The Historiola of the palḫi-vessels and the Gatekeeper

The historiola of the metal palḫi-vessels is embedded in rituals related to the mythological theme of the disappearing god. Although the historiola presents constant elements in the various versions, some clues suggest that it was transmitted by at least two main traditions. The variant attested in the ritual linked to the Myth of the disappearance of the Storm God of Liḫzina, moreover, demonstrates once again that the historiolae were created in the moment by ritualists, who tailored them to fit the specific circumstances of the ritual at hand. Additionally, the attestation of the palḫi-vessels in rituals unrelated to the motif of the disappearing god suggests that the theme had become a tòpos. Probable conceptual archetypes of the palḫi-vessels can be found in the Four Old Hittite Rituals for the royal couple, especially in the Fourth ritual. The Hittite palḫi-vessels may represent a forerunner of Hesiod’s Pandora’s box.