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JOON-HYUNG PARK

DIVINE BULL. One corner of the inner courtyard just outside the main temple building was enclosed and formed a special cultic chamber where this 15-inch-tall clay bull figurine was discovered. Gods from neighboring regions, including the Israelite god Yahweh, were frequently associated with bull imagery; this figurine probably represented the chief deity of Ataruz, possibly a storm deity or warrior god. Kings and other elites visiting the site may have paused to honor the bull figure, perhaps leaving votive offerings or performing special rituals before this physical representation of the divine.