TYPE: God of Natural adversity
ORIGIN: Canaanite and Phoenician [Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syrian coastal Regions]
KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP: From prehistoric times until circa 200 BCE
SYNONYMS: Muth (Phoenician)
CENTER(S) OF CULT: possibly Byblos
LITERARY SOURCES: Ugaritic texts from the Ras Samra; Philon of Byblos; inscriptions.
INFORMATION:
Mot is the Canaanite representation of adversity in the natural world. He lives in a pit within the earth and is responsible for its annual death from drought and heat: "he has scorched the olie, the produce of the earth and the fruit of the trees". He engages in the classic confrontation with the Canaanite hero and national god Baal. Though the duel results in Baal's demise, his death is avenged by his twin sister Anat, who slays MOt, then cleaves, winnows, burns and grinds him with a millstone, in what appears to be a ritual allied to the sowing of seed and harvesting (see Osiris). Baal is later restored. The conflict probably formed the basis of an annual ritual drama at the Canaanite New Year which was held in the autumn. In the texts Mot is the son of Il and his mother is Aserah (Athirat).