Spring festival in ancient Mesopotamia
Akitu |
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Assyrians celebrating Akitu year 6769 Nisanu (April) 1st 2019) in Nohadra ( Duhok), Iraq |
Type | National, ethnic |
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Significance | New Year holiday, Easter |
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Date | 1 April;[1] varies between April 1–4 |
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Frequency | Annual |
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Akitu or Akitum
(Sumerian: 𒀉𒆠𒋾, romanized: A2.KI.TI, lit. 'festival' [2])
(Akkadian: 𒀉𒆠𒌈, romanized: A2.KI.TUM, lit. 'festival' [3])
is a spring festival and New Year's celebration, held on the first day of the Assyrian and Babylonian Nisan in ancient Mesopotamia and in Assyrian communities around the world, to celebrate the sowing of barley.[4]