Akitu New Year Traditions

Akitu New Year Traditions


تكبير الصورةتصغير الصورة معاينة الأبعاد الأصلية.

Babylonian New Year - Mesopotamia

The people of Mesopotamia celebrate the New Year
festival known as Akitu in the springtime. At this time they celebrate the
arrival of the spring rains and the renewal of nature, as well as the renewal of
the community.
At the festival the story of the creation is read
out to remind people of the order of the universe and how it had risen out of
the struggle between Marduck the god of heaven and Tiamut goddess of the powers
of chaos.
On day three the king is put through the ritual of
humiliation. All of his powers are removed and he is hit in the face by a
priest, who tells him he must go and pray for forgiveness of his sins. Three
days later he reappears and is absolved.
His royal insignia is restored, ceremonies are
performed to ensure that nature will support him during the coming year and then
he takes part in a procession.
After the procession the next three days are full
of chaotic activities of all sorts.
On the very last day, that is the tenth day of the
festival, a banquet was held to celebrate the restoration of order to the
society or the community.
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