Dahlia Shehata

• The Old Babylonian Ištar ritual from Mari (FM 3, no. 2) has been the focus of much discussion since its primary edition in 1938 by G. Dossin. This article offers a new analysis of the passage mentioning the balaĝ-deity Ninigizibara, which leads to identifying this balaĝ as a huge upright lyre as tall as a human played by two persons from both sides. Similar musical instruments are known from Anatolia and Egypt. Especially the Egyptian examples, which are attested only for the time of Echnaton, show striking parallels to the musical performanceThe Old Babylonian Ištar ritual from Mari (FM 3, no. 2) has been the focus of much discussion since its primary edition in 1938 by G. Dossin. This article offers a new analysis of the passage mentioning the balaĝ-deity Ninigizibara, which leads to identifying this balaĝ as a huge upright lyre as tall as a human played by two persons from both sides. Similar musical instruments are known from Anatolia and Egypt. Especially the Egyptian examples, which are attested only for the time of Echnaton, show striking parallels to the musical performance described in the Old Babylonian Ištar ritual. After discussing the possible background of cultural exchange, this article closes with a revaluation and new interpretation of the term balaĝ.…