Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(2): 267-278
Andreas JOHANDI
ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this article is to study the divine figure(s) who hid behind the writing dMAR.TU
during the Ur III period. The question is posed whether this writing signified only Martu/Amurru, the Amorite deity,
or is there any reason to believe that Martu was not the only divine concept that stood behind this writing. As we
know, in some other cases in Mesopotamian religion, the names of several deities were written in the same way (with
the same signs). Some earlier studies have assumed that there was a connection between the similarly named gods
Martu and Marduk. In the second part of the article, this question is revisited and it is asked whether the “other”
dMAR.TU could be identical with Marduk, the later king of the gods in Mesopotamia. Finally, the relationship of
dMAR.TU to the divine figure named AN.AN.MAR.TU is also discussed.
KEYWORDS
Martu, Amurru, Amorites, Marduk, Mesopotamian religion, Ur III pantheon..