| LELWANIS:
An ancient Hittite myth refers to Lelwanis, a god whose sex is uncertain, as
the ruler of the underworld. Lelwanis's realm includes not only the
souls of the dead but also an older generation of defeated gods and other
mysterious spirits. Unfortunately, the few remaining Hittite records
are almost impossible to interpret, although historians believe that the
legend of Lelwanis contains elements of myth borrowed from the Greeks and
Sumerians. The texts that have been deciphered indicate that the
damned face agony and torture in the kingdom of Lelwanis. One story
tells of a defeated weather god whose eyes and heart are torn out by a
dragon. Others describe an assortment of unpleasant fates, such as
mutilations, burnings, and impalements. These bear similarities to the
accounts of TARTARUS, lowest realm of the Greek HADES, and of the Sumerian
Land of the Dead ARALU. (o)
Resource List - all entries are taken verbatim from the
original source:
(o) "The Encyclopedia of Hell."
Miriam Van Scott. St. Martin's Press. ©1998
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