MEZOPOTAMYA VE DOĞU AKDENİZ METİNLERİNE GÖRE KEHANET GELENEĞİ

Abstract

İnsanlar, gelecekte gerçekleşmesi muhtemel olayların sonuçlarını öğrenme arayışı içinde olmuştur. Bu bakımdan kehanet Antik Mısır’dan, Roma’ya kadar farklı toplumlarda karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Kehanet’in farklı yorumları bulunmakla birlikte genel olarak geleceğe ilişkin bir yorumlama biçimi olarak değerlendirilebilir. Özellikle eskiçağ tarihinde kehanet, din ile yakından ilgili olan bir konu olup, Latince ismi de tanrılardan gelmektedir. Ancak toplumdan topluma yorumlama da değişiklik gösterebilmektedir. Bu çalışma, Sami kökeni taşıyan Mezopotamya ve Doğu Akdeniz kültürlerinde kehanet olgusunu incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Buna yönelik olarak Mezopotamya’da Asur, Babil ve Mari çivi yazılı metinleri değerlendirilmiş; Doğu Akdeniz kapsamında ise Ugarit arşivleri ve İbraniler değerlendirilmiştir. Ugarit ve Mezopotamya’dan elde edilen çivi yazılı tabletler karşılaştırıldığı zaman, kehanet yapısının benzer tekniklere dayandığı anlaşılmıştır. Bu bakımdan karaciğer ve akciğer modelleri, deforme olmuş insan ve hayvan fetüsleri, ay ve rüyalar üzerinden kehanetler yapıldığı görülmüştür. İbrani kültüründe kehanet kapsamında ise Eski Ahit ve Tevrat’tan İbraniler ve dinleri üzerine bilgi vermesinden dolayı yararlanılmıştır. Bu kapsamda Eski Ahit tek tanrılı inanç sistemi çerçevesinde şekillenmiş; kehanetler tanrıya sorularak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Kehaneti yapan ise kral ya da peygamberdir. Makalemiz, genel hatları ile Mezopotamya ve Doğu Akdeniz coğrafyasında tarihsel süreklilik kurmadan farklı bölgelerde kehanet pratiklerini ele alarak, benzer ve farklı yönlerini incelemeyi hedeflemektedir.

Keywords

• Kehanet
• Ugarit
• Tevrat
• Mezopotamya
• Kâhin

The Tradition of Divination According to Mesopotamian and Eastern Mediterranean Texts

Abstract

Humans have always sought to understand the outcomes of events likely to occur in the future. In this respect, divination is found in various societies from Ancient Egypt to Rome. While divination has different interpretations, it can generally be considered a form of interpretation regarding the future. Especially in ancient history, divination is closely related to religion, and its Latin name comes from the gods. However, interpretations can vary from society to society. This study aims to examine the phenomenon of divination in Mesopotamian and Eastern Mediterranean cultures of Semitic origin. To this end, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Mari cuneiform texts from Mesopotamia have been evaluated; and within the Eastern Mediterranean context, Ugarit archives and Hebrew texts have been assessed. When cuneiform tablets from Ugarit and Mesopotamia are compared, it is understood that the structure of divination is based on similar techniques. In this regard, it has been observed that divination was made using liver and lung models, deformed human and animal fetuses, the moon, and dreams. In Hebrew culture, divination is based on the Old and Torah. Testaments, which provide information about the Hebrews and their religion. The Old Testament, within its monotheistic belief system, facilitated prophecies by consulting God. The person making the prophecy was either a king or a prophet. This article aims to examine the similarities and differences in divination practices in different regions of Mesopotamia and the Eastern Mediterranean, without establishing a historical continuity.

Keywords

• Ugarit
• Torah
• Mesopotamia
• Divination
• Oracle

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