alexander the Great is unable to conquer (c. 333 BCE). He later likens the town to an eagle's nest. The Central Taurus has the highest point, with Mt Demirkazik at 3,756 m (12, 323 ft). From the sea the ancient Cilician Gates lead into the past, as the passage through the mountains has been used since c. 4500 BCE. The site of the pass is conquered by the Romans in the Battle of the Cilician Gates, 39 BCE. See also: Ancient Arabia - Stone Age to Bronze Tollense Valley Battlefield: Ancient Germania Herbology & Lore: Plantain Plant Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books A Stone Age settlement, Yumuktepe, shows 27 layers of occupation. It's common practice in ancient days for generations to build atop the remains of other generations, creating a chronological layer cake of the evolution of place and people. The Southeastern part of the range encompasses the watersheds of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Here many of the mountain streams and rivers drain into Lake Hazar, the source of the Tigris River. See also: Gibil - Fire God of Mesopotamia Queen Eleanor & the Calamitous Crusade Bird Woman Elwetritsch: German Folklore Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Euphrates runs from the Murat River draining from Mount Arafat in the east of Turkey. In April and May, most of the precipitation falls for the year, causing flood levels as water rushes down the hillsides. With the floods comes fertile silt. When the waters recede, bountiful silt is left in the fields or human-made drainage basins for year-long irrigation and nourishment of the lands. Both the Mesopotamians and Egyptians, with the flooding of the Nile every year, use basin irrigation to great effect. Frogs are happy. See also: Ninazu: Healing, Death, Snakes & War Namtar: Underworld Sukkal & Disease Demon Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books From there the life-giving rivers travel through the craggy hillsides, bringing minerals and silt, with Euphrates ducking through Syria and Iran. The river hooks up with Tigris in Iraq near the Gulf. From their origin points in the Taurus Mountains, both rivers flow through the flood plains of the northern Persian Gulf coast, again distributing precious gifts as water slows and more silt settles. In Egyptian belief, the first humans are made of silt. See also: Gula - Medicine Goddess of Mesopotamia Joyful Arrival of Hapi in Egypt Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the ancient world, the delta is a common departure point for traders, merchants and travelers going by sea. Ur would have been the Kuwait of ancient ages. The Gulf goes into the Arabian Sea and around the corner to the Indus Valley settlers. The Indus Valley Civilization is among the most ancient civilizations. About 3800 BCE, the city of Ur is founded on the coast, at the mouth of the Euphrates. See also: Rise of Pan: Fertility Goat God Péh₂usōn Hepat - Sun Goddess of Aleppo Scorpion Men of Babylonia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Sea trade reaches epic proportions as the Bronze age unfolds and Ur grows to a significant power. As silt continues to settle in the delta, the coast moves south. The ruins of Ur are now about 250 km (155 mi) inland. For the people of the early ages, river routes and mountain passes open communication and trade with others. Tin and copper routes form established networks begun by the older amber roads. Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Taurus mountain range not only provides essential water for several countries, it's a source of precious metals. Copper is the main ingredient of bronze (88% copper, 12% tin). The mountains also purvey edible and healing herbs and spices, for those who know where to look. See also: Amorites - Titans of the Bronze Age Wadjet - Winged Snake Goddess of Egypt Ancient Marsh Muse - Rough Horsetail

In 1938 BCE, the ancient port city of Byblos in the Levant is once more commandeered by the Egyptians. The region is an Egyptian ally since the early 3rd millennium BCE, and a favored city for Egyptian trade. See also: Byblos, Vibrant Port City - Bronze Age Ninkarrak: Ancient Medicine Goddess Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books A Phoenician trade hub, Byblos sits on the sparkling coast of the eastern Mediterranean Sea in modern day Lebanon. With both inland and sea trade routes coming through, Byblos is a busy trade center for a vast array of goods including papyrus, lapis lazuli, salt fish and ceramics. As a middle-man between land and sea, nation to nation, with the most innovative ships on the waters, Byblos establishes a rich and shining city of abundance. The port has been inhabited since c. 8800 BCE, and continuously since c. 5000 BCE. See also: Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Since before c. 3000 BCE Byblos is an important city to the Egyptians. Seafarers, explorers, conquerors and traders, the Egyptians are quick to spot a lucrative opportunity. They find one in the early Phoenicians. The great cedar forests are a prime attraction. Tombs of the Old Kingdom (c. 2900 BCE) use timbers of Lebanon cedar. Cedar wood is decay resistant, can repel insects and has a tight grain making it workable without breakage. See also: Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Myrrh - Mystique, Death & Divinity Bashmu (Bašmu): Voracious Serpent Dragon Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Cedar can be soaked and bent. Cedar from Byblos as well as stone bowls travel to Egypt during the 3rd Dynasty (c. 2600 - 2550). "Byblos ship" is one of the oldest Egyptian terms for an ocean-going vessel. Finds at Byblos refer to Egyptian king Neferhotep I, who reigns in the early 18th century BCE. Rulers of Byblos continue to maintain close relationships with the New Kingdom Pharoahs beginning c. 1600 BCE. See also: Atum of Egypt - First Primordial God Epic of Erra - Plague God of Babylon Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Byblos is famous for the Armana letters, sixty in all, sent to Egypt by the ruler of Byblos, Rib Hadah, and his successor IIi Rapih. The letters plead for military aid from the Pharoah Akhenaten c. 1353 - 1334 BCE. Attacks and harassment from the Haribu, a tribal raider society, cause grief up and down the coast. The rulers of Byblos can only sharpen their weapons and wait. See also: Cassiterite - Tin Source of Ancients Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Bronze Age Trade of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books A collection of independent, merchant family run city-states, the Phoenicians have trade power but lack a large military force. While they are also known as warriors, they don't have enough power to stave off constant attacks. Although the Egyptians manage to control Byblos for hundreds of years, they do so under the agreement of sending soldiers to help protect the city-states. Byblos maintains its own rulers and local administration. Sporadically, Byblos is ruled by a king. See also: Tin Mining in the Bronze Age c 3300 - 1200 BCE Striped Hyena - Bronze Age Wild Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle During the Egyptian period the Kings of Byblos are: c.1340s BC Rib-Adda c.1320 BC Ilirabi / Ili-Rapih c.1320? BC Azirou / Aziru (King of the Amurru kingdom) 1100s BC Zakar Baal Egyptian interest peaks toward the end of the 13th century BCE. Afterward, their focus shifts to the cities of Tyre, home of the famous Tyrian purple dye, and Sidon, about 40 km (24.8 miles) south of today's Beirut. See also: Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Road Allani - Hurrian Underworld Goddess Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The collapse of Egypt's New Kingdom in the 11th century BCE frees Byblos from Egyptian colonial rule. At this time the Phoenicians accelerate their meteoric rise to fortune and glory. See also: Bell Beaker Culture: European Bronze Age Bronze Age Europe - the Amber Roads Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love

Saffron is the most precious spice of the ancient world. It comes from the bright red stigma and stiles, or threads, of the saffron crocus flower (Crocus sativus). Up to 200,000 flowers are needed to yield 1 kg (2.2 lb) of saffron. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Salt Trade - the Most Precious Mineral Potnia: Mystery Goddess of Ancient Greece Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Saffron as a medicinal and sacred herb is used for millennia. The earliest known use of saffron is as a color in cave paintings dating back to 50,000 BCE. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Per weight, saffron is literally more precious than gold. In ancient Egypt, Pharaohs use saffron as a flavoring and as an aphrodisiac. It's an offering to the Gods and also used to perfume baths, homes and temples. See also: Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Minoan palace frescoes use and portray saffron by c.1600 BCE, possibly as a healing treatment. Legends tell of the most precious saffron threads originating from Cilicia. Spread along the southeast coast of Anatolia (Turkey) and partly bordered by the Taurus Mountains, Cilicia has been settled from c. 8700 BCE. In the Bronze Age the rocky coasts and sheltered coves are ideal for pirates. See also: Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Lavender (Lavandula) Health and Nature Fairy Rings, Moon & Nature Magic Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Saffron is among the spices of the Bronze Age trade routes. The routes are founded on the Amber Roads, created through centuries of travel and exchange of Baltic amber and other desirable items such as copper and salt. The mythical story of the crocus origin has many versions. In one of them, in ancient Greece, Crocus is a young man who wants out of his love affair with the nymph Smilax. The gods turn him into a plant bearing his name, the first saffron crocus. See also: Ninkarrak: Ancient Medicine Goddess Cassiterite - Tin Source of Ancients Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The gods also transform Smilax into bindweed. The thorny climbing plant bears bright red berries beloved by birds, but not humans. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure In late Ptolemaic Egypt, Cleopatra uses saffron in her baths, as per tradition, to enhance pleasure of lovemaking. In Egypt, saffron is also a treatment for gastrointestinal problems. In ancient Levant saffron is used as fabric dye. See also: Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Herbology & Lore: Rowan (Mountain Ash) Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The deep golden orange dye is extracted by boiling the saffron threads. Greek courtesans, the hetaerae, use saffron in bathing waters, cosmetics such as mascara, scented oils, medical treatments and potpourri. The Roman Aulus Cornelius Celsus prescribes saffron in medications for wounds, cough, colic, and scabies. It's one 65 species to be named as potential ingredients in the mithridatium, a magic health potion. Phoenicians market saffron both as a dye and treatment for melancholy. See also: Byblos Vibrant Port City: the Egyptians Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Bashmu (Bašmu): Voracious Serpent Dragon Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Because saffron is so expensive, the famous saffron colored robes of Buddhist monks are not dyed with saffron. The dye used is ochre or turmeric, a common herbal substitute. The monks wear the same color robes to show equality. In popular color theory orange is associated with enlightenment. Saffron is given as an offering at various temples or sacred sites. Romans use it in spiced wine and juselle soup. See also: Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Nature Spirits of German Mythology Ugallu - Lion Headed Storm Demon Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle During the Black Plague or Black Death of the fourteenth century, saffron is in demand as an ingredient in medications and possible treatments. Trade ships travel from Europe to the Mediterranean and near East to stock up on saffron. The heist of a loaded ship by pirating nobles in Italy causes a 14-week Saffron War. Piracy and theft are ongoing threats to merchants of saffron. Throughout history saffron is the most expensive spice known. See also: Lapis Lazuli: Vibrant Blue Gem of Ancients Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Phosphorus: Element of Fatal Fascination Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Saffron is popular in cuisines of the world including Arab, Indian, European, Persian and Asian. Although it's native to the ancient near East, the Greeks are the first to cultivate the saffron crocus. It's soon introduced throughout Europe and later, the Americas. See also: Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Anubis: Jackal-Headed God of Egypt Baba Yaga - Slavic Forest Witch Back to Top