Keret epic

E681029

The Keret epic is an ancient Ugaritic mythological poem that recounts the trials and divine interactions of King Keret as he seeks to restore his dynasty and kingdom.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Keret Epic 1
Keret epic canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Ugaritic epic poem ⓘ
ancient Near Eastern literature ⓘ
mythological text ⓘ
approximateDate 14th century BCE ⓘ
centralTheme covenant and oath ⓘ
divine-human interaction ⓘ
dynastic restoration ⓘ
royal succession ⓘ
character Hurriya ⓘ
Nikkal ⓘ
Yassib ⓘ
culture Ugarit ⓘ
date Late Bronze Age ⓘ
discoveryCountry Syria ⓘ
discoverySite Ras Shamra ⓘ
linked to: Ugarit
featuresDeity Anat ⓘ
Asherah ⓘ
Baal ⓘ
El ⓘ
Horon ⓘ
genre epic ⓘ
royal myth ⓘ
hasFragmentaryEnding true ⓘ
language Ugaritic ⓘ
linked to: Ugaritic language
literaryForm poetry ⓘ
literarySignificance important comparative text for Old Testament studies ⓘ
major source for Ugaritic religion and royal ideology ⓘ
mainCharacter King Keret ⓘ
originCivilization Canaanite ⓘ
linked to: Canaanites
originPlace Ugarit ⓘ
originRegion Levant ⓘ
linked to: Levant region
plotElement Keret falls ill as a consequence of his broken vow. ⓘ
Keret vows offerings to El and later fails to fulfill his vow. ⓘ
Keret’s son Yassib criticizes his father and attempts to seize power. ⓘ
plotSummary King Keret, lacking an heir, receives divine guidance from El to wage a campaign to obtain a wife and restore his dynasty. ⓘ
preservationMedium clay tablets ⓘ
relatedWork Aqhat epic ⓘ
Baal Cycle ⓘ
linked to: Ugaritic Baal Cycle
religiousContext Canaanite religion ⓘ
Northwest Semitic religion ⓘ
religiousFunction didactic reflection on kingship and piety ⓘ
scholarlyTopic Ugaritic literature ⓘ
linked to: Ugaritic texts

ancient Near Eastern epics ⓘ
script Ugaritic cuneiform ⓘ
linked to: Ugaritic alphabet
studiedInDiscipline Assyriology ⓘ
biblical studies ⓘ
comparative literature ⓘ
titleVariant Epic of Kirta ⓘ
Kirta epic ⓘ
writtenIn Northwest Semitic language ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Ugaritic language → notableText → Keret epic ⓘ
Ugaritic texts → importantMythCycle → Keret Epic ⓘ
linked to: Keret epic