Letters from the Hittite Kingdom.

• Author: Tas, Ilknur
• Position: Book review

Letters from the Hittite Kingdom. By HARRY A. HOFFNER JR. Writings from the Ancient World, vol. 15. Atlanta: SOCIF:I'Y OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE, 2009. Pp. xviii + 450, map. $45.95 (paper).

The work under review has two components: "Written Correspondence in the Ancient Near East" (pp. 1-34) and "Written Correspondence in the Hittite Kingdom" (pp. 35-374). In the first chapter we find a discussion of the "Primary Function of Written Correspondence in the Ancient Near East." Of particular interest here are Mesopotamian letters to a god, also known as "letter-prayers." The responses from the gods to these letters, the "return mail" as it were, are also considered in detail. In "History and Linguistic Media" the various languages of this correspondence are described, while the cases in which messages were conveyed orally are treated in "Oral Versus Written Correspondence." This section explains why someone might prefer to convey his message orally. One of the techniques used to verify the authenticity of such oral messages was a letter of accreditation from the sender; another strategy was for the person to send along a personal object, for instance a ring. Hoffner also considers the contents of letters written on various kinds of material and in multiple copies.

Under "Personnel," details concerning the scribes, messengers, and letter carriers are provided. In particular, the information on family and social background, training, primary functions, and activities of the scribes is very accessible and clear.

The section on "The Royal Secretary" is disap-pointing since it is not supported from other sources, and "Languages Used in International Correspondence" duplicates material already mentioned earlier. Under the heading "Types of Letters," the range of contents of letters is discussed, and here the topic "Letters Guaranteeing the Bearer Safe Conduct" is particularly interesting.

The physical appearance of letters is described under "Literary Conventions: Common Features and Regional Variants," followed by the various greeting and address formulae used, as well as typical expressions employed in the letters. Hoffner elaborates on certain aspects of the rhetoric of the correspondence. "The Prostration Gesture" (German Huldigungsforrnel) outlines how this old tradition was widespread in many Eastern communities. Note that during the Ottoman period, bowing before the sultans, bowing at the king's feet, and saluting him were almost an obligation...