Kumarbi

Grain-deity and 'father of the gods'; deposed Anu by biting off his genitals, thereby conceiving Teshub, Aranzah and Tasmisu. Held kingship before Teshub and repeatedly sought to reclaim it. Son of Alalu.

Parentage

• paternal: Alalu

Children

• Aranzah
• Hedammu
• Shaushka
• Tasmisu
• Teshub
• Ullikummi

Domains

• grain
• fatherhood of the gods

Powers

• Father monstrous champions to contest kingship

Epithets

• Kumarbi attaš ilāni hittite · Kumarbi attaš šiunaš'Kumarbi, father of the gods' — his standing epithet in the Kingship cycleSong of Kumarbi (CTH 344) (primary)

Relations

• spouse: Sertapsuruhi
• equated with: EnlilMesopotamian-Hurrian lists equate Kumarbi with Enlil, the 'father of the gods' who is not the reigning king. Preserves grain-lordship and senior paternity; Enlil never plots against the storm-king.H. A. Hoffner, Hittite Myths (2nd ed. 1998); G. Wilhelm, The Hurrians (1989) (secondary)
• equated with: ElUgarit's Hurrian offering-lists set Kumarbi in El's position as aged father of the gods. Preserves the deposed/passive elder-god slot; El is benign, Kumarbi actively engenders monsters to regain rule.G. Wilhelm, The Hurrians (1989), on the Ugarit Hurrian pantheon lists (secondary)
• equated with: DaganIn Syria Kumarbi was identified with Dagan: both grain-gods and 'fathers' of the storm-god (Dagan of Baal, Kumarbi of Teshub). Preserves the grain-father; Dagan has no succession-myth hostility.L. Feliu, The God Dagan in Bronze Age Syria (2003) (secondary)

Sources

• existence: Song of Kumarbi (Kingship in Heaven), Hattusa tablets (primary)
• kingship: Song of Kumarbi (Kingship in Heaven) (primary)