The Origin of Baal

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7213/2175-1838.16.003.DS01

Abstract

The origin of Baal is complex. Analysis of archaeological and epigraphic artifacts points to Upper Mesopotamia aligned with the Gods of Weather. It specifically points to Aleppo, the motherland of the God Hadu. From Aleppo, during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, the cult of Hadu expanded to the entire Levant. In Lower Mesopotamia under the nomenclature of Haddu, Hadda, Hadad, Addu and Adad. On the Syro-palestinian coast, in the middle of the second millennium B.C.E., Hadu is worshipped, initially, with the epithet "Baal," Baal-Hadu. Soon, the epithet would replace the Deity. Hadu becomes Baal. And from there, from the north of the coast, specifically from Ugarit, the cult of the "new" God Baal spreads rapidly and receives new "addenda". In Phoenicia he will be worshipped as Baalsamen and Baal-Melkart; farther south, in Ekron, as Baal-Zebub; in Egypt, as Baal-Seth; in Shechem, as Baal-Berith; in Israel and Judah, as Baal.

 

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Author Biography

José Ademar Kaefer, Metodista

José Ademar Kaefer, doutor em Sagradas Escrituras pela Universidade de Münster, Alemanha; Pós-doutorado pelo Departamento de Arqueologia da Universidade de Tel Aviv, Israel; Professor titular de mestrado e doutorado de AT da UMESP; Coordenador do Grupo de Pesquisa “Arqueologia do Antigo Oriente Próximo” (http://portal.metodista.br/arqueologia; metodista.academia.edu/JoséAdemarKaefer); Editor da Revista RIBLA em português. e-mail: [email protected]

Published

2024-12-17

How to Cite

Kaefer, J. A. (2024). The Origin of Baal. Pistis Praxis, 16(3), 395–408. https://doi.org/10.7213/2175-1838.16.003.DS01