Description

This volume is based on the German edition "Religionsgeschichte Anatoliens" (2021). It has been completely revised with the latest research literature and restructured for the English book market: Based on religious ideas and practices, this volume describes the interaction of religions with political and social institutions in Anatolia, beginning with archaeological findings from the end of the 3rd millennium. The first written information on religious aspects is provided by ancient Assyrian letters, before a rich written tradition begins with the emergence of the ancient Hittite Empire in the 17th century. After the fall of the Hittite Empire at the beginning of the 12th century, some neo-Hittite states utilised the older religious traditions for their claim to legitimacy, but combined them with innovations, which are presented in the final chapter.