The 12 days of Assyrian new year celebrations in ancient times

This year, Assyrians around the globe celebrate the Assyrian new year of 6773. The Akitu Festival was celebrated on 12 consecutive days during the Assyrian-Babylonian empires period with different rituals and activities on each one of those days

The festival ends with a royal procession. Credit: iimgur.com.jpg

The modern Syriac people have celebrated Akitu, or Assyrian-Babylonian new year, for decades, in their homeland and worldwide. There are tens or even hundreds of articles and documents telling the story of Akitu. We have summarised it for you in this article and audio presentation. 

Ancient Assyrians-Babylonians celebrated the Akitu festival for 12 consecutive days. Here is what happened on each day.

Day 1: Assyrians dedicate their time on this day to pray to the gods. After that, they will start preparing for the second day's festivities.

Assyrian traditional dress Credit: aap.jpg

Day 2: Before sunrise, the high priest would bathe in the Euphrates River; when he came out, he would put on a white robe to symbolise purity. Then he enters the temple to pray to the gods to bless him and the nation. Then other priests would enter the temple and start praying.

 Day 3: Before sunset, priests would pray and then the people would join the prayers.

Then the king would take the statue of Nabu, son of Marduk, inside the temple to be worshipped.

Day 4: The high priests start telling stories about the creation. The general public would be singing and dancing. This is a day of memorial and celebration.

Today's Assyrians carrying on traditions. Credit: Ajannc.jpg

Day 5: The general public would gather on the edge of the river to cook, eat, and celebrate while waiting for the king's arrival.

On his arrival, the king would be escorted to the temple by the high priest. There, the king got off his throne and took off his imperial gown and knelt in front of the gods and told them that he had no sin or ill feeling against them, his people and his kingdom. This was a symbol of humility.

Then the priests accepted the king's confession, put his royal attire back on, and reintroduced him to the public and the celebration started again.

The procession of the King and Queen. Credit: AANF.jpg

Day 6: The priests brought all of the gods' statues from all of the cities inside the temple.

Day 7: On this day, God Marduk would disappear and nobody knew his whereabouts. This meant he went to fight with Goddess Tiamat. He was imprisoned in the mountains of the Universe and then, God Nabu with other gods went on a mission to rescue him.

Assyrian festival costumes. Credit: AANF.jpg

Day 8: On this day, the king would hold the hand of God Marduk and introduce him to other gods. Then all those gods would give their power to Marduk, and he would become the Supreme God.

Day 9: The king led a procession of floats, covered with gold and precious blue stones. In the first float, four priests assisted God Marduk. The second float would be the royal carriage drawn by three horses, followed by other floats.

Today's celebrations. Credit: AANF.jpg

Day 10: Marduk celebrated his victory with the gods of Heaven and earth. At the end of the feast and celebration, Marduk would return to the capital to start the Holy marriage ceremony.

This marriage was necessary to ensure the fertility of the land.

Day 11: On this day, the gods performed a ritual of "Determination of the Destiny" of humanity for the coming year.

Day 12: The gods returned to the temple while people continued to celebrate.

 

---

SBS Assyrian wishes you all a happy Assyrian new year of 6773.