Canaanite Religion

Abstract

Canaanite religion" is a controversial term because the Bible and some religious scholars distinguish between Canaanite and Israelite religions. However, biblical and archaeological data suggest that Israelite religion was one local variety of the larger, regional Canaanite religion. Canaanite religion is the religion of all peoples living on the eastern Mediterranean seaboard prior to the Common Era. The gods and the myths in this region display some stable characteristics, yet evolved new details and changing divine relationships throughout ancient times. At the center of Canaanite religion was royal concern for religious and political legitimacy and the imposition of a divinely ordained legal structure, as well as peasant emphasis on fertility of the crops, flocks, and humans. I. Sources for the Study of Canaanite ReligionANCIENT SOURCES Archaeological excavations have exposed Canaanite household religious shrines, personal religious artifacts such as amulets, rural religious shrines, large urban temples with public altars, ritual utensils and divine statues, as well as documents. Religious documents from ancient Canaan range from stone inscriptions to personal correspondence on broken pottery. In one important case, an archive of ancient clay writing tablets has been recovered. These tablets from a city called Ugarit contain poetic narrative myths, lists of the gods, and descriptions of rituals. The Bible is another significant literary resource, as well as texts from various sites such as Emar. Although the ancient literature is valuable, almost all ancient peoples were illiterate and therefore did not read these documents, which were composed by and for the wealthy. The documents depict the religious beliefs and rituals of the upper classes, and it is difficult to know how far down the social ladder such beliefs and rituals extended. The beginning student is especially encouraged to consult two bibliographical sections at the conclusion of this article:"Ancient texts in English translation" and "Reference works." RESEARCH METHODSAny investigation of religion, regardless of historical period or geographic focus, requires attention to questions of research method. Although the

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