Abstract
In the Hittite world, communication between humans and gods is constant; it can be objectual, symbolical, or verbal. As far as verbal communication is concerned, it ismainly humans who address the gods. On the gods' side symbolic communication prevails. The gods also had their own language; but, with the exception of the mythological texts, it is very rare for the gods to use their own language to address mankind. A special case consists in the liturgical moment inserted in the ceremonies celebrated for the goddess TeteˇsXapi during the purulliyaˇs celebration at Tawiniya, where, after a series of ceremonies inside and outside the temple of Telipinu, TeteˇsXapi responds to the invocations that have been addressed to her and speaks to the onlookers through her priestess NIN.DINGIR who identifies with her. In this verbal communication the goddess speaks of herself and manifests, by means of her priestess-interpreter, her own divine essence. A possible comparison is found in the texts of CTH 733, texts also belonging to the Hattian-Hittite cultural sphere, where in an analogous way the name with which the divinity is called among the gods, and the name which his priest knows, reveals his essence.
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