The nubāttu of Marduk
This article explores the Akkadian term nubāttu, typically translated “nighttime” or “overnight stay,” and its evolving meaning as a ceremony or festival day throughout cuneiform literature. Although hemerological texts typically understand nubāttu as a regular festival day in the Babylonian cultic...
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Universidad Nacional de Rosario
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://claroscuro.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revista/article/view/173 |
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I15-R225-article-1732025-12-20T17:53:37Z The nubāttu of Marduk El nubāttu de Marduk Rubin, Zachary Babilonia Enūma eliš Marduk Calendario de culto Anti-brujería Babylon Enūma eliš Marduk Cultic calendar Anti-witchcraft This article explores the Akkadian term nubāttu, typically translated “nighttime” or “overnight stay,” and its evolving meaning as a ceremony or festival day throughout cuneiform literature. Although hemerological texts typically understand nubāttu as a regular festival day in the Babylonian cultic calendar, typically connected with the god Marduk, its meaning and ritual significance vary widely throughout the rest of the cuneiform corpus. It first appears in rituals performed ad hoc for local royalty in Ebla and Mari, where it takes the form of a divine encampment. A similar nuance is attested in Babylonian rituals from the first millennium BCE, where nubāttu is attested as an overnight encampment made for lengthy divine processions. In apotropaic anti-witchcraft texts like Maqlû, nubāttu instead refers to an auspicious date in the calendar, and Marduk is identified as its owner or brother. Finally, the Babylonian national epic Enūma eliš reinterprets nubāttu as a symbolic name for Babylon and its New Year’s Festival. The evolving meaning and theological significance of nubāttu reflects broader trends in Babylonian religion, which saw the elevation of Marduk to supremacy over the pantheon, and the centralization of the cult around Babylon. Este artículo explora el término acadio nubāttu, traducido típicamente como «noche» o «pernoctación», y su significado evolutivo como ceremonia o día festivo a lo largo de la literatura cuneiforme. Si bien los textos hemerológicos suelen entender nubāttu como un día festivo ordinario en el calendario cultual babilónico, generalmente relacionado con el dios Marduk, su significado y trascendencia ritual varían ampliamente en el resto del corpus cuneiforme. Aparece por primera vez en los textos que describen rituales ad hoc para la realeza local de Ebla y Mari, en los que designa un campamento para los dioses. Un sentido similar se atestigua en los textos rituales babilónicos del primer milenio a.n.e., donde nubāttu designa un campamento nocturno destinado a las procesiones divinas de larga duración. En cambio, en los textos apotropaicos de anti-brujería como Maqlû, nubāttu alude a una fecha auspiciosa en el calendario dominada o hermanada con Marduk. Finalmente, Enūma eliš reinterpreta nubāttu como un nombre simbólico de Babilonia y su Festival de Año Nuevo. La evolución del significado y la importancia teológica de nubāttu refleja tendencias más amplias en la religión babilónica, que presenció el ascenso de Marduk a la supremacía del panteón y la centralización del culto desde Babilonia. Universidad Nacional de Rosario 2025-12-16 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/pdf https://claroscuro.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revista/article/view/173 10.35305/cl.vi24.173 Claroscuro. Revista del Centro de Estudios sobre Diversidad Cultural; No. 24 (2025): In search of meaning: Studies on the Akkadian lexicon; 1-38 Claroscuro. Revista del Centro de Estudios sobre Diversidad Cultural; Núm. 24 (2025): En busca de significado: Estudios sobre el léxico acadio; 1-38 2314-0542 eng https://claroscuro.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revista/article/view/173/178 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 |
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Universidad Nacional de Rosario |
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I-15 |
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R-225 |
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Claroscuro |
| language |
Inglés |
| format |
Artículo revista |
| topic |
Babilonia Enūma eliš Marduk Calendario de culto Anti-brujería Babylon Enūma eliš Marduk Cultic calendar Anti-witchcraft |
| spellingShingle |
Babilonia Enūma eliš Marduk Calendario de culto Anti-brujería Babylon Enūma eliš Marduk Cultic calendar Anti-witchcraft Rubin, Zachary The nubāttu of Marduk |
| topic_facet |
Babilonia Enūma eliš Marduk Calendario de culto Anti-brujería Babylon Enūma eliš Marduk Cultic calendar Anti-witchcraft |
| author |
Rubin, Zachary |
| author_facet |
Rubin, Zachary |
| author_sort |
Rubin, Zachary |
| title |
The nubāttu of Marduk |
| title_short |
The nubāttu of Marduk |
| title_full |
The nubāttu of Marduk |
| title_fullStr |
The nubāttu of Marduk |
| title_full_unstemmed |
The nubāttu of Marduk |
| title_sort |
nubāttu of marduk |
| description |
This article explores the Akkadian term nubāttu, typically translated “nighttime” or “overnight stay,” and its evolving meaning as a ceremony or festival day throughout cuneiform literature. Although hemerological texts typically understand nubāttu as a regular festival day in the Babylonian cultic calendar, typically connected with the god Marduk, its meaning and ritual significance vary widely throughout the rest of the cuneiform corpus. It first appears in rituals performed ad hoc for local royalty in Ebla and Mari, where it takes the form of a divine encampment. A similar nuance is attested in Babylonian rituals from the first millennium BCE, where nubāttu is attested as an overnight encampment made for lengthy divine processions. In apotropaic anti-witchcraft texts like Maqlû, nubāttu instead refers to an auspicious date in the calendar, and Marduk is identified as its owner or brother. Finally, the Babylonian national epic Enūma eliš reinterprets nubāttu as a symbolic name for Babylon and its New Year’s Festival. The evolving meaning and theological significance of nubāttu reflects broader trends in Babylonian religion, which saw the elevation of Marduk to supremacy over the pantheon, and the centralization of the cult around Babylon. |
| publisher |
Universidad Nacional de Rosario |
| publishDate |
2025 |
| url |
https://claroscuro.unr.edu.ar/index.php/revista/article/view/173 |
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