Technical Terms and Their Rendering
Temples and Their Parts, Cultic Loci
| abussu | storehouse | ešertu | sanctuary | nēmedu | abode |
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| apu | pit | hiburnu | a kind of vat | papāhu | holy of holies |
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| aiakku | shrine | kisallu | court | parakku | dais |
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| (bēt) akīti | akītu (house) | kitturru | stool | qirsu | enclosure |
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| bēt hilāni | portico | kummu | cella | siqqurrutu | ziggurat |
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| bēt hurše | pantry | kussiu | throne, chair | sukku | chapel |
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| bēt ili | house of god | māhāzu | holy place | šahūru | antechamber |
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| bēt qāti | sideroom | manzāzu | post, postament | šubtu | seat |
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| daltu nakiltu | elaborate door | mazzassu | stand | tamliu | terrace |
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| ēkurru | temple | mēliu | steps | tarbuṣu | courtyard |
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| ēnu | spring | nakkantu | treasury | | |
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Cult Statues, Images, Icons
| aladlammû | bull colossus | kurību | cherub | ṣalam šarri | royal image |
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| anzû | Anzû-bird | kusarikku | bison-man | ṣalmu | image, statue |
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Cultic Implements
| agû | crown, tiara | lubussu | garments, clothing | rāṭu | pipe |
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| arzallu | arzallu-implement | maiālu | bed | riksu | ritual arrangement |
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| būzu | glass vessel | mākassu | eating bowl | saplu | bowl |
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| hariu | vat | maškittu | altar | sāru | broom |
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| haṣbu | pots | mudammiqtu | fan | sasuppu | napkin |
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| itqūru | plate | mullilu | purification cone | sikkutu | peg, key |
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| kannu | potstand | mušanmirtu | candelabrum, menorah | šakuttu | jewellery |
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| kanūnu | brazier | nazītu | washbasin | šappu | jug |
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| kappu | bowl | nēmattu | couch | šēhtu | censer, incense altar |
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| kaqqad nēši | lion's head rhyton | nidnakku | portable censer | taphu | cauldrons |
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| kāsu | goblet, cup, chalice | numūru | light | unūtu | implements, utensils |
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| kirru | pithos | pagulu | pagulu-jar | uppu | lock |
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| kukkubu | libation vessel | paššūru | table | urigallu | standard |
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| kulūlu | (mural) crown | pilaggu | lyre | zīqtu | torch |
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| lilissu | kettledrum | qabūtu | cup | | |
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Materials
| balussu | mixed aromatics | mê qāti | hand-water | riqiāti | aromatics |
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| endu | cyperus, incense | qatāru | fumigants | šarpu | combustibles |
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| gaṣṣāti | firewood | qutāru | fumigant | ṭābtu | salt |
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Vehicles
| narkabtu | chariot | ša-šadādi | rickshaw |
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Rituals
| apāl bēt ili | providing for the house of god | rimku | bath |
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| erāb āli | triumphal entry | riqdu | dance |
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| mīs pê | washing of the mouth | šākussu | feeding ritual |
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| naptunu | meal, dinner | tākultu | ceremonial feeding |
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| nāṭu | nāṭu-rite | tallaktu | ceremonia |
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Ritual Acts
| agû našû | to lift up or carry the crown | pānē šanmuru | to illuminate the face |
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| parāṭu | to serve (bread) | | |
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| agû šatbû | to raise the crown | pašūru rakāsu | to set the table |
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| apālu | to provide, service | paššūru paṭāru | to clean the table |
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| appu labānu | to pray humbly | pēt pê epāšu | to perform the Opening-of-the-Mouth ritual |
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| bakāru | to sprinkle (meal) | pilaggu ullulu | to hang the lyre |
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| bētu apālu | to provide for the house | qalû | to roast (animals) |
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| bētu dekû | to 'arouse' the house | qarābu/qarrubu | to offer, produce, bring forth |
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| būzu marruqu | to break the glass vessel | qassu mallû | to string the bow |
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| dariu nasāhu | to perform a regular sacrifice | qātu ṣabātu | to take the hand |
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| endu karāru | to throw in incense | riksu rakāsu | to set up a ritual arrangement |
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| endu tadānu | to give incense | rimku šakānu | to begin the bath |
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| epāšu | to perform | riqdu šakānu | to begin the dance |
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| epru karāru | to scatter dust | riqiāti karāru | to throw in aromatics |
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| hariu patû | to open the vat | sārī šētuqu | to sweep |
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| hitpu hatāpu | to perform hitpu-offerings | silqu apālu | to provide cooked meat |
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| ilāni uppušu | to treat the gods | ṣarruru | to libate by dripping |
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| ina mazassi uzuzzu | to step/stand on the stand | ša-tēlissi šētuqu | to swing purification device |
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| ina tarbaṣi uzuzzu | to take up a position in the courtyard | šakuttu našû | to put on the jewellery |
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| kamanu šarqudu | to make a kamanu-cake dance | šakuttu ullû | to remove the jewellery |
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| kaqquru našāqu | to kiss the ground | šamhuru | to offer (blood to the spring) |
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| labû | to circumambulate | šarāpu | to bum (oil, honey, aromatics) |
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| maqqê turru | make libations | šēhtu šurrû | to light the censer |
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| maqqû gammuru | complete / finish / perform a libation | šēpu našāqu | to kiss the foot |
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| maškittu paṭāru | to clean the altar | šēpu šakānu | to place the foot (upon pit) |
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| mazzassu ṣabātu | to occupy the stand | šubê apālu | to provide roast meat |
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| nammušu | to set out/off (in procession) | šuillakku qabû | to recite a psalm with uplifted hands |
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| nanmuru | to appear (to the public) | šukaʾʾunu | to prostrate oneself |
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| naptunu šakānu | to begin the dinner | šumu zakāru | to invoke the name |
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| naqbītu qabû | to recite a litany | tabû | to rise, stand up; (Š) to make rise |
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| naqû | to libate, pour | tušāru epāšu | to perform battle |
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| nasāhu | to extract, offer, perform (sacrifice) | ṭābtu karāru | to strew salt |
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| niqê epāšu | to make a sacrifice | ṭābtu qarrubu | to offer salt |
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| niqiāti epāšu | to make sacrifices | ušābu | to be seated, sit |
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| niqiāti naqû | to perform sacrifices | utazzuzu | to remain standing |
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| niqiāti nasāhu | to perform sacrifices | uzuzzu | to step stand, stop, halt, (Š) to position |
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| niqiu nasāhu | to perform a sacrifice | zamāru | to sing, intone |
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| pagulu gammuru | to pour out a pagulu-jar | | |
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Gifts, Offerings, Sacrifices
| abnu | (precious) stone | midlu | salted meat |
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| aklu | loave of bread | mirsu | date-cake |
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| akussu | soup | mīru | bull |
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| alpu | ox, bull | mūru | calf |
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| budê | budê-confection | niqiu | sacrifice |
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| dāmu | blood | nishu | cut of meat |
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| dariu | regular sacrifice | nishu | sacrifice |
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| dišpu | honey | nūnu alluttu | fish and a crab |
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| durāʾu | foreleg | pānâti | front part |
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| hammurtu | hammurtu-beer | salqu/silqu | cooked meat |
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| hašlāti | groats | saplišhu | saplišhu |
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| hinhinī | spicy grains | silqu (hanṭu) | (hot) cooked meat |
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| hitpu | a type of sacrifice | ṣēlu | rib |
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| huhhurtu | huhhurtu-bread | ṣīpu | ṣīpu |
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| hurāpu | (male) spring lamb | ṣurāru | libation |
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| iābilu | ram | šamnu | oil |
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| kamanu | kamanu-cake | šamnu naharmuṭu | melted oil |
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| karānu bašlu | cooked wine | šēlūtu | votive gift, votary |
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| kimru | sheep (offering) | šikāru | bear (poured out) |
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| kispu | funerary offering | šubê/šumê | roast meat |
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| kursinnu | fetlock | takburu | fattened sheep |
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| kusāpu | bread | tatidutu | francolin |
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| maqalūtu | burnt offering | zamru | fruit |
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| maqqû | libation | ziqpu | shoot (of a plant) |
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| maṣhutu | finest flour | | |
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Prayers, Songs, Hymns, Psalms and Lamentations
| aiarūrutu | lament | šuillakku | psalm with uplifted hands |
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| eršahunga | penitential psalm | taqribtu | lamentation |
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| eršemma | psalm | zammirūtu | music |
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| ikribu | blessing | zumāru | song |
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| naqbītu | litany | | |
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Simo Parpola, 'Technical Terms and Their Rendering', Assyrian Royal Rituals and Cultic Texts, SAA 20. Original publication: Winona Laka, IN, Eisenbrauns, 2017; online contents: SAAo/SAA20 Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2025 [http://oracc.org/saao/saa20/TechnicalTerms/]