Abstract
In this paper I hoped to present a brief sketch of the sacred marriage rite of the first millenium B. C. in Babylonia and Assyria. At present, we have several texts concerning the “hierogamy” of the god Nabû and his spouse Tašmetu, written in the Neo-Assyrian period, including three ABL letters and a text with a dialogue between Nabû and Tašmetu.
Analyzing these documents and other related materials, I believe that we can understand the following facts about this important rite: some time during the Sargonic period in Assyria, in the second month of the year, a sacred marriage of Nabû with Tašmetu was celebrated. The divine couple entered in the “bit erši”, which may be a part of the Nabû temple. During this ceremony, the god Nabû took a walk in the garden. It seems that the gods in this rite were represented by their cult statues and that music was played during the rite. A large sacrifice was made so that Nabû and Tašmetu may grant long life to the members of the royal family. There is, however, a Babylonian text which describes a sacred marriage of Nabû with the goddess Nanaja. Unfortunately there are few Babylonian documents that allow reconstruction of a clear image of sacred marriage rite in Babylonia.
