KBo 17.17+: REMARKS ON AN OLD HITTITE ROYAL SUBSTITUTION RITUAL

Abstract

Abstract The focus of this article is a much debated passage of the Old Hittite magical ritual KBo 17.17+, for which the author proposes a new reading and interpretation. One of the results of this study is the isolation of a new lemma (LÚ) ānt- "equal", which might be related to the Luvian hapax aiauala- in the Tawagalawa Letter. The lemma ānt- also occurs in the substitute king rituals, thus raising the question whether KBo 17.17+ might belong to this type of rituals. If so, KBo 17.17+ would be the oldest Hittite example of the substitute king rituals.