The Ewe that was a Scapegoat Bride: A New Look at the Hittite Bestiality Purification Ritual KUB 41, 11+

Abstract

Abstract The ritual KUB 41, 11+ is known especially for its striking treatment of the purification of bestiality. This article challenges the common interpretation that the ritual involved a marriage between the sexual offender and the victimized sheep or goat, showing that no evidence suggests such a marriage. Instead, the ewe-bride motif may be interpreted as an elaborate variation on the scapegoat ritual genre, offering an interesting twist to the adornment of the scapegoat before it was sent away.