Selardi (Sielardi or possibly Melardi) is a lunar deity of
Urartu
Urartu (; Assyrian: ',Eberhard Schrader, ''The Cuneiform inscriptions and the Old Testament'' (1885), p. 65. Babylonian: ''Urashtu'', he, אֲרָרָט ''Ararat'') is a geographical region and Iron Age kingdom also known as the Kingdom of V ...
. Until recently, it was generally believed that this deity was female, although some contemporary scholars disagree with this.
Selardi was believed to be the counterpart to the
Babylonia
Babylonia (; Akkadian: , ''māt Akkadī'') was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Syria). It emerged as an Amorite-ruled state c ...
n moon god,
Sin.
Nicholas Adontz
Nicholas Adontz (, ''Nikoghayos Adonts’'', also spelled Adonts; ; January 10, 1871 – January 27, 1942) was an Armenian historian, specialist of Byzantine and Armenian studies, and philologist. Yuzbashyan, Karen. s.v. Adonts', Nikoghayos ...
theorizes that the name "Sielardi" is derived from "Siela," meaning "woman" or "sister," and "Ardi" which means "sun god" in
Armenian. He states that in the ancient east, the Moon had been considered the sister of the Sun, rather than his consort.
Other scholars argue that this deity was male and believe his name should be read as Melardi. It has been compared to the name of the prince of Urartu, Melartua, son of
Rusa I
Rusa I (ruled: 735–714 BC) was a King of Urartu. He succeeded his father, king Sarduri II. His name is sometimes transliterated as ''Rusas'' or ''Rusha''. He was known to Assyrians as ''Ursa'' (which scholars have speculated is likely a more ac ...
. It is probably connected to the word "meghard" (մեղարդ, meaning "moon"), mentioned in the medieval Armenian dictionary of Yeremia Meghretsi.
[Yervand Grekyan. "Urartian State Mythology". Yerevan Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography Press. 2018. p. 34. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351107801_Biaynili-Owrartu_Astvacner_tacarner_pastamunk_BIAINILI-URARTU_GODS_TEMPLES_CULTS]
See also
*
List of lunar deities
A lunar deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. Lunar deities and Moon worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The following is a list of lunar deities:
African
American Aztec mytholo ...
References
*Chahin, M. (1987) ''The Kingdom of Armenia'', Dorset Press,
Urartian deities
Lunar goddesses
Armenian goddesses
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