Intern
Lehrstuhl für Altorientalistik

Qualifikationsarbeiten

Sena Baskın
Typological and Chronological Assessment of the Metal Objects from the Karum Period to the End of the Hittite Empire at Hattusa
(Arbeitstitel)
Erstbetreuer: JProf. Dr. Martin Gruber

This study will propose a new typology and a chronological schema for the metal artifacts from the Karum Period to the end of the Hittite empire at Boğazköy-Hattusa. The dating of small finds through their form is an underdeveloped topic in Hittite archaeology. The excavations after 1994, directed by J. Seeher and then by A. Schachner, focused on chronological problems. These excavations unearthed stratigraphically well-defined and chronometrically dated contexts from different parts of the city and resulted in significant changes in the chronological schema for the building phases. While revising the relative dating of Hittite material culture became a necessity, computer-aided quantitative methods enable massive data processing and the multidimensional data analyzing methods such as correspondence analysis provide an advanced technique for seriation.


Eileen Xing
Studies on Hittite Springs and Spring Deities (Arbeitstitel)
Erstbetreuer: Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer

The polytheistic civilization of the Hittites, who ruled from what is now modern-day central Turkey, prided themselves on being a "land of a thousand gods". Like many other mythologies, these gods and goddesses were by and large grounded in natural phenomena, from the celestial (the sun and stars), to the meteorological (the weather), to the geographical. As the third group of deities are modelled after physical landmarks such as springs and mountains, many of which are still present in some form in modern-day Turkey today, this project therefore aims to compile a corpus of texts related to the natural environment as deified in the Hittite texts before examining the relationship of the deities to the physical world as well as the surrounding state cult of the Hittites.


Timothy Leonard
Ištar in Hatti: The Disambiguation of Šawuška and Associated Deities in Hittite Scribal Practice (Arbeitstitel)
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Erstbetreuer: Prof. Dr. Gary Beckman; Mitglied des supervisory committee: Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer
2021–22: DAAD doctoral fellow at the University of Würzburg.


Evelyne Koubková
The Ritual Means of Empowerment of the Mesopotamian Exorcist
(Arbeitstitel)
Yale University
Erstbetreuer: Prof. Dr. Eckart Frahm; Mitglied des dissertation committee: Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer

The goal of this project is to examine the ways in which the Mesopotamian ritual specialist known as the āšipu (a term often translated as “exorcist”) constructed his identity and authority in and through ritual performance. The project focuses on the āšipu’s self-purification and self-protection, his special attire and attributes, and the forms of his ritual speech. The project draws mainly on ritual texts related to the āšipu from the first millennium BCE. Analyzing the construction of the image of the ideal āšipu will lead to a better understanding of his position as a religious professional within the context of other Mesopotamian experts, and facilitate comparison with religious practitioners in other cultures.


Ege Dağbaşı
tbc (Arbeitstitel)
Doktorand der Emmy Noether-Nachwuchsforschungsgruppe The Hittite Annals: Origins, Purpose, and Afterlife.
Erstbetreuer: Dr. James Burgin; Mitglied des Mentorats: Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer


Henry Lewis
All the Gods Went Before Me: Hittite Historiography and its Mesopotamian Forerunners (Arbeitstitel)
Doktorand der Emmy Noether-Nachwuchsforschungsgruppe The Hittite Annals: Origins, Purpose, and Afterlife.
Erstbetreuer: Dr. James Burgin; Mitglied des Mentorats: Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer

Our research questions focus on four text groups: (A) the Hittite Sargonid legends; (B) the Mesopotamian Sargonid legends; (C) Hittite historiography; and (D) Syro-Mesopotamian historiography. The following three research questions will be discussed in the course of the dissertation: (1) to what extent the Hittite/Akkadian version of Sargon, King of Battle, and the later Hittite version of Narām-Sînin Asia Minor shared in ‘literary elements’ with the same or similar Sargonid legends from Mesopotamia (A and B); (2) the influence of the Hittite Sargonid legends on later Hittite historiography (A and C) and Mesopotamian Sargonid legends on Syro-Mesopotamian historiography (B) and D). From research questions (1) and (2), we then hope to generate a concordance of literary elements between all four text groups, resulting in: (3) comparing and contrasting the frequency of these elements in the Hittite and Syro-Mesopotamian spheres (C and D). Our proposed dissertation will make extensive use of literary theory, specifically intertextuality, and will include a new edition of Sargon, King of Battle (CTH 310) and Narām-Sîn in Asia Minor (CTH 311).


Maya Rinderer
Analogism, Poeticity, and Performativity in Ancient Mesopotamian Anti-Witchcraft Rituals

Universität Wien
Doktorandin des ERC-Vorhabens Repetition, Parallelism and Creativity: An Inquiry into the Construction of Meaning in Ancient Mesopotamian Literature and Erudition (Universität Wien).
Erstbetreuerin: Prof. Dr. Nicla De Zorzi (Universität Wien); externe Mitbetreuung: Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer

2021

Adam Howe
Conceptions of Transgression and its Consequences in the Ancient Mesopotamian Exorcistic Corpus
University of Oxford und Universität Würzburg
Betreuer: Dr. Frances Reynolds (Oxford); Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer

Geraldina Rozzi
The Akkadian Great Hymns and Prayers: A Contextualised Edition of the Nabû and Ištar Prayers and a Critical Study of the Corpus
Universität Ca' Foscari Venedig und Universität Würzburg
Betreuer: Prof. Dr. L. Milano (Venedig) und Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer

Fabio Bastici
Untersuchungen zu den hurro-hethitischen Festritualen
Betreuer: Prof. Dr. D. Schwemer; Mentorat: Prof. Dr. E. Rieken, Prof. Dr. M. Giorgieri

2017

Troels Pank Arbøll
Medicine in Ancient Assur. A Microhistorical Study of the Neo-Assyrian Healer Kiṣir-Aššur
University of Copenhagen
Betreuer: Prof. Dr. Nicole Brisch (University of Copenhagen) und Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer (extern)

2015

Gina Konstantopoulos
They are Seven: Demons and Monsters in the Mesopotamian Textual and Artistic Tradition
University of Michigan
Betreuer: Prof. Dr. Piotr Michalowski (University of Michigan) und Prof. Dr. Daniel Schwemer (extern)

2014

Charles Steitler
The Solar Deities of Ancient Anatolia. A Study of the Old and Middle Hittite Texts
Betreuer: D. Schwemer

Francesco Barsacchi
Le cerimonie ittite del tuono. Edizione critica di CTH 630 e 631

Betreuer: D. Schwemer & G. Torri (Doctor Europaeus, Firenze)

Asoss Qader
Arrapḫa (Kirkuk) von den Anfängen bis 1340 v. Chr. nach keilschriftlichen Quellen

Betreuer: D. Schwemer & G. Wilhelm

2012

Izabella Czyzewska
Studies in the Form, Language and Literary History of Hittite Prayers

Betreuer: D. Schwemer (SOAS, London)

Lisa Wilhelmi
The Akkadian of Boğazköy

Betreuer: D. Schwemer (SOAS, London)

2010

An De Vos
Die Lebermodelle aus Boğazköy. Altorientalische Opferschau zwischen 'Theorie' und 'Praxis'. Ein Beitrag aufgrund der Keilschriftquellen bis zum Ende des zweiten Jts. v. Chr.

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm
Publikation: Die Lebermodelle aus Bogazköy (Studien zu den Boğazköy-Texten, Beiheft 5), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2013

2009

Yasuhiko Sakuma
Hethitische Vogelorakel

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm
http://opus.bibliothek.uni-wuerzburg.de/volltexte/2013/8062/

2008

Mark Weeden
Hittite Logograms and Hittite Scholarship

Betreuer: D. Schwemer & J.D. Hawkins
Publikation: Hittite Logograms and Hittite Scholarship (Studien zu den Boğazköy-Texten 54), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2011

2004

Elisabeth Völling
Textilien und Textilherstellung im Alten Orient von ihren Anfängen bis zur neubabylonischen Zeit

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm
Publikation: Textiltechnik im Alten Orient. Rohstoffe und Herstellung, Würzburg: Ergon Verlag, 2008

Geeta De Clerq
Die Göttin Ninegal/Belet-ekalli(m)

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm

2003

Jared L. Miller
Herkunft, Entwicklung und Interpretation der "Kizzuwatna-Rituale"

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm
Publikation: Studies in the Origins, Development and Interpretation of the Kizzuwatna Rituals (Studien zu den Boğazköy-Texten 46), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2004

2001

Rocío da Riva
Sippar in frühneubabylonischer Zeit (7.-6. Jh.): Ergebnisse der Untersuchung früherer Verwaltungsurkunden aus dem Ebabbar-Archiv

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm
Publikation: Der Ebabbar-Tempel von Sippar in frühneubabylonischer Zeit (640 - 580 v. Chr.) (Alter Orient und Altes Testament 291), Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2002

2000

Regine Pruzsinszky
Die Personennamen in den Texten aus Emar

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm & H. Hunger
Publikation: Die Personennamen der Texte aus Emar (Studies on the Civilization and Culture of Nuzi and the Hurrians 13), Bethesda Md.: CDL Press, 2003

Daniel Schwemer
Die Wettergottgestalten Mesopotamiens und Nordsyriens im Zeitalter der Keilschriftkulturen. Materialien und Studien nach den schriftlichen Quellen

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm & J. Bauer
Publikation: Die Wettergottgestalten Mesopotamiens und Nordsyriens im Zeitalter der Keilschriftkulturen. Materialien und Studien nach den schriftlichen Quellen, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2001

1999

Jeanette C. Fincke
Augenleiden nach keilschriftlichen Quellen. Untersuchungen zur altorientalischen Medizin

Betreuer: G. Wilhelm
Publikation: Augenleiden nach keilschriftlichen Quellen. Untersuchungen zur altorientalischen Medizin (Würzburger medizinhistorische Forschungen 70), Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann, 2000

Charles W. Steitler
Studies in texts of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM Festival. Genesis, development and structure of an itinerant state celebration

The Hittite AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival, perhaps the most extensive itinerant festival of the state cult calendar, was organized in the early Empire Period. The events of the festival are described in so-called outline tablets providing a brief sequential itinerary for all the individual days of the festival. The day tablets, on the other hand, give a more detailed description of the ritual and cultic activities carried out within a particular section of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival, e.g. on a particular day, in a particular location, and for a particular deity or deities. The known outline tablets of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival differ from one another to varying degrees in the events reported for and in the number and sequence of days of the festival celebrations. Furthermore, the day tablets attributed to the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival cannot always be classified according to the days described in the outline tablets. In addition, a number of festivals were celebrated in the spring in local cult contexts; many of these may have been integrated at some point into the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival.

The proposed study will attempt a synchronic reconstruction of the events of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival, utilizing both outline and day tablets, but also the numerous fragments that could not yet be attributed to a particular day of AN.DAḪ.ŠUM. In addition to these, other festival fragments (CTH 670 especially) could also potentially belong to the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM; these will requires a systematic and targeted check through (e.g. searches for particular deities, functionaries, rites, etc. or combinations thereof). A few portions of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival have already been the subject of extensive studies, the results of which will also be critically considered in the proposed comprehensive study. Special attention will of course be paid to those portions of the festival that have received little or no attention to date. The synchronic study will be complemented by a diachronic approach to the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival, which attempts to trace its genesis from multiple independent (local) spring festivals into a centrally planned and executed itinerant festival celebrated principally by the Hittite king.

The study is situated within the research infrastructure of the project Corpus der hethitischen Festrituale (HFR – Mainz/Marburg/Würzburg). The critical online text editions prepared by the author for HFR will present the exhaustive material of all texts belonging to the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival, which are in turn evaluated in the study described above. Critical editions of all other festivals or the preliminary material thereof will also be utilized within HFR for the study of the AN.DAḪ.ŠUM festival. Thematic treatments of selected specific elements of the festival (deities, rites, functionaries, local cults, etc.) as well as a comparative analyses utilizing other relevant text sources from the ancient Near East will round off the study.

2018

Dahlia Shehata
Der Anzu-Vogel. Bedeutung und Wandel eines mesopotamischen Mischwesens in Literatur und Ikonographie. Mit einer Neuedition und Analyse der Anzu-Erzählungen
Ausgehend von einer Neuedition aller akkadischen Versionen des ‘Anzû-Mythos’ wird die Gestalt des Löwenadlers Anzû nach schriftlichen wie bildlichen Quellen in einer diachron angelegten Studie vorgestellt. Zusätzlich zur literarkritischen und philologischen Untersuchung, die das Desiderat einer umfassenden und aktualisierten Quellensammlung einlöst, leistet die Arbeit einen Beitrag zur Religionsgeschichte Mesopotamiens auf der Grundlage einer umfangreichen Belegsammlung vom 3. bis 1. Jt. v. Chr.

2005

Daniel Schwemer
Schadenzauber in Mesopotamien. Quellen und Studien
Publikationen:
Abwehrzauber und Behexung. Studien zum Schadenzauberglauben im alten Mesopotamien, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2007
Keilschrifttexte aus Assur literarischen Inhalts II: Rituale und Beschwörungen gegen Schadenzauber (Wissenschaftliche Veröffentlichungen der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft 117), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2007

2004

Rainer M. Czichon
Studien zur Regionalgeschichte von Hattuscha/Boğazköy vom Chalkolithikum bis zur Byzantinischen Zeit

2002

Jörg Klinger
Die Rezeption der altorientalischen Traditionsliteratur in Hatti