Tions. The gods received loaves of bread and specific parts of sacrificial animals (the

Rest of the meat being used to prepare the ritual meai), libations were made to them

and ritual toasts drunk, the latter referred to in the texts as ‘drinking a god.’ 380

The relief vases from Inandiktepe and Hüseyindede Tepesi perfectly illustrate

such celebrations. The vase from Inandiktepe 0 ' 1 depicts a cult ceremony in four regis-

Ters. The upper two registers show a procession. The main two figures in full ceremo-

Nial dress are accompanied by musicians, dancers and acrobats. They proceed in the

Direction of an altar on which there are three Standing figures of gods. An offering

table can be seen behänd the altar, along with a large storage jar and a ceremonial

Throne with two figures sitting on it. All these fumishings were undoubtedly pari of

The temple inventory. The act of sacrifice is depieted in the third register. A libation is

poured on the left in front of a goddess {?), who sits at an offering table; on the right

A much longer procession of offering bearers is making its way toward the Storm-

God. A bull-shaped figure of the god Stands on a pedestal, before which lies a bound

Sacrificial bull. The bottom register contains scenes of preparing the ritual meai.

A very similar cult scene can be seen on one of the vessels from Hüseyindede

Tepesi.' " In the upper two registers a procession is shown with musicians and

Dancers, leading a sacrificial bull. 383 Similarly as on the vase from inandiktepe, the

Procession makes its way to a temple symbolized by an altar, offering table, and

Cf. Haas 1994a: 64011; Beckman 2003-2005.

377 Kümmel 1973b.

Badali 1991; Schuol 2004; cf. also Roszkowska.1987; de Marfcino 1988; Polvani 1.988; Boehmer

1988; 1992; N. Özgüg 1992; Haas 1994a; 682ff.; Güterbock 1995; Polvani 1999.

De Martine.1989; 1995: cf, also Haas 1994a: 684ff.

380 Güterbock 1950; 96: 1998. For a discussion, see also Collins 1995: 86 with n. 4 6-49; Klinger

Ff.: Nakamura 2002: 71.

381 T. Özgüg 1988: 84ff., Pis 36ff.; cf. also Taracha 2002: 10f.; Schuol 2004: 56ff.

382 Yildirim 2005: 2008. Both described vases from Hüseyindede are on display in the Corum imiseum.

(September 2008) together with a small fragment of another relief vase from this site, showing

A person preparing a ritual meai. like in the bottom register of the vase from Inandiktepe,.

A procession in which a bull was led is depieted also on

T. ÖzgüQ 1988: 100, 103, 105, PL 68.2; Schuol 2004: 63.

Xagrnent

Hittite Anatoua

The Olt.«Hittite Pemod

Ceremonial throne wifch two figures seated on it. The sacrificial act is shown in the

Third register wifch the offering bearers approaching a deity seated behind the offer-

Ing table; sacrificial animals are led: a calf (?) and a stag, Galloping bulls are repre-

Sented in the bottom register.

In a procession scene depicted on. another vessei from this site, a bull is shown

with an acrobat jumping over it." 84 Never before has a similar bull-leaping scene

Been foimd in Hittite Anatolia. Texts might be helpful in the Interpretation of this

Scene. Tfaey speak of acrobatic displays with bulls dedicated to the deity in the con-

text of ritual processions.'' 8 " The bull-leaping scene on the vase from Hüseyindede

Tepesi brings light to bear on similar scenes known from Syrian and Aegean icono-

Graphy, because it confirms the ritual context of these representations.

In the Empire period, the Hittites distinguished between regulär festivals

(SAG.US lukturi), celebrated annually on a set date in the ritual caiendar, and ‘great’

Festivals organized at longer intervals as part of the state cult, usually in six- or

Nine-year cycles. 386 Inasmuch as conclusions can be drawn based on rare and in-

Complete sources, it seems that in the Old Hittite period, most if not all the festivals

wäre celebrated on a regulär basis and the cult caiendar was based primarily on the

Vegetation and agrarian cycles. The KI.LAM festival is a good exarnple. It was first

a regulär festival and only later became a ‘great’ one. Most likely, festivals of the