150 herbert niehr
leads to a rift between the ruler and the royal ancestors and is therefore
disadvantageous for the new ruler.97
the curse on the one who erases the inscription is referred to not only
in the inscription of Kammaki from tell halaf98 but also in a hieroglyphic
luwian inscription from carchemisch:
if in future they shall pass down to (one) who shall... , and shall overturn
these orthostats from (their) place(s), or shall erase my name, against him
may tarhunzas, Karhuhas and Kubaba litigate! From him may they not take
up bread and libation! (KarKaMiŠ a 11a § 21–27)99For a larger necropolis, one can point to the burials in shiouq Fawqani,
where cremation was notably practiced.100
3. From the Euphrates to the Mediterranean
in this region the kingdoms of Bit agusi, with the cities arpad, ʿain Dara,
aleppo, neirab, and sefire; Bit gabbari, with the cities samʾal (Zincirli),
Ördekburnu, and tell sifr; Unqi, with the city Kunulua; hamath, with the
cities hamath and hadrak (tell afis); and the kingdom of Kittika will be
discussed.
3.1 Deities and Pantheathere are several important literary sources for the pantheon of the king-
dom Bit agusi.101
First, there is the treaty between King ashur-nirari V (753–746 B.c.)
and King Matiʾel of arpad (saa ii no. 2)102 from 754/753 B.c. then
there are three stelae inscribed with aramaic texts recounting a treaty
between King Bar-gayah of Kittika and King Matiʾel of arpad from sefire
(Kai 222–224).103 this treaty must have been concluded before 740 B.c.
neither treaty recites the entire pantheon of Bit agusi, but both mention
some of the most important deities.
97 cf. van der toorn 1996: 116.
98 cf. röllig 2003: 422–424.
99 text and translation in hawkins 2000: 96.
100 cf. tenu 2009.
101 on the kingdom of Bit agusi, cf. Dion 1997: 113–136; lipiński 2000a: 195–219; niehr
2010a: 243–263; and Fales – Mazzoni 2009–2011.
102 text and translation in parpola – Watanabe 1988: 8–13.
103 text and translation in Fitzmyer 21995.