Proceedings of the 15th International Academic Conference, Rome

NUMBERS IN ANATOLIAN BELIEVES AND RITUALS FROM PAST TO PRESENT

ASLI KAHRAMAN ÇİNAR

Abstract:

Numbers have been used in each civilisation for the purpose of ritual from past to present. When the Ancient periods of Central Asia, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Anatolia are analysed, it is realized that 1,3,5,9,13,40 numbers are frequently used for religious traditions, rituals and superstitions. The holiness of these numbers is seen in the religious structre, number of gods, pantheon organisation, the sacrifices for god, mythology. The holiness of numbers are also both polytheist and monotheist religion. In this study, holy numbers used by ancient civilisations will be compared with various applications used stil in Anatolia which is called craddle of civilisation. Anatolian territories today is a geography in which common religious and cultural values of Anatolia, Mesopotamia and Central Asia civilisations are blended. Mythology, religion, ritual, proverbs, idioms, tales, lullabies, superstitions of thıs geography will be focused on and common things from past to the present will be included. The study have been prepared on fıeldwork done ın different cities of Anatolia.

Keywords: Ancient Anatolia, Mesopotamia and Central Asia, holiness, holy numbers, ritual and numbers, superstitions

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2015.015.080

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