Hatra: Three Notes, Historical, Iconographical, and Religious

Research at Hatra reveals that Zqyqa, not Nergal, was the primary underworld deity worshipped there. This discovery stems from the excavation of Shrine II, where an altar depicted Zqyqa alongside other underworld imagery, contradicting earlier assumptions based on the Cerberus relief found in Shrine I. Additionally, findings suggest a form of ancestor worship at Hatra, evidenced by two similar horned male statues—one identified as Kenzw and another as Hpyzw—both associated with inscriptions and ritual offerings. The study also clarifies the historical lineage of Hatra's rulers, proposing that Wrwd mrya and Nşru mrya are one and the same, a figure who led successful defenses against Trajan's Roman army in 116/117 A.D., as commemorated in Shrine V's relief lintel. These insights were derived from epigraphical, sculptural, and archaeological evidence.

al-Salihi, W. (2021). HATRA: THREE NOTES, HISTORICAL, ICONOGRAPHICAL, AND RELIGIOUS. Iraq, 83, 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/irq.2021.12