Kumarbi/Kumaris

The Hittite god Kumarbi was considered the father of all gods.

Sometimes equated with the Sumerian god Enlil, Kumarbi is described as bearing a staff and “thinking wise thoughts.” His sacred city was Urkis.

Like Anu before him, who served Alalu for nine years then overthrew him, Kumarbi served as Anu’s cupbearer for nine years and then rebelled. In the process of catching Anu, Kumarbi bit off and swallowed Anu’s phallus.

This left Kumarbi, although male, impregnated with three deities: Teshub, the storm god; Aranzahus, the personification of the Tigris River; and Tasmisus. Kumarbi spat out Aranzahus and Tasmisus onto Mount Kanzuras, but he could not rid himself of Teshub until magic was worked on him.

Kumarbi eventually was overthrown by his son Teshub. Kumarbi then plotted to overthrow Teshub. He lay with a sentient rock, which gave birth to the weapon that Kumarbi believed would give him victory—the stone warrior, Ullikummi. But the attempted coup failed, and Teshub remained in power.

Written by :

Ira Spar

Sources

• Gurney, O.R. The Hittites. Rev. ed. New York: Penguin,1990.
• Hoffner, Harry A. Hittite Myths. 2nd ed. Atlanta: Scholars, 1991.
• Hooke, S.H. Middle Eastern Mythology. Mineola, NY:Dover, 2004.

SEE ALSO:

• An/Anu
• Wise Man or Woman
• Hittite Mythology
• Middle Eastern Mythology

SOURCE:

Storytelling: an encyclopedia of mythology and folklore – Edited by : Josepha Sherman – © 2008 by M.E. Sharpe, Inc.