amalug [PRIESTESS] N (65x) Early Dynastic IIIb, Old Babylonian, Neo-Assyrian, Hellenistic wr. amalu; amalug; a-ma-lu; ama-lu; amaluₓ(GA₂×AN.MUŠ₃) "a priestess; cultic prostitute; goddess"

[1]	𒂼𒀭𒈹	amalu
[2]	𒂼𒈜	amalug
[3]	𒀀𒈠𒇻	a-ma-lu
[4]	𒂼𒇻	ama-lu
[5]	𒂼𒈹𒂼𒈹	amaluₓ(GA₂×AN.MUŠ₃)

	ED IIIb	OB	Post-OB
[1]	1	14	42
[2]	1	2	2
[3]		1
[4]		1
[5]	1

8 distinct forms attested; click to view forms table.

Attested in the following periods:

Early Dynastic IIIb (3x/5%)

Old Babylonian (18x/28%)

Neo-Assyrian (39x/60%)

Hellenistic (5x/8%)

Senses:

1. a priestess (14x/22%)

2. cultic prostitute (3x/5%)

3. goddess (48x/74%)

Akk. amalītu; ištaru.

Bibliography

[1995] A. Cavigneaux and F. Al-Rawi, ZA 85 31-32.

amalu

= amalūtum (MHET 1/2, 030 o i 8').

Lexical Associations

amalītu[(a cultic functionary)]N (// amalug[priestess])

amalu = a-ma-lu-tu-[um] (OB Nippur Diri Seg.7, 20; OECT 04, 153 b 38; MHET 1/2, 030 o i 8').

ištaru[goddess]N (// amalug[priestess])

amalu = iš-ta-ru-um (OECT 04, 153 b 39).

References for all phrases

amalug[priestess]

ama-lul (TMH 8, 07 o i 5; OB Nippur Lu 323).

amalu (TMH 8, 07 o i 3, o i 4; ED Lu E 74; OB Nippur Lu 321, 322).