Editing Hittites (section)

==Religion and mythology==
[[File:Museum_of_Anatolian_Civilizations027.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Stag statuette, symbol of a Hittite male god. This figure is used for the [[Hacettepe University]] emblem.]]
[[File:T._E._Lawrence_and_L._Woolley_at_Carchemish_(1913).jpg|thumb|right|Early Hittite artifact found by [[T. E. Lawrence]] and [[Leonard Woolley]] (right) in [[Carchemish]]]]
{{Main|Hittite mythology}}
Hittite religion and mythology were heavily influenced by their [[Hattians|Hattic]], [[Mesopotamian mythology|Mesopotamian]], [[Canaanite religion|Canaanite]], and [[Hurrians#Religion|Hurrian]] counterparts. In earlier times, [[Indo-European mythology|Indo-European]] elements may still be clearly discerned.

[[Weather god|Storm gods]] were prominent in the Hittite pantheon. [[Tarhunt]] ([[Hurrian]]'s Teshub) was referred to as 'The Conqueror', 'The king of Kummiya', 'King of Heaven', 'Lord of the land of Hatti'. He was chief among the gods and his [[symbol]] is the bull. As Teshub he was depicted as a bearded man astride two mountains and bearing a club. He was the god of battle and victory, especially when the conflict involved a foreign power.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/hittite-ref.html|author=Siren, Christopher B.|title='Hittite/Hurrian Mythology REF 1.2', ''Myths and Legends''|website=Comcast.net|access-date=8 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040706151443/http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/hittite-ref.html|archive-date=6 July 2004|url-status=live}}</ref> Teshub was also known for his conflict with the serpent [[Illuyanka]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0KXABAAAQBAJ&q=Teshub%20Illuyanka&pg=PT32|title=A Brief Guide to the Greek Myths|last1=Kershaw|first1=Stephen P.|year=2013 |publisher=Little, Brown Book Group|isbn=978-1472107541|language=en}}</ref>

The Hittite gods are also honoured with festivals, such as [[Puruli]] in the spring, the ''nuntarriyashas'' festival in the autumn, and the KI.LAM festival of the gate house where images of the Storm God and up to thirty other idols were paraded through the streets.{{sfn|Bryce|2002|p=135}}