Akitu

The Akitu Festival ( also Akitu, Akiti, Akiti hard; Sumerian Akiti - šekinku and Akiti - šununum, Babylonian RES šattim ) is one of the oldest festivals in the world.

Originally, the New Year celebrations in Sumer ( Uruk ) ( Akiti - šununum ) was celebrated in the month Tašritu under the name Feast of barley sowing. In addition, there was a further New Year celebration with the festival of cutting barley ( Akiti - šekinku ) in the month Nisannu. The New Year celebrations were made of several individual processions, which lasted 11 days. In the Babylonian period the Nisannu - Akitu was only celebrated. With the completion of the old year on the last day of the new year was begun in fact, although it was proclaimed at dusk from 4th to 5th Nisannu as a beginning. The most important ceremony, the consummation of the sacred marriage and the blessing of the gods followed until the 10th and 11th day.

Babylonian Akitu hard

In the Babylonian form of the Akitu hard was called the beginning of the year and especially the supreme god Marduk, dedicated to his son Nabû and other gods. The single processions were at the two places, the temple of Marduk Esagila and new year the house (bit Akitu ) celebrated. Marduk was called by its nickname Bêl (Lord), as the name Marduk in the 1st millennium BC, was considered sacred and was therefore not openly.

1 and 2 Nisannu

The beginning with the first Nisannu is no longer available on cuneiform texts. On 2 Nisannu began the washing of the high priest ( šešgallu ) with the Holy Euphrates water for ritual purity, then the linen curtain in the sanctuary of Esagil teased and spoke the words two hours before the night end: Bêl, adjust the sons of Babylon from all burdens free. Protect your house Esagil. Then the main gates of the temple were opened and the cult singer performed with the musicians for Bêl and his wife Bêltija ( šarparitu ) the ceremony.

3 and 4 Nisannu

The third Nisannu ran off like the second Nisannu. The 4th Nisannu started 3.5 hours before the night end with the prayer of the 2nd Nisannu by the high priest. After that was spoken among looking north, in the main courtyard, a further blessing formula: Pegasus, Esagil as an image of heaven and earth, come three times over Esagil.

After sunrise the king went into the temple of Nabû and received by the high priest the royal scepter handed. He then traveled to the Borsippa, 17 kilometers away to the local Nabû Temple. In the soon following dusk the chief priest of the Etuša recited the Babylonian Enuma Elish work of creation. During this time, the curtain of Anu and Enlil, the throne remained closed.

5 Nisannu

The festivities of the 5th Nisannu started 4 hours prior to the end of night and with the same initiation ceremonies of the 4th Nisannu. Instead of blessing formula Pegasus the words were now spoken: Dimmer ankia as decision makers in the fates, Nunki as spokesman for the wisdom, Asari as Schenker of cultivated land, Jupiter as a signal transmitter, Mercury as a rain bringer, Saturn than truth and justice, Mars Bringer of wild fire emerged as Sirius Ausloter of sea water, the boat as the Lord of Enlil, Nenegar of itself, Numušda as a bringer of continuous rain, the chest of the scorpion as topcoat over the sea, sun and moon reassure all men. Is there any other god but my God? ... [ waiting for answer] ... No? No one is like my God.

After sunrise the priests gave the king the statue of Nabû of Borsippa, which then took his way back to Babylon and arrived there on Uras Gate handed over the statue of the local priesthood. It was followed by the Begüßen of Marduk in Esagila and before entering the temple depositing his arms, the crown and the scepter. The high priest took the king after his ears before Marduk and asked the question: Have you sinned or committed outrages? . At the same time the chief priest gave the king a hard slap. Were then tears into the eyes of the king, and he answered the question with I have always acted without sin, the oracle was consulted, the prophesied traditionally a good future. After reading of the following glorious times for the king of Babylon took the hands of Marduk and regained its insignia. At dusk, the confirmatory ritual followed by the sacred bull of heaven of Ishtar.

6th and 7th Nisannu

On 6 Nisannu the statue of Nabû was brought to the temple of Ninurta to an exhibition match against two enemies, who were represented by golden statues. Of course, the symbolic confrontation ended with a victory for Ninurta, which was then placed next to Marduk to the throne. At dusk reached more statues of the gods of Babylon, whose arrival was held, to the cheers of the population. With the beginning of the 7th Nisannu the statues of the gods were given after a ritual cleansing new clothes.

8 Nisannu

The first highlight of the celebrations began on 8 Nisannu. All statues were taken from their shrines and the Babylonian people presents. It was the day of the homage of all the gods Marduk to represent the loyalty and New Year 's blessing. After the loyalty oath the gods statues attracted the processional to the Euphrates and were loaded onto ships. The king stood at the head of the procession train at Marduk. At the start of the last distance the ships were lifted on dolly and pulled floating to the house of the new year.

The mitfeiernde Babylonian population supported shouting and singing the way of the gods. Content of the songs was the worship of Ishtar and Marduk. The altsumerische god Enlil was ridiculed and called the father of the god Marduk, who is now in the gutter. The subordinate gods Marduk answered in the procession the question of why they did not stay in their sacred temples, sung with scorn with: Because we have to be always where Marduk is. We must follow him and obey his commands.

9th and 10th Nisannu

Extensive knowledge of the 9th and 10th Nisannu missing. These days, the king presented the results of the raids last year before the gods and awaited their homage to him. The conquered treasures were symbolically brought the gods as a sacrifice. Real they came into the care of the priests, which was financed by the majority of the donations. In the dusk of the 10th Nisannu the last highlight of the New Year followed. The king took with Ishtar as the embodiment of Marduk, the sacred marriage ritual in thanks to the gods for successful last year and the blessing for the new year.

11 Nisannu

With the beginning of the 11th Nisannu the gods returned to the house of the new year after Esagila. The end of the procession was identical with the celebrations of 8 Nisannu in reverse order. After a final blessing jurisdiction for Nabû the gods were on their homeward journey to their home temples and shrines.

Aftermath up to the present

The history of Akitu festival was also held by the Assyrians and translated by scholars in many languages. The Akitu celebrations were still carried out over centuries later, on the borders of Babylon addition, it has been introduced, for example, in the 3rd century under the Roman emperor Heliogabalus ( 218-222 ) in honor of the god Elagabalus.

In today's world it is celebrated as a spring festival of many ethnic and religious groups in the Middle East, among other things among the Assyrians, Persians and Arabs every year. In the Assyrian language the hard Akitu is called. It starts every year on March 21 and no longer sees itself as a religious ceremony, but as a cultural and political party.