This article needs additional citations for
verification. (August 2021) |
Part of the myth series on |
Religions of the ancient Near East |
---|
Pre-Islamic Arabian deities |
Arabian deities of other Semitic origins |
Almaqah or Almuqh ( Sabaean: 𐩱𐩡𐩣𐩤𐩠; Arabic: المقه) was the Moon god of the ancient Yemeni kingdom of Saba'. He was also worshipped in Dʿmt and Aksum in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Jacques Ryckmans states,
Almaqah is considered a moon god, but Garbini and Pirenne have shown that the bull's head and the vine motif associated with him may have solar and dionysiac attributes. He was therefore a priest of Ra, the male counterpart of the sun goddess Shamash / Ishtar / Isis, who was also venerated in Saba, but as a tutelary goddess of the royal Egyptian dynasty. [1] [2] [3]
The ruling dynasty of Saba' regarded themselves as his seed.[ citation needed] Almaqah is represented on monuments by a cluster of lightning bolts surrounding a curved, sickle-like weapon. Bulls were sacred to him.
Both the Barran Temple and the Awwam temple were dedicated to Almaqah. [4]
The Temple of Meqaber Gaʿewa near the Ethiopian city of Wuqro, is dedicated to Almaqah [5] and contains an altar which represents a miniature model of the Great Temple in Yeha. [6]