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How was the Hittite war god connected to the Hattian deity Wurunkatti and the Hurrian deity Hesui?
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In the context of Hittite religion, the identity of the Hittite war god is obscured by the use of the Mesopotamian logogram ZABABA in official texts. This deity was functionally and culturally linked to other traditions through syncretism:
- Hattian connection: The Hittite war god was identified with the Hattian deity Wurunkatti, whose name translates to "king of the land."
- Hurrian connection: He was similarly associated with the Hurrian deity Hesui, who served as his Hurrian counterpart within the pantheon.1
This practice of using logograms to represent native deities was common in Hittite religious texts, often masking the original Anatolian or Hurrian names of their gods behind established Mesopotamian titles.1