How did Hattian culture influence the Hittites?

The Hattians were the indigenous inhabitants of central Anatolia and the predecessors of the Hittites, who adopted the name of the region ("Land of Hatti") from them. While the Hittites were Indo-European newcomers, they mingled with the indigenous population, and their culture was significantly shaped by this Hattian substratum.123

The most profound influence of Hattian culture on the Hittites was in the religious sphere. Because the Hattian language was preserved by Hittite scribes primarily for religious purposes, we know that the Hittites incorporated Hattian rituals, myths, litanies, and incantations into their own practices. These texts included ceremonies for the construction of new buildings and various religious rites.1

Furthermore, the Hittite religion was characterized by a tolerant polytheism that integrated indigenous Anatolian deities. The Hittites inherited a complex religious landscape from the Hattians, where individual cult centers maintained distinct personalities for their gods, a tradition the Hittite theologians continued to observe. By the time of the Hittite New Empire, Hattian had become a dead language, but its legacy remained embedded in the Hittite religious and cultural identity.431