Brand new conceptual away from Phoenician mythology that has been maintained away from Philo compliment of Eusebius (such as for instance biblical notices for a passing fancy subject) was previously are not thought about which have suspician because of the critical grant and thought incontri viaggi to be mainly an invention because of the Philo, without the separate really worth just like the a way to obtain experience with Phoenician faith. That it suspicious feelings as the disappered compliment of the brand new data recovery regarding spiritual unbelievable books away from Ugarit with the north Syrian shore (1927-1937).
This type of high poetical texts found from the D.F.An effective. Schaefer during the a few methods demonstrated the gods out of Philo happen names during the large area now really-identified away from Ugarit along with from other supply. The brand new Philo mythology is actually described as the same moral dump and you may ancient barbarity having affection to own detailed labels and personifications which might be bought at Ugarit.
This new sources of education suggest nothing change in the content away from Canaanite myths ranging from c. 1400 BC and 700 BC. Many specifics of Philo’s membership, not just in the condition of one’s labels out of deities, in new mythological atmosphere as well have been in over arrangement on Ugaritic mythology and later Phoenician inscriptions. Scholars try, thus, rationalized in accepting, about provisionally, all research maintained from the Philo that don’t include subjective interpretation toward their part.
The newest divinities and therefore profile throughout the mythological messages regarding Ugarit was indeed obviously perhaps not strange toward area, however, have been most recent certainly most of the Canaanites, simply because they brear merely a vague link to the best deities worshipped in the city alone
Just like the myths regarding ancient Ugarit suggest, the fresh religion of Canaanite individuals try a harsh and you will debased types of ritual polytheism. It absolutely was on the sexy fertility-cult praise out-of an exceptionally lewd and orgiastic form, and that became way more influential than just about any other character faith on ANE.
This new Ugaritic deities are actually best known of the various out of religious messages matchmaking on fifteenth and you may early fourteenth century BC which were used in a collection situated in a developing created ranging from Ugarit’s a few great temples, that seriously interested in Baal while the almost every other to Dagon
Canaanite deities, into the one hand, expose better fluidity off character and you can setting, which makes it usually nearly impossible to resolve the domain various gods or to establish the kinship to a single some other. This is among really irrational aspects of Canaanite faith, an indicator of their corrupt nature. Concurrently, Canaanite deities features in most cases etymologically transparent names, an undeniable fact and this generally seems to indicate the fresh Canaanite pantheon since the representing good cruder and primitive types of polytheism.
Various epigraphic and you may literary supply inform you brand new brands of one’s chief gods and goddesses of numerous Canaanite citaies in various symptoms.
El is the title by which the latest best Canaanite deity is recognized. This might be and a reputation by which God is called in the old Testament — El, the fresh new God (Elohim) from Israel ( este elohe yisrael: Gen. ). For the majority prose it occures more often that have a keen adjunct: El Elyon (the most large Goodness, Gen. ), El Shaddai (generally, God-almighty, Gen. 17:1), Este Hai (New life Jesus, Josh. 3:10), and also are not in the plural away from majesty, Elohim. Within the Hebrew poetry El is much more constant, where they stands in most cases without the adjunct (Ps. , 33, 48; ; Employment 8:3).
The expression Este try an universal label having “god” in Northwest Semitic (Hebrew and you will Ugaritic) and as such it is also used in the outdated Testament to possess heathen deities or idols (Old boyfriend. ; Ps. ; Is actually. ). The first general term is actually ‘ilum ; shedding the brand new mimation and the nominative circumstances ending ( u ) will get ‘el in the Hebrew. It actually was probably an enthusiastic adjectival development (intransitive participle) on the root “as strong, powerful” ( ‘wl ), definition “New Solid (otherwise Powerful) One to.”