Episode 141: Ezekiel's Gillûlîm and Ritual Defecation in the Ancient Near East

This academic article in this podcast explores the symbolic and literal use of ritual defecation in ancient Near Eastern cultures, focusing on the Hebrew term gillûlîm ("dung gods") used by the prophet Ezekiel to denigrate idols. The author examines various texts—Akkadian, Babylonian, Aramaic, Greek, and Talmudic—demonstrating how defecation served as both a metaphor for breaking covenants and a ritualistic act within specific religious festivals, like the Babylonian Ištar festival. The study traces the evolution of this imagery, highlighting its use in satirical and critical contexts, and explores connections between Mesopotamian jester figures and similar figures in Greek comedy. Finally, the article examines prohibitions against defecation in temple areas as evidence of the importance of maintaining ritual purity.