Amurru
|a-mur-ru|
/əˈmʊruː/
Amorites / western land / deity
Etymology
'Amurru' originates from Akkadian, specifically the word 'Amurru', which was used in Mesopotamian languages to denote the Amorites and their lands (literally 'the westerners' or 'the west').
'Amurru' corresponds to the Sumerian term 'MAR.TU' (written for the Amorites) and reflects a West Semitic self-designation for the Amorite peoples; the name appears in Old Babylonian, Hittite, and other ancient Near Eastern texts and is cognate with forms found in Hebrew and other Semitic languages.
Initially, it meant 'the westerners' or 'people from the west' and the territory they inhabited; over time the term was also used for a protective deity associated with those people, and today it is used in historical and linguistic contexts to refer to the Amorites, their lands, or their god.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an ancient West Semitic deity associated with the Amorite people (often called the god of the Amorites).
The temple relief depicted Amurru as a protective deity honored by Amorite rulers.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the Amorite people themselves (in Akkadian and Mesopotamian sources, 'Amurru' is used for the Amorites).
Ancient letters referred to raids carried out by warriors from Amurru.
Synonyms
Noun 3
the region or lands to the west of Mesopotamia inhabited by the Amorites (often simply 'the west' in Mesopotamian texts).
Trade routes connected Mesopotamian cities with towns in Amurru.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/20 08:26