Luwian Curses as Religious Discourse

Abstract

Abstract Luwian incantations embedded in Hittite ritual texts reflect local traditions and religious discourses of different parts of Anatolia and Northern Syria. Among the various types of Luwian incantations, this paper will focus on the contextual analysis of cuneiform Luwian curses related to the Kuwattalla and Puriyanni traditions. Curses will be studied as religious discourse, analysing how individual elements of the curse interplay with the general structure of the ritual text in which it is embedded. To do so, a comparative perspective will be applied. Hittite ritual texts coming from the same or adjacent areas and reflecting common religious traditions will be used to elucidate difficult passages. This study may contribute to improve our understanding of Luwian texts as well as to highlight local concepts related to witchcraft.