Essential Information & explanations, latest texts & monographs on
Asherah.
The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah: Evidence for a Hebrew Goddess (University of Cambridge Oriental Publications, Vol. 57) by Judith M. Hadley
Asherah and the Cult of Yahweh in Israel (Society of Biblical Literature Monograph Series, No. 34) by Saul M. Olyan
Yahweh's Wife: Sex in the Evolution of Monotheism: A Study of Yahweh, Asherah, Ritual Sodomy and Temple Prostitution (Women in History Series, Vol.) by Arthur Frederick Ide
The Serpent Symbol in the Ancient Near East: Nahash and Asherah: Death, Life, and Healing (Studies in Judaism) by Leslie S. Wilson
Asherah: Goodesses in Ugarit, Israel & the Old Testament by Tilde Binger
Aserah, Extrabiblical Evidence (Harvard Semitic Monographs, No 37) by Walter A. Maier
Asherah and the Cult of Yahweh in Israel by Saul M. Olyan
Only One God?: Monotheism in Ancient Israel and the Veneration of the Goddess Asherah by Bob Becking
Asherah: Goddess of Israel (American University Studies, Series Vii, Theology and Religion, Vol. 74) by Richard J. Pettey
Judean Pillar Figurines and the Archaeology of Asherah (BAR) by R. Kletter
Één God alleen-- ? : over monotheïsme in Oud-Israël en de verering van de godin Asjera by Kok
A reassessment of 'Asherah' : a study according to the textual sources of the first two millennia B.C.E by Steve A. Wiggins
Aschera und der Ausschliesslichkeitsanspruch YHWHs : Beiträge zu literarischen, religionsgeschichtlichen und ikonographischen Aspekten der Ascheradiskussion by Christian Frevel
Asherah
Asherah was the local Canaanite name of a Semitic goddess more widely worshipped as Astarte. Information about her general character and cult can be found at Astarte. This entry concerns the cult of Asherah in Ugarit, Canaan, Israel and Judah.
Asherah's name appears on the tablets at Ugarit, before ca 1200 BCE, as the consort of El, in the form Athirat.
Asherah was the Consort of the Lord, and where the lord was Baal ("lord"), she was associated with him as his female counterpart. Where the lord was Adonai, she could similarly be associated with him in popular cult. By comparing the Syrian Adonis ("lord") and his consort Astarte/Aphrodite one senses her identity with Astarte, Ishtar and Belili (also rendered Baalat as the feminine form, -at, of the lord Baal). Her presence is sometimes signified by the Lunar Bull.
In Biblical times, from the perspective of writers at Jerusalam, Asherah was principally worshipped in the Philistine Pentapolis, the coalition of five cities ruled by kings: Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath and Gaza). But her cult was also in Canaan and, for some time, Israel.
Some among the ancient Hebrews worshipped her, and the 7th century prophets admonished them. She appears in the Old Testament under the name of Ashtoreth and Astoreth, and in Jerome's Vulgate she is rendered Astaroth. Some translations included the original name, Asherah.
Two painted inscriptions "Jahweh of Samaria/the guardian and his Asherah" on fragments of the type of large terracotta pot that archaeologists call a pithos were found in the site of a caravanserai of the 8th century BCE at Kuntillet 'Ajrud (in Hebrew Horvat Teman) in the Negev. They have raised great speculation. Other gods appear in the Kuntillet "Ajrud graffiti— Bel for example— there are accompanying drawings (not a Hebrew custom) and an oasis is a center of the religious cross-fertilization called syncretism. However, from a site west of Hebron, identified as Biblical Makkedah, a furtively excavated inscription reads Blessed be Uriyahu by Yahweh and by his asherah; from his enemies he saved him! (Berlinerblau)
It appears that Asherah was of higher status in relation with Baal in a matriarchal society, but with the migration of tribes organised in patriarchal societies and the subsequent domination by them she was placed under her consort in importance. Her cult included sacred prostitution and, before this use was dedicated to Baal, perhaps human sacrifice. It is believed that her cult, although forbidden by Hebrews lasted during the Roman occupation in Israel in the hidden form of temple prostitution, until emperor Constantine closed those houses after converting to Christianity.
Astarte was usually depicted as a nude woman. Most of the 40 references to Asherah in the Hebrew Bible derive from sources edited by the Deuteronomist. In her study Asherah: Goddesses in Ugarit, Israel and the Old Testament (1997, p. 141), Tilde Binger noted that there is warrant for seeing an Asherah as, variously, “a wooden-aniconic-stela or column of some kind; a living tree; or a more regular statue.” For Asherah often a wooden-made rudely carved statue planted on the ground of the house was her symbol, and sometimes a clay statue without legs and stood in the same way. Her idols were found also in forests, carved on living trees, or in the form of poles beside altars that were placed at the side of some roads. It was believed that her essence dwelled in trees or pieces of wood, and when the young reformer Hezekiah came to the throne of Judah ""He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves." (2 Kings 18.4).
Canaanites and Hebrews also made small breads with her figure that were later blessed and eaten during a ritual ceremony, which some scholars think could have been part of the inspiration for the host.
Asherah has had a long continuing career. Trees are decorated in many parts of the Mediterranean still, and her essence may have survived in the form of the veneration of the Virgin Mary.
In the lunar Islamic calendar, the Day of Ashurah, transliterated as Aashurah, Ashura or Aashoorah, falls on the 10th day of Muharram. On that day, in the year of the Hejira 61 (AD 680), Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of Muhammad was killed by Umayyad forces at the Battle of Karbala (now in Iraq). Still called the Day of Aashurah, it is observed as a day of mourning by Shi'ites. As for the meaning of Asherah, non-Muslims will be interested to read that Muslims are taught the following:
"The conventional meaning of Ashura in the Shariah refers to the 10th of Muharram-ul-Haraam. In his distinguished book, Ghuniyatut Taalibeen, Sayyiduna Ghaus-ul-Azam, Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilani (radi Allahu anhu) writes that the Ulema have a difference of opinion, as to why this day is known as Ashura. Since the reason has been explained in various ways, the consensus of the majority of the Ulema is that it is known as Ashurah because it is the 10th day of Muharram, while certain Ulema say that from the sacred days that Almighty Allah blessed the Ummat-e-Muhammadi with, this day is the 10th most important day, and it is for this reason that it is known as Ashurah. (Ghuniyatut Taalibeen, pg. 428)"
External links: Kuntilletinscriptions
External links: Islamic calendar
The above article is adapted from from Wikipedia All Wikipedia article text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
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