Hittite mythology encompasses the religious beliefs, gods, myths, and practices of the Hittites, an ancient Indo-European people who established a powerful civilization in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) during the second millennium BCE. Though the Hittites have often been overshadowed by their more famous neighbors, such as the Egyptians and Mesopotamians, their mythology offers a unique perspective on the religious and cultural dynamics of the ancient Near East. Their pantheon was vast and complex, incorporating gods from multiple sources, and their myths were steeped in themes of cosmic order, kingship, and the interaction between divine and human realms.
The Hittites inherited much of their religious and mythological framework from the Hattians, the pre-Indo-European people of Anatolia. Over time, they incorporated deities and myths from neighboring cultures, including the Hurrians, Babylonians, and others, creating a syncretic system of belief. The Hittite language is the oldest attested Indo-European language, and the discovery of Hittite texts has provided scholars with critical insight into their mythology and religious practices.
The Hittite pantheon was immense, with some sources referring to “the thousand gods of Hatti,” a reflection of the diversity of deities worshipped in Hittite society. Many of these gods were adopted from surrounding cultures, and as a result, the Hittite religion was highly syncretic, drawing on the traditions of the Hattians, Hurrians, and Mesopotamians. The Hittites recognized both local and foreign deities, believing that each city or region had its own divine patrons. The gods were often associated with natural forces, such as the sky, storms, the earth, and water, as well as human concerns like fertility, war, and justice.
One of the most important deities in the Hittite pantheon was the Storm God, known as Tarhunt or Tarhuna in Hittite, and Tesub in the Hurrian language. As the god of storms and weather, Tarhunt was also associated with kingship and was regarded as a protector of the state. His attributes, such as thunder, lightning, and rain, symbolized his control over the elements, which were vital for agricultural fertility and military success. Tarhunt was often depicted as a powerful warrior, wielding a thunderbolt and riding a chariot drawn by bulls. His consort was the sun goddess Hebat, a significant figure in Hurrian mythology, who was later assimilated into Hittite religion.
The Sun Goddess of Arinna was another prominent figure in the Hittite pantheon. She was the chief deity of the city of Arinna, one of the most important cult centers in the Hittite kingdom. The Sun Goddess of Arinna was a goddess of light, warmth, and life, and was also associated with kingship. The Hittite kings often referred to her as their divine protector and sought her blessing in their military and political endeavors. As with many Hittite deities, the Sun Goddess of Arinna had both a celestial and an earthly aspect, representing both the sun in the sky and the forces of fertility and life on earth.
The Hittites also venerated deities associated with the underworld and death. The god of the underworld was Nergal, a deity borrowed from Mesopotamian mythology, where he was a god of war and plague. Nergal’s association with death made him a significant figure in Hittite funerary practices, where rituals were conducted to ensure the dead received proper passage into the afterlife. In addition to Nergal, the Hittites also revered various chthonic deities, spirits, and demons who were thought to inhabit the underworld or to mediate between the realms of the living and the dead.
The Hittites’ religious practices were closely tied to their mythology, and rituals played a central role in maintaining the favor of the gods. Sacrifices, both animal and human, were common in Hittite religious ceremonies, and the king was often depicted as the chief priest of the state, responsible for ensuring the proper execution of rituals. The king’s role as a mediator between the gods and his people was a reflection of the Hittites’ view of cosmic order, where the well-being of the kingdom depended on maintaining harmony with the divine.
One of the most famous myths in Hittite mythology is the “Song of Kumarbi,” a Hurrian-influenced narrative that describes the conflict between the gods Kumarbi and Tesub. In the myth, Kumarbi, the father of the gods, overthrows the sky god Anu and swallows him, becoming pregnant with various deities, including Tesub, the storm god. Eventually, Tesub is born and rises up against Kumarbi, leading to a cosmic struggle for control of the heavens. This myth is strikingly similar to the Greek myth of Cronus and Zeus, suggesting that it may have influenced later Greek mythology.
The “Song of Ullikummi” is another significant myth, part of the cycle of stories surrounding Kumarbi and Tesub. In this tale, Kumarbi attempts to overthrow Tesub by creating a monstrous stone giant named Ullikummi, who grows to enormous size and threatens the gods. The myth details the gods’ efforts to stop Ullikummi, with Tesub ultimately prevailing. Like many Hittite myths, the “Song of Ullikummi” emphasizes themes of cosmic order, kingship, and the struggle between the forces of chaos and stability.
Another key myth in Hittite tradition is the story of Telepinu, the god of agriculture and fertility. In the myth, Telepinu becomes angry and disappears, causing all fertility to cease—the crops wither, animals stop reproducing, and humans begin to starve. The other gods search for him but are unable to find him. Eventually, the goddess of magic, Kamrusepa, uses her powers to calm Telepinu’s anger and bring him back, restoring fertility to the land. This myth reflects the importance of agriculture in Hittite society and the belief that the gods directly influenced natural and human cycles.
Hittite mythology also includes myths about the relationship between humans and the gods. The Hittites believed that the gods actively intervened in human affairs and that kings, in particular, were chosen by the gods to rule. Kingship was viewed as a divine institution, with the king serving as the intermediary between the gods and the people. In return for their favor, the gods expected loyalty, sacrifices, and rituals. When a king failed to uphold his duties, or when the kingdom was suffering from disasters such as droughts or military defeats, it was often interpreted as a sign that the gods were displeased.
The Hittite creation myths, while less well-preserved, share similarities with those of other ancient Near Eastern cultures. Like their Mesopotamian neighbors, the Hittites believed that the world was created out of chaos and that the gods played a central role in shaping the cosmos and establishing order. In these myths, the gods are often portrayed as forces of nature—storms, the sun, the earth—reflecting the Hittites’ deep connection to the natural world.
The influence of Hittite mythology extended beyond their own borders, particularly through their interactions with other cultures in the Near East. As a powerful kingdom, the Hittites had extensive contacts with Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Aegean world, and their mythology influenced and was influenced by these neighboring civilizations. For instance, the myth of the storm god Tesub’s conflict with the underworld giant Ullikummi may have influenced the Greek myths of Zeus and Typhon. Similarly, Hittite religious practices, such as the use of omens, divination, and sacrifices, show parallels with Mesopotamian and Hurrian traditions.
The legacy of Hittite mythology can also be seen in the religious and cultural practices of the peoples who succeeded them. The Hittites’ political and cultural influence persisted in Anatolia long after the collapse of their empire around 1200 BCE. Their gods and myths were adopted by the Neo-Hittite kingdoms that arose in the region during the first millennium BCE, and traces of their religious traditions can be found in later Anatolian and Near Eastern cultures.
Despite the fragmentary nature of the surviving texts, Hittite mythology provides a valuable window into the religious life of the ancient Near East. It reveals a worldview in which the gods were deeply intertwined with both the natural world and the political order, where kingship was seen as a divine mandate, and where cosmic struggles between order and chaos were reflected in the myths of gods like Tesub and Kumarbi. Through their extensive interactions with other cultures, the Hittites contributed to the shared mythological and religious heritage of the ancient world, influencing later traditions in ways that are still being uncovered by scholars today.
The rich tapestry of Hittite myths and gods reflects the complexity of their civilization, one that stood at the crossroads of multiple cultures and religious traditions. The Hittites’ ability to incorporate and adapt the beliefs of their neighbors into their own religious system allowed them to create a pantheon that was both vast and dynamic, capable of addressing the diverse spiritual needs of their society. From the storm god Tarhunt to the underworld deity Nergal, the gods of the Hittites were not distant, abstract figures but active participants in the world, shaping the fate of humans and nature alike.