First, a quick introduction to the main gods in this story. Yarikh: The Canaanite moon god and consort of Nikkal-Ib. A common epithet is "The luminary of the sky." Nikkal-Ib: Likely a Mesopotamian moon goddess (Ningal) associated with the moon and orchards. Consort of Yarikh. Katharat: Seven goddess associated with conception and birth. Their epithet is "The radiant daughters of the new moon." Khirikhbi: A possibly divine being known as "King of summer" who plays matchmaker for Yarikh. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yarikh, god of the moon, sends a message to the matchmaker Khirikhbi, requesting the hand of the goddess Nikkal-Ib. �Get me Nikkal! Yarikh would wed her, Let Ib enter his home!� Yarikh promises a great amount of gold, silver, and jewels of the finest lapis-lazuli to Nikkal�s family as a dowry. He poetically describes how he will cultivate her love as one cultivates a fertile field. �I will make her field like a vineyard, The field of her love like an orchard� Khirikhbi responds by suggesting two other goddesses instead; Ba�al�s daughter, Pidray and Ashtar�s daughter, Yaparudmay. Yarikh will not hear of it. �Now! Look here! My marriage must be with Nikkal!� Matters are sorted out and Yarikh pays the enormous dowry to Nikkal�s family. All of the family members assist in measuring out the bride-price and the marriage is official. A concluding hymn is sung: �Oh, Nikkal-Ib, whom I sing. May Yarikh shine bright, May Yarikh shine on you.� Other sections of this text appear to be referring to the marriage of a young woman called PRBKHTH. The Katharat goddesses are praised and called upon to bless the new bride with a fertile womb. It is speculated that the poem of Yarikh and Nikkal may have been recited at weddings in hopes that the human brides were given the blessings of the Katharat goddesses just as the divine bride Nikkal was. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ References Parker, S. B. (1997). Ugaritic narrative poetry. Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature. |
| Mathbatu The Cyber Dwelling of a Canaanite Pagan |
| The Betrothal of Yarikh and Nikkal-Ib |
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