Gods in the Archival and other Middle Assyrian Texts. An Overview

Abstract

This article surveys the documentation on gods in Middle Assyrian sources, focusing not on theological elaboration but on how deities appear across various text genres. Drawing primarily on archival materials from Assur and Kār-Tukultī-Ninurta, the study examines how gods are mentioned in administrative, legal, ritual, and cultic texts. It explores the functions and status of different deities in practice — including their involvement in oaths, festivals, temple provisioning, and offerings — and highlights the dominance of Aššur, along with the presence of other major and minor gods. The article shows that gods were essential actors in the ideological, legal, and practical dimensions of Assyrian statecraft and everyday administration.