Work / monument · text

Epic of Kirta

14th century BCE · 14th century BCE · Also known as Legend of Keret

The Epic of Kirta is a poem from Ugarit preserved on three clay tablets in alphabetic cuneiform. It tells of King Kirta, who loses his family, is told by the god El in a dream to win a new bride by force, and later falls ill after breaking a vow. It explores the nature of kingship and is one of the main literary texts of the Canaanite world.

Mentioned in 1 state history

Kingdom of Ugarit

See also

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Epic of Kirta. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/epic-of-kirta
MLA: “Epic of Kirta.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/epic-of-kirta. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Epic of Kirta.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/epic-of-kirta.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Epic of Kirta’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/epic-of-kirta (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻