Sin Kültünde Ay Tutulmasının Politik ve Dini Etkileri Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme.

Mesopotamia is a region where diverse beliefs merged and fused, generating an eclectic and syncretic framework. The lunar worshipping cult occupied a significant position among the convictions of the farming societies here and influenced their lifestyle. Particularly, lunar eclipses were significant natural phenomena meticulously observed in lifestyle manners according to the moon's phases. This article explores the significance of lunar eclipses, which had a considerable influence on the social life and religious convictions of Mesopotamian societies. Besides their religious and ritual significance, lunar eclipses also had political implications. Therefore, this paper examines the political consequences of lunar eclipses and scrutinizes their potential character. Mesopotamian civilizations viewed natural phenomena, mainly those linked to the moon's phases, as sings of retribution or as a warning from the moon god Sin. The significance placed on such natural phenomena by Mesopotamian societies, particularly by the governing institutions, is evident in the cuneiform tablets. It is possible to discern from both tablets and state official correspondence that warnings and disciplinary actions sent by Sin had a direct influence on the decision-making process within both the political and religious fields. The State Archives of Assyria and Royal Inscriptions of the Neo-Assyrian Period features numerous prophesies and state inscriptions in which the name of the moon god Sin is referenced. Upon examination, an analysis of the religious and political nature of the practices performed to seek protection from the wrath of the moon god and to avoid negative effects during lunar eclipses can be conducted. This article evaluates the impact of Sin, the moon god of Mesopotamia, on political decisions made by the kings. Nevertheless, this study analyses practices performed during lunar eclipses that were found to have an effect in religious and political fields. The influence on monotheistic religions is examined within the scope of Judaism, and the resulting traces are pursued in the Old Testament corpus. Using the descriptive method, this paper evaluates the probable impact of lunar eclipses on Judaism during the monotheistic period through a comparative analysis. The study aims to identify potential parallels that exist. The research findings indicate that the moon god Sin played a significant role in political decision-making as the god of prophecy. Particularly during lunar eclipses, it was found that appointing a "substitute king" was an effective measure. It was found that several religious practices were performed during the lunar eclipses to protect against bad prophecies. The presence of the belief in the moon god in Judaism has been analysed and it was found that the bad prophecies and religious practices were parallel to some passages in the Old Testament. The study is restricted to primary sources from the ancient period due to the limitations of the research. The article primarily employs social science methodologies including description, interpretation, and comparisons. Additionally, a linguistic approach has been applied using Akkadian texts. The study suggests that lunar eclipses, associated with the cult of Sin, had a considerable influence on the religious and political domains, as found in the Judaist sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]