Wilderness and Liminal Spaces in Hittite Religious Thought

The article aims at addressing the topic of the religious understanding of wilderness in Hittite thought from a multiple perspective. First, the concept of “other place”, expressed in Hittite sources as dammel(i) pedan will be analyzed. This expression is often used to indicate a place separated from the normal space of human activity, and therefore particularly suited for the performance of cult practices and the disposal of impurities during the execution of magical rituals. Wilderness, however, can also represent a potentially dangerous place, where negative entities such as the IMIN(.IMIN).BI demons, are thought to dwell. Reconsidering the value and meaning of this fundamental concept, the article aims to contribute to the study of the relationship between natural space and religious practice in Hittite Anatolia.