The Merdītu-Offerings

Abstract

Some Late Babylonian texts containing evidence on temple ceremonies refer to a sacrificial offering called merdītu, which was performed on special occasions in the sanctuaries of Uruk and Babylon. The merdītu was a libation of sorts poured directly onto the decapitated head of a sheep and onto the heart extracted from an ox or bull. Although the texts are not very informative, they contain some interesting data on the internal structure of the temples, the ritualization of space, and on the cultic performers involved in the ceremonies.