Baal Hammon, properly Baʿal Ḥammon or Baʿal Ḥamon (Phoenician: 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤌𐤍Baʿl Ḥamūn; Punic: 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤌𐤍Bʻl Ḥmn),[1] meaning “Lord Hammon”, was the chief god of Carthage. He was a weather god considered responsible for the fertility of vegetation and esteemed as King of the Gods. He was depicted as a bearded older man with curling ram's horns.[2] Baʿal Ḥammon's female cult partner was Tanit.[3]
He is clearly identified as one of the Phoenician deities covered under the name of Baal.[4] However, the meaning of his second name is unclear. Frank Moore Cross argued for a connection to Hamōn, the Ugaritic name for Mount Amanus, a peak in the Nur Mountains which separate Syria from Cilicia.[5] In the 19th century, when Ernest Renan excavated the ruins of Hammon (Ḥammon), the modern Umm al-‘Awamid between Tyre and Acre, he found two Phoenician inscriptions dedicated to El-Hammon.[6]
Others have proposed Hammon as a syncretic association with Libyan-Egyptian god Amun,[7] while a last current has called instead for a connection with the Northwest Semitic word ḥammān ("brazier"), suggesting the sense "Lord of the Brazier".[6]
Cult and attributes
The worship of Baʿal Hammon flourished in the Phoenician colony of Carthage. His supremacy among the Carthaginian gods is believed to date to the fifth century BC, after relations between Carthage and Tyre were broken off at the time of the Battle of Himera (480 BC).[8] Baal Hammon was known as the Chief of the pantheon of Carthage and the deity that made vegetation grow; as with most deities of Carthage, he was seemingly propitiated with child sacrifice, likely in times of strife or crisis, or only by elites, perhaps for the good of the whole community. This practice was recorded by Greeks and Romans, but dismissed as propaganda by modern scholars, until archeologists unearthed urns containing the cremated remains of infants in places of ritual sacrifice. Some scholars believe this confirms the accounts of child sacrifice, while others insist these are the remains of children who died young. [9][dubious – discuss]
He has been identified with a solar deity,[6] although Yigael Yadin thought him to be a moon god.[citation needed]Edward Lipinski identifies him with the god Dagon.[10] In Carthage and North Africa Baʿal Hammon was especially associated with the ram and was worshiped also as Baʿal Qarnaim ("Lord of Two Horns") in an open-air sanctuary at Jebel Boukornine ("the two-horned hill") across the bay from Carthage, in Tunisia.[11]
The interpretatio graeca identified him with the Titan Cronus. In ancient Rome, he was identified with Saturn, and the cultural exchange between Rome and Carthage as a result of the Second Punic War may have influenced the development of the festival of Saturnalia.[12][clarification needed]. Attributes of his Romanized form as an African Saturn indicate that Hammon (Amunus in Philo's work) was a fertility god.[13]
An incense burner depicting Ba'al-Hamon, 2nd century BC
Legacy
There is a survival in modern times in onomastics with some first names in use particularly in Tunisia grafted onto the name of the god. Algerian, Tunisian and many other spoken forms of Arabic refer to "Baali farming" to refer to non-irrigated agriculture.[14] Such usage is attested in Hebrew, a Canaanite language sister to Phoenician, already in the 2nd century CE Mishnah.[15]
A street in modern Carthage, located near the Punic Ports, bears the name of Baal Hammon.[16]
^Krahmalkov, Charles R. (2000). Phoenician-Punic Dictionary. Leuven: Peeters. p. 113. ISBN90-429-0770-3.
^Brouillet, Monique Seefried, ed. From Hannibal to Saint Augustine: Ancient Art of North Africa from the Musee du Louvre. Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University: Atlanta GA, 1994.
^Roberto Peter Bongiovanni (2014). "The Interchange of Plain Velar and Aspirate in Kronos/Chronos: A Case for Etymological Equivalence". Master's thesis at City University of New York.
^Robert E.A. Palmer, Rome and Carthage at Peace (Franz Steiner, 1997), pp. 63–64.
^/place/Rue+Baal+Hammon,+Tunisie/@36.8480006,10.3239041,753m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x12e2b4cac8227357:0x5d79c4f871806c6!8m2!3d36.8479963.26d19028, Rue Baal Hammon Archaeological Site of Carthage, Tunisia, at google.com/maps
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baal Hammon.
On-line parallel Bible: Song of Solomon 8:11
January 08, 2023
baal, hammon, properly, baʿal, Ḥammon, baʿal, Ḥamon, phoenician, 𐤁𐤏𐤋, 𐤇𐤌𐤍, baʿl, Ḥamūn, punic, 𐤁𐤏𐤋, 𐤇𐤌𐤍, bʻl, Ḥmn, meaning, lord, hammon, chief, carthage, weather, considered, responsible, fertility, vegetation, esteemed, king, gods, depicted, bearded, older, . Baal Hammon properly Baʿal Ḥammon or Baʿal Ḥamon Phoenician 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤌𐤍 Baʿl Ḥamun Punic 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤌𐤍 Bʻl Ḥmn 1 meaning Lord Hammon was the chief god of Carthage He was a weather god considered responsible for the fertility of vegetation and esteemed as King of the Gods He was depicted as a bearded older man with curling ram s horns 2 Baʿal Ḥammon s female cult partner was Tanit 3 Baʿal ḤammonWeather and Vegetative FertilityKing of the GodsStatue of Baʿal Hammon on his throne with a crown and flanked by sphinges 1st century ConsortTanitGreek equivalentCronusRoman equivalentSaturnCanaanite equivalentEl Contents 1 Etymology 2 Cult and attributes 3 Legacy 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEtymology EditHe is clearly identified as one of the Phoenician deities covered under the name of Baal 4 However the meaning of his second name is unclear Frank Moore Cross argued for a connection to Hamōn the Ugaritic name for Mount Amanus a peak in the Nur Mountains which separate Syria from Cilicia 5 In the 19th century when Ernest Renan excavated the ruins of Hammon Ḥammon the modern Umm al Awamid between Tyre and Acre he found two Phoenician inscriptions dedicated to El Hammon 6 Others have proposed Hammon as a syncretic association with Libyan Egyptian god Amun 7 while a last current has called instead for a connection with the Northwest Semitic word ḥamman brazier suggesting the sense Lord of the Brazier 6 Cult and attributes EditThe worship of Baʿal Hammon flourished in the Phoenician colony of Carthage His supremacy among the Carthaginian gods is believed to date to the fifth century BC after relations between Carthage and Tyre were broken off at the time of the Battle of Himera 480 BC 8 Baal Hammon was known as the Chief of the pantheon of Carthage and the deity that made vegetation grow as with most deities of Carthage he was seemingly propitiated with child sacrifice likely in times of strife or crisis or only by elites perhaps for the good of the whole community This practice was recorded by Greeks and Romans but dismissed as propaganda by modern scholars until archeologists unearthed urns containing the cremated remains of infants in places of ritual sacrifice Some scholars believe this confirms the accounts of child sacrifice while others insist these are the remains of children who died young 9 dubious discuss He has been identified with a solar deity 6 although Yigael Yadin thought him to be a moon god citation needed Edward Lipinski identifies him with the god Dagon 10 In Carthage and North Africa Baʿal Hammon was especially associated with the ram and was worshiped also as Baʿal Qarnaim Lord of Two Horns in an open air sanctuary at Jebel Boukornine the two horned hill across the bay from Carthage in Tunisia 11 The interpretatio graeca identified him with the Titan Cronus In ancient Rome he was identified with Saturn and the cultural exchange between Rome and Carthage as a result of the Second Punic War may have influenced the development of the festival of Saturnalia 12 clarification needed Attributes of his Romanized form as an African Saturn indicate that Hammon Amunus in Philo s work was a fertility god 13 An incense burner depicting Ba al Hamon 2nd century BCLegacy EditThere is a survival in modern times in onomastics with some first names in use particularly in Tunisia grafted onto the name of the god Algerian Tunisian and many other spoken forms of Arabic refer to Baali farming to refer to non irrigated agriculture 14 Such usage is attested in Hebrew a Canaanite language sister to Phoenician already in the 2nd century CE Mishnah 15 A street in modern Carthage located near the Punic Ports bears the name of Baal Hammon 16 See also EditPunic religionReferences Edit Krahmalkov Charles R 2000 Phoenician Punic Dictionary Leuven Peeters p 113 ISBN 90 429 0770 3 Brouillet Monique Seefried ed From Hannibal to Saint Augustine Ancient Art of North Africa from the Musee du Louvre Michael C Carlos Museum Emory University Atlanta GA 1994 Serge Lancel Carthage A History p 195 Carthaginian Religion World History Encyclopedia Retrieved 2017 08 04 Cross Frank Moore 1973 Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic Harvard University Press p 26 28 ISBN 9780674091764 Retrieved 19 January 2017 a b c Walbank Frank William 1979 A Historical Commentary on Polybius Volume 2 Clarendon Press p 47 S G F Brandon Dictionary of Comparative Religion 1970 Littlehampton 978 0297000440 Moscati Sabatino 2001 The Phoenicians Tauris p 132 ISBN 1 85043 533 2 Kennedy Maev 21 January 2014 Carthaginians sacrificed own children archaeologists say The Guardian Retrieved 19 May 2020 Edward Lipinski Dictionnaire de la civilisation phenicienne et punique 1992 ISBN 2 503 50033 1 Roberto Peter Bongiovanni 2014 The Interchange of Plain Velar and Aspirate in Kronos Chronos A Case for Etymological Equivalence Master s thesis at City University of New York Robert E A Palmer Rome and Carthage at Peace Franz Steiner 1997 pp 63 64 Serge Lancel 1995 Carthage A History p197 Ottavo contributo alla storia degli studi classici e del mondo antico Arnaldo Momigliano 1987 p240 Mishnah Sheviit 2 9 www sefaria org Retrieved 2021 08 10 place Rue Baal Hammon Tunisie 36 8480006 10 3239041 753m data 3m2 1e3 4b1 4m5 3m4 1s0x12e2b4cac8227357 0x5d79c4f871806c6 8m2 3d36 8479963 26d19028 Rue Baal Hammon Archaeological Site of Carthage Tunisia at google com mapsExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baal Hammon On line parallel Bible Song of Solomon 8 11 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Baal Hammon amp oldid 1127487840, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
