Tradition / Region: Hittite Mythology, Syrian Mythology, Turkish Mythology
Alternative names: Perwa, Peruwa
Category: Horse
The Myth
Pirwa was a god worshiped by the Hittites and Luwians in ancient Anatolia. He was closely associated with horses and was also regarded as a warlike deity.
The connection between Pirwa and horses is well attested in both religious texts and descriptions of his iconography. He was depicted as a male figure standing upon a horse. He was also associated with eagles and lions. Among his epithets was parḫant, meaning “chasing,” “hunting,” or “galloping,” which may reflect his equine character.
Pirwa first appears in documents from Kanesh, where a priest served in his cult. He remained closely connected with that city throughout later Hittite tradition and was eventually worshiped in numerous other settlements, including Hattusa, Šippa, Zipariwa, Ḫaššuwa, Tenizidaša, Ikšunuwa, Nenišankuwa, and Duruwaduruwa. Temples dedicated to him are known from Šippa and Wijanawanta.
In Hittite offering lists, Pirwa frequently appears alongside deities associated with Kanesh, including Aškašepa, Maliya, Ḫašamili, Ḫaššušara, and Kamrušepa. His connection with Ḫaššušara was especially close, and in some places the two were worshiped together as a divine pair. He also appears with Aškašepa in Luwian rituals and occasionally forms part of a triad with Kataḫḫa.
A possible later reference to Pirwa occurs in a Neo-Assyrian text from the reign of Ashurbanipal, where a deity named Birua is listed among the gods worshiped in Arbela. Some scholars identify Birua with Pirwa, although others consider the name to be a scribal error, making this identification uncertain.
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Pirwa. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirwa