Compulsive Reader Blog

Finding the Fantasy in Hittite History, an essay by Judith Starkston, author of Priestess of Ishana

 tháng 12 19, 2018     guest posts     No comments   

Thanks to Judith Starkston for contributing a new essay for my site today.  Her new historical fantasy novel, Priestess of Ishana, is set in a land based on the history and culture of the ancient Hittites.  She explains her world-building process below...

~

Finding the Fantasy in Hittite History
Judith Starkston

“I invoke you, Lelani, Sungoddess and Queen of the world below. May this witchcraft be undone. May the tongue that spoke this evil and the hand that worked it burn into ash which I will bury in the world below.”

With this incantation, the main character of my historical fantasy, Priestess of Ishana, begins a rite to cleanse her city of the deadly pollution of a burn curse. Tesha is a priestess and this magical performance is her duty. The curse might turn against her and torch her in a burst of demonic flame. That is all part of the excitement of fiction set in a historical world that believed in magical rites and supernatural interventions of gods and goddesses.

In Priestess of Ishana, I wanted to immerse my reader in the Near Eastern Bronze Age of the Hittites (~1200 BCE), but at the same time gain the storytelling power and freedom of fantasy. Guy Gavriel Kay, a renowned writer of historical fantasy, adopted the phrase “a quarter turn to the fantastic” to describe his melding of history and fantasy—that is, fiction that is “nearly our known history but not quite.” A blend of fantasy and history came naturally to writing the Hittites, steeped as their culture is in practices we call magic. Historical people and places lurk as inspiration behind my fictional world. That’s reflected in changed names that hint at the original (for example, Hittites to Hitolians).

Well-written fantasy has “rules” for the magic therein. My fantasy uses primary historical sources and Hittite beliefs for that framework. The novel’s magical rites are based on specific details taken from the written records—far stranger than anything I could have made up.

In my Hitolian fantasy world, curses are the last remaining magic (or so the characters assume), and the priestesses learn rites to counteract this pervasive danger. This focus arises from historical reality. Translations of the vast collections of clay cuneiform tablets from the royal archives reveal a Hittite obsession with curses in the prayers and rites.

In constructing a “How to Undo a Curse” scene for Priestess Tesha, I dug into the available fragments of curse rituals (nothing is complete or simple in Hittite primary texts). The opening lines in this post, for example, are adapted from a couple sources. The notion that words have tangible power is found in almost all Hittite rites; evil tongues and counteracting magical words abound. Words were the bridge to the gods, the road to accessing supernatural power. They are especially powerful when said in conjunction with analogical magic—actions that reflect what the practitioner wants to happen.

~

Tesha crept next to the dead man. She raised the loaf high over him. “I invoke you, Lelani, Sungoddess and Queen of the world below. May this witchcraft be undone. May the tongue that spoke this evil and the hand that worked it burn into ash which I will bury in the world below.” The words calmed the beating of her heart.

She shut her eyes and knelt on the damp floor, wincing as the muck penetrated her gown.

She held the bread stuffed with absorbing chickpea paste. The rite decreed she start at the dead man’s forehead. The reek of burnt flesh tortured her nose and pulled her stomach.

She leaned over the body, touching with the bread what was left of the brow below his graying hair. The horror held her gaze. She hesitated. The rite had to be done perfectly. Usually this requirement for proper order gave her joy. Now she clung to it for courage, but something was wrong and she could not say what. Had she skipped a step? She hadn’t. She went on, bread held to the corpse.

“Come into this bread, foul curse. Your pollution endangers all who come near. I bind you into this bread.”

She moved downwards to the man’s chest and shoulders where his tunic had burned away, revealing flesh and bone, charred black.

“Come out of this body, evil curse, so that when this loaf is burnt into ash as you have burned this man, you may return to the dark realm below where you belong. As the smell of bread entices both the good man and the bad to eat, so let the smell entice you into this bread.”

Tesha rose and moved to the altar holding the chickpea stuffed loaf in front of her to avoid the pollution it contained.


~

Tesha moves the curse from a dead body into a loaf of bread stuffed with chickpea paste, while saying, “As the smell of bread entices both the good man and the bad to eat, so let the smell entice you into this bread.”

The “stuffing” is meant to absorb the evil like a sponge and contain it until the priestess can burn the loaf and thus send it back to the Underworld where curses were thought to originate.

At this point you might be scratching your head, chickpea paste, curses in loaves of bread? I couldn’t make this stuff up. Fortunately, I didn’t have to. Careful reading of Hittite rituals provided me with great source material for fantasy. My Hitolian priestess is a skillful practitioner of magic that would sound very familiar to a Hittite priestess.

~

Judith Starkston has spent too much time reading about and exploring the remains of the ancient worlds of the Greeks and Hittites. Early on she went so far as to get two degrees in Classics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and Cornell. She loves myths and telling stories. This has gradually gotten more and more out of hand. Her solution: to write fantasy set in the exotic worlds of the past. Fantasy and Magic in a Bronze Age World. Hand of Fire was a semi-finalist for the M. M. Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction. Priestess of Ishana won the San Diego State University Conference Choice Award. Judith has two grown children and lives in Arizona with her husband. For a free short story set in her Bronze Age historical fantasy world (and a cookbook of foods in her novels), sign up for the newsletter on her website.
  • Share This:  
  •  Facebook
  •  Twitter
  •  Google+
  •  Stumble
  •  Digg
Gửi email bài đăng nàyBlogThis!Chia sẻ lên XChia sẻ lên Facebook

Related Posts:

  • Past v. Present: The Challenges of a Historical Thriller. an essay by Terrence McCauleyIn today's post, author Terrence McCauley, who writes novels set in the past and others in the present-day, describes the appeal and challenges of wri… Read More
  • “THE REAL VALUE OF THIS BOOK”: How the Sears Catalogue Shaped My Novel, a guest post by Ellen NotbohmOver the years, I've referred many library patrons to the Sears catalog replicas in our reference collection for insight into daily life in the early … Read More
  • A suitable job for a woman? A guest post by Kate Braithwaite, author of The Road to NewgateToday I have a guest post from Kate Braithwaite, whose new novel, The Road to Newgate, will be one you'll want to read if you're intrigued by 17th-cen… Read More
  • Immersive Research for Historical Fiction Writing, a guest post by Jacqueline Friedland, author of Trouble the WaterToday I'm welcoming Jacqueline Friedland, author of Trouble the Water (SparkPress, May), who's contributed an essay about researching the historical a… Read More
  • Russia in Historical Fiction: A Journey of Sorrow and Strength, a guest post from Mary Anne LewisToday I have a guest essay by a fellow blogger, Mary Anne Lewis of Magic of History, which is a terrific new site focusing on reviews of historical fi… Read More
Bài đăng Mới hơn Bài đăng Cũ hơn Trang chủ

0 nhận xét:

Đăng nhận xét

Popular Posts

  • Three Mini Reviews
    The Infinite (Gates of Thread and Stone #2) by Lori M. Lee Publisher: Skyscape Released: March 10th 2015 My Rating: 3 stars out of 5 Find...
  • Review of A Murder by Any Name by Suzanne M. Wolfe, first in an Elizabethan spy mystery series
    London is drenched with atmosphere and deadly intrigue in this debut entry in a new Elizabethan mystery series. The time is the 1570s. The b...
  • Review: Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh
    Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh Publisher: Macmillan Children's Released: February 11th 2016 My Rating: 2 stars out of 5 Find it on...
  • The Daughters of Ironbridge by Mollie Walton, a saga of friendship and class differences in 1830s Shropshire
    This is the debut saga from Walton, a successful transition for the author, who also pens historical fiction under her real name, Rebecca Ma...
  • Review: A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab
    A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3) by V. E. Schwab Publisher: Titan Books Released: 21st February 2017 My Rating: 4 stars out of 5...
  • Waiting on Wednesday #80
    Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. ...
  • Book Blitz: The Letting by Cathrine Goldstein | On Sale for $.99! Ends today!
    Welcome to the BOOK BLITZ for The Letting by  Cathrine Goldstein! Today is the final day of the 99 cent sale!  Enjoy! The Letting by  Cathri...
  • Interview with E.M. Powell, author of the medieval mystery The King's Justice - plus giveaway
    E.M. Powell's latest work of historical crime, The King's Justice , takes place in a Yorkshire village in 1176, during Henry II'...
  • Interview with David Blixt (part 2), author of What Girls Are Good For: A Novel of Nellie Bly
    And here's the second half of my interview with David Blixt about his new novel What Girls Are Good For .  If you missed the first part,...
  • The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis, a Gothic mystery-adventure with the Brontë sisters on the case
    The Brontë sisters have joined the stable of historical characters appearing as sleuths. Even though – as with other famous folks cast into ...

A Long Petal of the Sea, Isabel Allende's epic of the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath

Allende’s fluidly written saga conveys her deep familiarity with the events she depicts, and her intent to illustrate their human impact in ...

Tìm kiếm Blog này

Được tạo bởi Blogger.

Lưu trữ Blog

  • tháng 2 2020 (1)
  • tháng 1 2020 (7)
  • tháng 12 2019 (6)
  • tháng 11 2019 (5)
  • tháng 10 2019 (7)
  • tháng 9 2019 (10)
  • tháng 8 2019 (11)
  • tháng 7 2019 (6)
  • tháng 6 2019 (5)
  • tháng 5 2019 (6)
  • tháng 4 2019 (7)
  • tháng 3 2019 (8)
  • tháng 2 2019 (7)
  • tháng 1 2019 (8)
  • tháng 12 2018 (7)
  • tháng 11 2018 (7)
  • tháng 10 2018 (8)
  • tháng 9 2018 (12)
  • tháng 8 2018 (9)
  • tháng 7 2018 (6)
  • tháng 6 2018 (9)
  • tháng 5 2018 (14)
  • tháng 4 2018 (1)
  • tháng 3 2018 (2)
  • tháng 2 2018 (2)
  • tháng 1 2018 (4)
  • tháng 12 2017 (3)
  • tháng 10 2017 (2)
  • tháng 9 2017 (6)
  • tháng 8 2017 (3)
  • tháng 7 2017 (4)
  • tháng 6 2017 (4)
  • tháng 5 2017 (2)
  • tháng 4 2017 (10)
  • tháng 3 2017 (12)
  • tháng 2 2017 (12)
  • tháng 1 2017 (16)
  • tháng 12 2016 (16)
  • tháng 11 2016 (6)
  • tháng 10 2016 (5)
  • tháng 9 2016 (7)
  • tháng 8 2016 (7)
  • tháng 7 2016 (8)
  • tháng 6 2016 (10)
  • tháng 5 2016 (14)
  • tháng 4 2016 (16)
  • tháng 3 2016 (8)
  • tháng 2 2016 (12)
  • tháng 1 2016 (15)
  • tháng 12 2015 (13)
  • tháng 11 2015 (6)
  • tháng 10 2015 (13)
  • tháng 9 2015 (9)
  • tháng 8 2015 (16)
  • tháng 7 2015 (10)
  • tháng 6 2015 (7)
  • tháng 5 2015 (4)
  • tháng 4 2015 (3)
  • tháng 3 2015 (4)
  • tháng 2 2015 (8)
  • tháng 1 2015 (4)
  • tháng 12 2014 (9)
  • tháng 11 2014 (2)
  • tháng 10 2014 (1)
  • tháng 9 2014 (1)
  • tháng 7 2014 (2)
  • tháng 6 2014 (7)
  • tháng 5 2014 (6)
  • tháng 4 2014 (12)
  • tháng 3 2014 (10)
  • tháng 2 2014 (3)
  • tháng 1 2014 (3)
  • tháng 12 2013 (13)
  • tháng 11 2013 (2)
  • tháng 10 2013 (1)
  • tháng 9 2013 (5)
  • tháng 8 2013 (8)
  • tháng 7 2013 (6)
  • tháng 6 2013 (7)
  • tháng 5 2013 (12)
  • tháng 4 2013 (5)
  • tháng 3 2013 (6)
  • tháng 2 2013 (9)

Nhãn

  • #boutofbooks
  • 18+
  • 2 Stars
  • 2014 book release
  • 2016
  • 2016 book release
  • 2016 has honestly been the worst year
  • 2016 reading challenge
  • 2017
  • 2018 book release
  • 2018 reading challenge
  • 3 Stars
  • 4 and 1/2 Stars
  • 4 stars
  • 5 Stars
  • a-levels
  • adult
  • adult books
  • Adult Fiction
  • Adventure
  • adventure time
  • after all this time? always
  • Afterlife
  • Algonquin
  • all i see is sky for forever
  • Alyxandra Harvey
  • Amazon Gift Card
  • amulet books
  • Amy Tintera
  • apocalypse
  • ARC
  • at least there's the internet
  • Atria Books
  • audiobooks
  • author
  • author interview
  • authors
  • awards
  • bake off
  • Barclay Publicity
  • beauty
  • Beckie
  • best of
  • bibliographies; visual previews
  • Birthday
  • blog tour
  • Bloomsbury
  • book blast
  • Book Blitz
  • book covers
  • book event
  • Book Fair
  • book giveaway
  • book meme
  • book news
  • Book Promo
  • book release
  • book release 2017
  • book review
  • book reviews
  • book spotlight
  • book teaser
  • book to movie
  • Book Trailer
  • Bookanistas
  • bookish
  • Booklist
  • books i got for christmas
  • books I'm looking forward to
  • Boutofbooks
  • Candlewick
  • Carole's Review
  • Character Interview
  • Chick
  • christmas
  • Chronicle Books
  • Colleen Hoover
  • coloring book
  • coloring book review
  • Coming of Age
  • contains spoilers
  • Contemporary
  • contest
  • Contests
  • Cover Reveal
  • covers
  • dear evan hansen
  • Debut
  • demons
  • discussion
  • dissertation
  • diversity
  • does anybody have a map
  • Dream Cast
  • dystopian
  • Dystopian Fiction
  • eARC
  • Egmont
  • Entangled Publishing
  • Entangled Teen
  • Erotica
  • event
  • events
  • Excerpt
  • exciting books
  • faeries
  • fairytale retelling
  • fantasy
  • fantasy. enemies-to-lovers
  • fatalism
  • Favorite Books
  • favourite disney films
  • favourites
  • favourites of 2016
  • february
  • film
  • Flux
  • freebie
  • fringe or bangs?
  • FSG
  • G.P. Putnam's Sons
  • G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR
  • Game of Thrones
  • Gena Showalter
  • Ghost
  • GIFs
  • gift guide
  • gilmore girls
  • girl online ghostwritten
  • giveaway
  • Graphic Novel
  • graphic novel/comic book week
  • guest post
  • guest posts
  • hamilton
  • happy new year
  • Harlequin Teen
  • HarlequinHQN
  • HarperCollins
  • harperteen
  • High Fantasy
  • hire me
  • his dark materials
  • Historical Fiction
  • Historical Romance
  • horror
  • hot topics
  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • how do people revise properly
  • humor
  • Hyperion
  • i hate law
  • i promise i have transferrable skills
  • i'm going to fail aren't i
  • IMM
  • In My Mailbox
  • industry interview
  • interview
  • interviews
  • is this the real life
  • J. Lynn
  • january
  • Jennifer L. Armentrout
  • Julie Cross
  • Karen Ann Hopkins
  • Katie McGarry
  • Kim's Reviews
  • Kimberley Griffiths Little
  • Kindle
  • last minute gifts
  • LBGTQ
  • least favourites
  • let me tell you what i wish i'd known
  • LEVEL TWO
  • lgbtq+
  • Lisa Renee Jones
  • Little Brown
  • live author event
  • Liz's Lists
  • LOTU
  • lover
  • Lucky13ers
  • Macmillan
  • Magic
  • Marissa Meyer
  • marry me noah centineo
  • meme
  • mermaids
  • michelle Madow
  • middle-grade
  • mini break
  • mini reviews
  • mini-review
  • monthly wrap up
  • monthly wrap-up
  • murder mystery
  • musicals
  • my little box
  • mystery
  • mythology
  • netflix
  • New Adult
  • non-bookish
  • non-fiction
  • novella
  • oh what is life
  • paranormal
  • Paranormal Romance
  • Paranormal Thriller
  • Penguin
  • Penguin USA
  • philip pullman
  • Picture Books
  • Pictures of Emmy
  • pin collection
  • playlist
  • pre-order
  • procrastination
  • promotional event
  • psychological thriller
  • Quirk Books
  • Rachel Vincent
  • ramblings
  • Random House
  • Ransom Riggs
  • Read-A-Thon
  • reading 2017 reading challenge
  • Reading Challenge
  • Realistic Fiction
  • regrets
  • retelling
  • review
  • review copies
  • Roaring Brook Press
  • Romance
  • Ron D. Voigts
  • royal icing
  • Running Press
  • sale
  • Scholastic
  • sci-fi
  • Science Fiction
  • self published
  • Series
  • sherlock
  • signed book
  • Simon and Schuster
  • SimonPulse
  • small press month
  • soho teen
  • sorry not sorry
  • Sourcebooks
  • southern is the worst rail service
  • spoilers
  • sponsored post
  • St. Martin's Press
  • Stacking The Shelves
  • strange chemistry
  • Supernatural
  • suspense
  • Swag
  • taylor swift
  • The Best Things in Death
  • the book of dust
  • the honest guide
  • The Memory of After
  • the princess diaries
  • Theme Reviews
  • there is no war in ba sing se
  • things i'm looking forward to
  • this too shall pass
  • thriller
  • Time Travel
  • to all the boys i've loved before
  • too many flannels
  • top five
  • Top Ten List
  • top ten tuesday
  • Tor
  • Trailer Reveal
  • trouble makes a comeback
  • trying to adult
  • tv
  • tv programmes
  • tv shows
  • Twitter
  • uncertainty
  • university
  • update
  • updates
  • urban fantasy
  • vcfa
  • visual previews
  • Waiting on Wednesday
  • Walker Books
  • we could be roped up tied up dead in a year
  • where can i find a peter kavinsky please
  • who lives who dies who tells your story
  • why am i still awake
  • why can't i ever be serious
  • will happen happening happened
  • will i ever make a sound
  • wishlist
  • witches
  • Would You Rather
  • WOW
  • wrap up
  • wrap-up
  • you realise i am - i mean this is - a joke right
  • you should seriously watch mr student body president
  • you're all getting the titanic reference right
  • Young Adult
  • youth
  • zoe sugg
  • zoella
  • Zombie
  • Zombies

Báo cáo vi phạm

Giới thiệu về tôi

ana012
Xem hồ sơ hoàn chỉnh của tôi

Copyright © 2025 Compulsive Reader Blog | Powered by Blogger
Design by Hardeep Asrani | Blogger Theme by NewBloggerThemes.com | Distributed By Gooyaabi Templates