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Amorites
(116 words)

[German Version]

In the 3rd millennium bce the Akkadian designation “Amurr” denoted the inhabitants of the west, namely Syria. Their Old West Semitic language (Semitic languages) is preserved only in names of people. In broader terms, Amorite families of chieftains seized power in Babylon, Mari, and elsewhere. In the Middle Bronze period, however, the ethnic designation “Amorites” was limited to a small tribe associated with the Hanaeans. In the first century, “Amurru” is found in cuneiform texts, alongside such terms as “Hattu-land” and “Hurru-land” (Asia Minor) as archaic term…

Cite this page
Knauf, Ernst A., “Amorites”, in: Religion Past and Present. Consulted online on 28 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1877-5888_rpp_SIM_00606>
First published online: 2011
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004146662, 2006-2013



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