Illuyanka

Illujanka is a snake demon of Hittite mythology. The same priest Kella describes two different versions of the myth, which is closely connected to the purullija Chinese New Year. Originally it would have been a Hattic myth. In the Catalogue of the text carries the Hittites Illujanka Myth No. 321

The Hittite myths

The weather gods, in the Hittite pantheon of the most high God, must exist in both myths battle against the Dwelling in the sea and the caves the country snake Illujanka.

In the older version of himself ( Teššup heth. Tarhunna, Luwian Tarhunt, Hattish Taru hurr. ) Issues the weather god after his defeat to the other gods and laments his suffering. His daughter, the country's goddess Inara, then gets the help of man Hupasija and invites Illujanka and his children to a hard one. These drunk and be captured by Hupasija. They will be delivered to the weather god who kills her then. Inara takes Hupasija for lover and holds him in her house on a rock firmly. But when violating their ban to look out the window, he sees his family and gets homesick. Then it kills the goddess.

In the recent version Illujanka takes after his victory the eyes and heart of the Weather God itself. The weather gods his revenge for a long time. It bears witness to the daughter of the people ' poor ' a son who in turn marries the daughter of Illujanka. As a wedding gift he receives the required organs of his father, who again gets so old to strength and shape. Then kill the weather gods both Illujanka as well - on the request, - his son, since he has become through his marriage part of the family of Illujanka.

Both times, the weather gods first defeated by Illujanka to defeat and can kill only in a second fight with the help of other snake demon. Many interpret this as a season myth.

Etymology

The word is probably composed of two words for ' snake ': * illu - anka - and *. For the same words the Latin angu - illa and the Greek EGCH - elys would be combined for ' eel ' in reverse order then. The part * illu - would be cognate with our word ' eel ', while * anka - finds himself in Sanskrit.