Ḫarimtum

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Ḫarimtum (also Charimtum, Harimtum, Harimtu ; Sumerian KAR.KID ) was in ancient times one hand the Akkadian legal name of a social class, the unmarried women belonged to the over a limited period Prostitution Commercial exercised, and also an epithet of the sky goddess Inanna or Ishtar . As a synonym, the name “ Šamḫat ” denotes this type of woman. The term “Ḫarimtu” also used in the Gilgamesh epic stands for “ prostitute ”, “ courtesan ” and in a positive sense for “ whore ”.

Definition of terms

The term “Ḫarimtum” has the meaning of “separate” and includes in particular women who were considered “ outlawed ” in the sense of “unbound” and were normally not obliged to any temple or other organizations. In particular, but not exclusively, this legal category included women who secured their income through professional prostitution or who engaged in sexual acts with partners of their choice.

The city of Uruk was known in ancient times for hosting numerous members of the Ḫarimtum class. The assumption that the term "Ḫarimtum" represented a female priestly title has not been confirmed after evaluation of the associated texts. In the Central Assyrian legal collection (1500 to 1000 BC), among other things, the veiling of women is regulated. The legal characteristic of a Ḫarimtu or KAR.KID is also distinguished here from the characterization of a priestess:

“Wives of an a'ilu, widows or Assyrian women who go out into the street do not leave their heads unveiled ... If they go out alone during the day, they definitely cover themselves up. A priestess who has married a husband is veiled in the square; one who has not married a husband leaves her head uncovered on the square ... An Ḫarimtu does not cover herself, she leaves her head open. Whoever sees a veiled Ḫarimtu grabs it ... He does not take her jewelry away. Your clothes are taken by the one who has grasped them. She is beaten with 50 strokes of the stick. Bad luck is poured out on their head ... But if an a'ilu sees a veiled Ḫarimtu ... does not bring them to the entrance of the palace, this a'ilu is hit with 50 strokes of the stick. The it has indicated, takes his clothes ... a full month he does (a'ilu) forced labor . "

- Central Assyrian Law, A § 40

Inanna as Ḫarimtu

In her capacity as “Ḫarimtu” or “KAR.KID”, Inanna can be found in many stories in the tavern milieu : When I (Inanna) sit in the gate of the hostel, I am the KAR.KID that the men know . The Ninegal hymn also shows that Inanna dresses and adorns herself like a KAR.KID and makes contact with the men in the tavern . A woman who calls herself "KAR.KID" in a love affair reports on her characteristics:

"The beautiful young girl standing in the street, the young girl, KAR.KID, Inanna's daughter, the young girl, Inanna's daughter, who is staying in the hostel, is (like) plenty of fat, plenty of curdled milk, is the cow, Inanna's high wife, is Enki's great granary . "

- Lines 1 to 6

Mention of the Ḫarimtu Šamḫat in the Gilgamesh epic

In the Gilgamesh epic , the female type "Ḫarimtum" is represented in the ancient Babylonian texts by Šamḫat, who seduced the steppe man Enkidu and subsequently helped to introduce him to human culture:

“The prostitute (Šamḫat) opened her mouth and said to Enkidu: Eat, Enkidu, of the bread that belongs to man. Drink Enkidu, from the beer that defines the cultivated land. "

- Epic of Gilgamesh, plate 2, verses 40 to 51

literature

  • Adam Falkenstein : Sumerian-Religious Texts In: Journal for Assyriology and Near Eastern Archeology (ZA), Vol. 56. de Gruyter, Berlin 1964, pp. 44–129.
  • Andrew R. George: The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic: Introduction, critical Edition and cuneiform Texts; Vol. 1 . Oxford University Press, Oxford 2003, ISBN 0-1992-7841-5
  • Wilfred George Lambert: Prostitution In: Volkert Haas : Outsiders and marginalized groups: Contributions to a social history of the ancient Orient . Xenia, Konstanz 1992, ISBN 3-8794-0429-1 , pp. 127-161.
  • Stefan M. Maul : The Gilgamesh Epic . Beck, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-406-52870-8

Remarks

  1. ^ Wilfred George Lambert: Prostitution . P. 127.
  2. ↑ Jörg Klinger: Priest . In: Dietz-Otto Edzard et al.: Reallexikon der Assyriologie und Near Eastern Archeology , Vol. 10 . de Gruyter, Berlin 2005, ISBN 3-1101-8535-0 , p. 633
  3. ^ A b Eckhart Otto: The Deuteronomy: Political Theology and Legal Form in Judah and Assyria . de Gruyter, Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-1101-6621-6 , pp. 178, 181
  4. ^ Adam Falkenstein: Sumerian religious texts . P. 116
  5. ↑ Ḫarimtu piša ipušamma izzakkara ana Enkidu ; according to Andrew R. George: The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic . P. 312
  6. ↑ Stefan M. Maul: The Gilgamesh epic . P. 58