Motifs of Drought in Ugaritic Narratives
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19595271 |
|---|---|
| Authors | František Válek (0000-0003-1449-004X, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 394 |
| Pages | 147-160 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Bulletin of the American Society of Overseas Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2769-3589 • E-ISSN: 2769-3600 |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1086/737385 |
| OpenAlex | W4413409135 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 14 |
This paper discusses the motifs of drought as they appear in Ugaritic narratives, namely the Baʿlu Cycle, Epic of ʾAqhatu, and Epic of Kirtu. It argues that the recurring character of these motifs can indicate that the author(s) of these compositions could have reacted to the environmental changes emerging at the end of the Late Bronze Age. Apart from discussing the relevant passages of these texts, the paper sets them within the broader cultural, political, and environmental milieu of the Late Bronze Age world. It is argued that while the author(s) might have also been inspired by existing literary lore (such as Atraḫasīs or Hittite myths of disappearing deities), the climate change, droughts, and consequent food shortages underscore the social relevance of recounting such stories. The Ugaritic narratives are discussed in the perspective of the theory of social myths, directing our attention to the social relevance of myths and the intentions of social actors. In this case, the social significance might have been in the pondering of a variety of cosmological meanings and causes in order to address the challenges and boost the social and political resilience of the Kingdom of Ugarit
Art · Geography · Literature · Narrative · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Ancient Near East History · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · History
Perspectives on Public Policy in Societal-Environmental Crises
Environmental Roots of the Late Bronze Age Crisis
Demystifying Collapse
Grain Tribute in Hittite Syria and the Fall of Ugarit
Reassembling the Social
Climate Change and Ancient Societies in Europe and the Near East
The social construction of reality
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |