The use of (perfumed) oil in Hittite rituals with particular emphasis on funerary practices

According to the Hittite texts, Late Bronze Age Anatolia was known for the diversity of its agricultural products. Oil-bearing plants are listed among them. Hittite scholars distinguish ‘oil’, ‘fat’ and similar products on the basis of their attestations. Additionally, lexical analysis of Hittite terms or their equivalents - usually concealed behind logograms - helps philologists to identify oil products. The use of oil obtained from different plants is richly attested in different genres. In this respect, the description of ritual scenarios seems to be very productive. From procedures of the rituals we can infer that oil was used for several purposes. In this article attention is placed on the use of ‘perfumed oil’ in rituals with particular emphasis on funerary practices. In addition, selected possible comparisons with other funerary contexts are briefly presented.