Athirat (Asherah)
Also known as: Asherah, Lady Athirat of the Sea (rbt aṯrt ym), Creatress of the Gods (qnyt ilm)
Mythological Narrative
El's consort, 'Lady Athirat of the Sea' and 'Creatress of the Gods', mother of the seventy sons of El, who can persuade El when no one else can.
Scholarly Commentary & Evolution
## Queen mother of the gods
Athirat is El's wife and the mother of the gods, who are called her seventy sons. Her titles are "Lady Athirat of the Sea" and "Creatress of the Gods". In the Baal Cycle she is first seen by the sea, spinning, when Baal and Anat come to her with gifts made by Kothar-wa-Khasis (KTU 1.4 II), and at first she fears they come as enemies.
## The intercessor
Athirat is the one god El reliably listens to. It is her visit to El, riding a donkey saddled by her servant, that finally wins Baal permission for his palace; El greets her warmly and asks whether she is hungry or thirsty before she makes her request (KTU 1.4 IV-V). After Baal's death it is Athirat whom El asks to name a new king from among her sons, and she proposes Athtar (KTU 1.6 I).
## In the Epic of Kirta
King Kirta stops at the shrine of "Athirat of Tyre, goddess of Sidon" on his way to war and vows to give her twice a bride's weight in silver and three times in gold if he succeeds. He wins his bride and forgets the vow, and Athirat remembers; his illness follows.
## Asherah
Athirat is the Ugaritic form of the goddess the Hebrew Bible calls Asherah. Inscriptions from Kuntillet ʿAjrud and Khirbet el-Qom in the eighth century BCE, invoking "Yahweh and his asherah", are much debated evidence for her later cult; this site notes that debate without taking a side on it.
Academic Discussion & Critique
Exchange peer-reviewed hypotheses, comparative Indo-European etymologies, and archaeological field interpretations regarding Athirat (Asherah).
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Athtar
The god whom Athirat proposes as king after Baal's death, who climbs onto Baal's throne on Zaphon and finds that his feet do not reach the footstool.
Athtart (Astarte)
A warrior and hunting goddess who, with Anat, holds Baal back from attacking Yam's messengers and then urges him to finish Yam off; better known in later centuries as the Phoenician Astarte.
Baal (Baʿlu Haddu)
The storm-god of Ugarit, 'Rider of the Clouds', whose rain makes the land fertile; he defeats Yamm the Sea, builds his palace on Mount Zaphon, is swallowed by Mot (Death), and returns to life.