Editing Sin (mythology) (section)

====Second millennium BCE====

The oldest evidence for the worship of Sin in Harran might be an inscription of [[Naram-Suen of Eshnunna]] dated to the late nineteenth century BCE, though its reading remains uncertain, and it is generally assumed the earliest unambiguous references to "Sin of Harran" (<sup>d</sup>EN.ZU ''ša ḫa-ar-ra-nim<sup>ki</sup>'') occur in texts from [[Mari, Syria|Mari]] from the reign of [[Zimri-Lim]] (1782-1759 BCE), such as a letter mentioning a [[É (temple)|temple]] dedicated to him.{{sfn|Groß|2014|p=140}} It states that the local ruler, Asdi-Takim, signed a treaty with the kings of [[Zalmaqqum]] and the elders of DUMU-''iamina'' in this house of worship.{{sfn|Holloway|2002|p=391}} It was known as {{ill|Eḫulḫul|de|Ehulhul}} (𒂍𒄾𒄾), "house which gives joy",{{sfn|George|1993|p=99}} though this ceremonial name is not attested before the [[Neo-Assyrian period]].{{sfn|Krebernik|1997|p=368}} Due to continuous occupation of Harran no buildings predating [[late antiquity]] have been identified during excavations, and as of 2023 the exact location of the temple of Sin is unknown.{{sfn|Blömer|2023|p=313}}

The worship of Sin in Harran is not well documented through the rest of the second millennium BCE, though he does appear among the divine witnesses in a treaty between [[Šuppiluliuma I]] of the [[Hittite Empire]] and [[Šattiwaza]] of the [[Mitanni Empire]] as one of the deities of the latter of these two states.{{sfn|Groß|2014|p=140}} Alfonso Archi points out that he and [[Kušuḫ]], the [[Hurrian religion|Hurrian]] moon god, are listed separately in this source.{{sfn|Archi|2013|pp=8-9}} There is no evidence that Sin of Harran was worshiped by Hittites.{{sfn|Holloway|2002|p=392}} However, he was incorporated into [[Luwian religion]], as indicated by references to his introduction to [[Tarḫuntašša]] from the second millennium BCE.{{sfn|Taracha|2009|p=110}} [[Manfred Hutter]] states that his cult spread there from [[Kizzuwatna]], where he and Kušuḫ were the moon deities favored by [[Luwians]], in contrast with [[Arma (deity)|Arma]]'s popularity among western Luwian communities.{{sfn|Hutter|2003|p=227}}