Sumerian Mythology

Sumerian religion: religious beliefs of the people of ancient Sumer. The sumerian believed that the universe was governed by a pantheon that covered a group of living beings, of human shape but immortals and having superhuman powers. This beings, was believed, were invisible to the mortal eyes and guided and controlled the cosmos accorded to a pre-fixed plan and strict pre-written laws. The sumerian had four main divinities, know as the creator gods. This gods were An, the god of the sky !i, the earth goddess "nlil, god of air and "nki, god of water. Sky, earth, air and water were considered the four most important components in the #niverse. The act of creation, the sumerian held, implied the faithful following of the divine word the creator divinity only had to think of its design or pro$ect and pronounce the name of the thing that they wanted to create. To maintain the cosmos on a continuos and harmonious movement and avoid confusion and conflict, the gods conceived the me, a series of universal and immutable rules and laws that ever being was forced to obey.

The Deluge
%eluge: cataclysm mentioned in many mythological and religious traditions, according to which, on remote times the world was destroyed or purified by water, usually as the result of divine wrath for mankind&s actions. 'n the (enesis, for instance, human perversity makes )ahv* +,ehovah- to regret having created humanity and decided to destroy all living things. .irtuous /oah, who is 011 years old, gets ,ehovah&s favors, who teaches him how to build an arc and preserve on it humanity and other creatures. The biblical deluge has some clear antecedents on the mesopotamic mythology +which submits to the geographic reality of a land used to sudden flood from the two great rivers, the Tigris and "uphrates-. 'n the 2oem of (ilgamesh, a 3abylonian epic of sumerian origin, the great god "nlil sends a deluge to destroy humanity a man, #t-/apishtim, receives instructions to build an arc shaped like a cube and survives in it, loaded with the seed of all living creatures. The description of its preparations and the trip is a clear precedent to the biblical story of /oah. The reason for the deluge also appears on the 'ndian and (reek mythologies, even on the 4hinese, a hero named )u receives the order to stop the flood the task takes him three years of hard labor, but finally he solves the problem by building dams. To compensate his effort, the emperor abdicates on his favor. The Australian aborigine myth of the (reat %eluge, that destroys the pre-existing world and establishes a new social order, can have its historical basis on the elevation effect of the sea level when the temperatures rose after the last glaciating. 5n other versions, the deluge is the work of the great rainbow serpent )ulunggul, that furiously sent it because its pond has been desecrated b the two wawalag sisters, 6aimariwi and 3oaliri, whose trips have an important part on the aborigine creation myths. )ulunggul devours the sisters and their two sons, but after the deluge its vomits them and thus creates the first inhabitants of the new world. 6hile the deluge myths show the destructive power of water, the creation myths usually narrate the origins of the world from an a7uatic abyss or a primigenian sea.

Egyptian Mythology
8orus.- 9alcon or man with a 9alcon head. 'ts plant is the acacia. Son of 5siris and 'sis, although due to its many aspects usually changes fathers, sons, wife, : +it happens with a lot of divinities, not only !hemi-. "ternal avenger of his father, 5risis, his fight against Seth personifies the eternal combat between the Two ;ands, the <3lack ;and= +the /ile valley, fertility- and the <>ed ;and= +the desert-. Since the '.A., the king is the incarnation of 8orus on "arth hence the name <(olden 8orus= for the kind. The legend of 8orus can be found on 2lutarco&s work, the walls of the temple of "dfu and the 4hester 3eatty papyre n? @.

The sons of 8orus.- They are identified since ancient times with the soul of the god. Their main function is to guard the mummified entrails of the deceased. 5n the '. A., the urns didn&t have lids with human or animal heads, it is later when they adopt human shape and, during the middle of '. /. the lids are done with the heads of 8orus& sons, that also represent the A winds, the vital principles and the divine mourners:

Amset.- 8uman head. The South. ;iver. !a. 'sis. 8apy.- 3aboon head. /orth. ;ungs. 'b. /eftis. %uamutef.- ,ackal head. "ast. Stomach. 3a. /eit. !ebsenuf.- 9alcon head. 6est. 'ntestines. Sa. Selkis. 8e is also present on the <>oom of the Two Truths=, presiding against 5rising the trial and weighing of the deceased&s soul. 8ere they can be found standing, on the shape of mummies that emerge from a lotus flower. They are Anubis& helpers on the ceremony for the <5pening of the "yes and Bouth= and the mummification of 5siris. The myth also tales that they were found on the primeval waters, being rescued on the back of Sobek by >a&s order.

Enlil (sumerian)
Figure Map of Nippur

9irst, it is not the tree of life which gave the Anunna7i CeternalC life but rather the scientist /ergal who found the cure for death. The Anunna7i realiDed that death is a sickness, a disease which can be cured. The bible it self with itEs very bad translations have people believing that Adam F "ve spoke to a snake when in fact the word used is /akhash meaning Cthe whispererC. As we know snakes donEt talk and never will. And if you were walking along in the woods and heard a snake say Chey. you, come hereC you probably would runG The 3ible also has people believing that where ever you see the word (od that it is refering to some single omnipotent being when infact it is not. As in (en @:@ where we have and C(od 4reatedC which in actuallity is C"loheem created.C And this eloheem is plural and is refering to the a group of beings: The Anunna7i. 3ut because we donEt speak the language +hebrewHaramic- we leave our selves open to false

doctrines and confusion. /ow , There are CThe tablets of destinyC which is the tree Iakar F 8awwah +adam F eve- were told not to eat of. These tablets were actual scrolls And they sat under a tree that was in the center of the enlcosed garden (A/. This tree which carried the drugs, a stimulant that caused them to desire to have sex before the appointed time. This is when they learned CshameC after indulging in the opium like drug that tree carried. 3ecause the ancient parchments were carved into wooden tablets, they referred to these tablets as trees, $ust as the tree of life is an actual scroll.

Figure Enlil Zigurat "nlil had the Tablets of %estiny also called the Scroll of All in %ir-ga and Iuen wanted the tablets because in his hearts he wanted "nlilship meaning Ccontrol over the ;il +skies-. So Iuen befriended "nlil to win his

trust for the sole purpose of reading the tablets of %estiny to find out his destiny. There were J tablets in all and told of the coming of the elders. 5nce Iuen got the tablets of %estiny he gave them to "n7i and together they conspired against "nlil and the decendants of the Adamites, "nosites and the 4ainites. 9rom these tablets, the bible was devised, which bred belief in a book that TABB#I along with a council of A0 Anunna7i plageriDDed for the seed of seth TammuD did not create it , he made it easier.

Assiryian Babylonian
! "#er#ie$ (in%lu&ing regional history)
9irst, some definitions: Besopotamia, in general, refers to the area of the Tigris and "uphrates rivers. Assyria, was the northern portion of Besopotamia, whoEs capital was Ashur, and whose reach included the ma$or city of /ineveh. Sumer refers to the southern delta region, whose primary cities included #r, #ruk, and "ridu. Akkad was a region north of Sumer which included the area around modern 3aghdad as well as the ancient sites of 3abylon, !ish, and /ippur. The political organiDation of the region was basically a collection of city-states. Sargon of Agade +KLJ@-@0 34- united the regions of Sumer and Akkad. 8is descendants eventually lost control of the empire due to pressures from the 8urrians, the 8ittites, and other invaders, not to mention internal pressures. 'n the south Sumer again gained ascendancy, dominated by the city-state #r. Sumer then collapsed under the Amorites around K111 34. They established many sub- kingdoms including Assyria and 3abylon. Assyria attained a brief period of dominance under Shamshi-Adad +@M@L-@JM@ 34- but was soon superseded by 3abylon under 8ammurabi +@JNK-O134- who established what once were thought to be the first written law codes +more recent discoveries include law codes from a couple centuries prior to 8ammurabi-. The first 3abylonian dynasty collapsed in @ONO34 when the 8ittites sacked its eponymous capital. Assyria had been taken over by the Bitanni but established its independence in the mid @Ath century 34. 34. #nder Tukulti/inurta ' Assyria dominated the entire fertile crescent in the late @Lth century. 3y the time of Tiglath2ileser ', about a century later it had directed more of its attention westwards towards 2alestine and lost control of 3abylon and the south. Slowly Assyria began to expand again, reaching its apex between JO1 and 0O1 34 under the rulers Tiglath-2ileser ''', Sargon '', Senacherib, and Ashuribanipal+00M-0KJ 34-. The empire collapsed from invaders with /ineveh falling to /abopalasar of 3abylon in 0@K 34 and the empire dying in 01O 34. Beanwhile, 3abylon had been reasserting itself. #nder /ebuchadneDDar 3abylon expanded westward, taking ,erusalem in OM0 34. 3abylon fell in the mid-OA1Es to 4yrus the 2ersian whose empire lasted until the late L11Es 34 when Alexander of Bacedon established his empire and renamed the area CBesopotamiaC. +See also Shawn 3ayernEs 8istory 3abylonia-

! So these guys $ere 'ust li(e the Sumerian Deities right)

6ell some of them were mostly like the Sumerian %eities, but as you might expect, they have their own kinks and differences. 'n general the following relationships apply: Sumerian name Babylonian Name An Anu Ki/Ninhursag Aruru, Mammi Enlil Ellil Enki Ea Nanna Sin Inanna Ishtar Utu Shamash Ninlil Mullitu, Mylitta This is not a cut and dry relation. Sumerian and 3abylonian names appear in the same 3abylonian document, sometimes referring to the same entity. 'n addition, there are numerous local variations of these deities names which, in the next section, such EoptionalE names appear in parentheses after the more prevalent name.

! *ho $ere the go&s an& the heroes of the Babylonians then)
A! The "l&er (genealogi%ally) +o&s,
Apsu

The underworld ocean, masculine. The begetter of the skies and the earth. The father of ;ahmu, ;ahamu, Anshar and !ishar. 8e could not 7uell the noise of them or their children. 8e colluded with his viDier Bummu to silence the gods and allow Tiamat to rest, after Tiamat re$ected the idea. "a found out about his plans, cast a sleeping spell on him and killed him. Tiamat 2rimeval 4haos, bearer of the skies and the earth, mother of ;ahmu, ;ahamu, Anshar, and !ishar. The clamor of the younger gods disturbed her, but she continued to indulge them. 6hen Apsu and Bummu suggested that they kill the younger gods, she grew furious, calmed down and re$ected the plan. 8er restless subservient gods goaded her into action after Apsu is slain. They prepared to wage war against the other gods. As Bother 8ubur, the underworld river, who fashions all things, she bore giant snakes with venom for blood, and cloaked dragons with a godlike radiance yet with a terrible visage, for the war. She rallied a horned serpent, a mushussu-dragon, a lahmu-hero, a ugallu-demon, a rabid dog, a scorpion-man, umu-demons, a fish-man, a bull-man, and eleven others underneath her champion, Pingu. She gave Pingu the Tablet of %estinies to facilitate his command and attack. Barduk came with his host to attack her. PinguEs strategy initially confuses him, and Tiamat tried to enspell him, hurling $ibes at him. She was rebuffed and incited into single combat with Barduk. She continued to cast her spell and Barduk nets her, and throws a wind at her. She tried to swallow it and was undone - distended, shot, sliced in two and cut in the heart. 8er crushed skull heralded her death, and half of her skin was used to roof up the sky. 8er eyes became the sources of the Tigris and "uphrates rivers. ;ahmu and ;ahamu - Ethe hairy oneE or EmuddyE they have three pairs of curls, and are naked except for a triple sash. They were the first children of Tiamat and Apsu. !appa was sent to fetch them by Anshar, to help send off Barduk on his fight with Tiamat and be rallied to his side. They complied and helped find a princely shrine for Barduk Anshar - Ewhole skyE 8e is the father of Anu and the child of Tiamat and Apsu. 8e is often paired with !ishara, and his 7ualities were assimilated with Ashur. 6hen "a learned of TiamatEs planned war, Anshar tried to stir him into attacking her first, but was rebuffed. 8e turned to Anu and sent him on a peace mission to Tiamat, but Anu returned unsuccessful. An assembly was convened and Barduk came forth at "aEs urging, promising to deliver TiamatEs defeated body to AnsharEs feet. 8e re7uired of the assembly a promise that he would be given the leadership of the pantheon after he is victorious. 8e had !appa gather ;ahmu, ;ahamu, and the other gods together to send off Barduk on his fight and rally them to his side. 6hen they arrive they help find a princely shrine for Barduk. !ishar - Ewhole earthE , She is the mother of Anu and the child of Tiamat and Apsu. Anu - Sumerian for CheavenC, a sky god, father and king of the gods. 8e is the son of Anshar and !ishar. 8e lives in the third heaven. The "anna in #ruk was dedicated both to him and consort. 8is first consort was Antu. They produced the Anunnaki - the underworld gods, and the utukki - the seven evil demons. 8is second consort was 'nnina +'shtar-. 8e is a god of monarchs and is not friendly to the common people. 8e is a C!ing of the 'gigiC. 8e is assigned the sky as his domain in EAtrahasisE. 8is EkishruEs +shooting stars- have awesome strength. 8e has the ability that anything he puts into words, becomes reality. 8e is /iudimmudEs +"aEs- father. 8e calls Adapa to account for breaking the wing ofthe South 6ind, and offers him the food and drink of eternal life after %umuDi and (iDDida speak on AdapaEs behalf.

8e agrees to send the 3ull of 8eaven after (ilgamesh on 'shtarEs behalf, if she has made sure that the people of #ruk are properly provisioned for seven years. 8e decrees that either (ilgamesh or "nkidu must die for the slaying of 8umbaba and the 3ull of 8eaven. 8e sends !akka to !urnugi to tell "reshkigal to send a messenger to receive a gift from him. 6hen AnDu stole the Tablet of %estinies from "llil, he called for one of the gods to slay AnDu and thereby greatly increase his reputation. 8e gave Barduk the four winds to play with. 8e made a whirlwind and a flood wave and stirred up Tiamat on purpose. 6hen TiamatEs retaliation for ApsuEs death was discovered, Anshar sent him on a peace mission to her, but he returned unsuccessfully. 8e helps form a princely shrine for Barduk prior to his battle with Tiamat, and gives him the Anu-power of decreeing fates, such that his word is law. 8e and "arth father the Sebitti. 8e gives them fearsome fates and powers and puts them at "rraEs command, to aid in killing noisy, over populous people and animals. +See also the 8ittite Anus Symbol: sacred shine surmounted by the divine horned cap. Sacred number: 01 Astrological region: heavenly e7uator Sacred animal: the heavenly 3ull Antu+m- Sumerian for Cthe earthC, she is a colorless being who was the first consort of Anu. They produced the Anunnaki - the underworld gods, and the utukki - the seven evil demons. She was replaced by 'sthar +'nanna- who is sometimes her daughter. Aruru +/inmah, /intu, /inhursaga, 3elet-ili, Bami-She is the mother goddess and was responsible for the creation of man with the help of "nlil or "nki. She is also called the womb goddess, and midwife of the gods. 5n "aEs advice, she acted on his direction and mixed clay with the blood of the god (eshtu-e, in order to shape and birth seven men and seven women. These people would bear the workload of the 'gigi. She also added to the creation of (ilgamesh, and, at AnuEs command, made "nkidu in AnuEs image by pinching off a piece of clay, throwing it into the wilderness, and birthing him there. "a called her to offer her beloved /inurta as the one who should hunt AnDu. She does so. +See also the 8ittite 8annahannas Bammetum - the maker or mother of fate. /ammu - one of Cthe pure goddessesC, "aEs mother, associated with fresh water.

B! The Anunna(i- gigi- an& the .ounger +o&s

"llil +"nlil- - Sumerian for CwindHstorm-godC. 'nitially the leader of the pantheon, he has since relin7uished his spot to Anu. 2ossible slayer of "nmesharra and avenger of his father Anu. 8is role in this was upplanted by Barduk by the 3abylonians. 8e is a short-tempered god who was responsible for the great flood. 8e is the creator of mankind. 8e is thought to favor and help those in need. 8e guards the Ctablets of destinyC, which allow him to determines the fate of all things animate or inanimate. They was once stolen from him by a Iu, a storm- bird +a bird with some human 7ualities-. They were recovered and Iu faced $udgment by "llil. 8is consort is /inlil, his chief-minister is /usku. 8e was also god of the lands and of the earth. 8e is a C!ing of the AnunnakiC. 8e was their counselor warrior. 8e and his people receive the earth in EAtrahasisE. 8is temple is %uranki. 6hen the 'gigi rebelled against him, and surrounded his house and called for Anu. After man was created in response to the 'gigiEs grievances, he grew weary of their noise and released several disasters upon them, after each one, man recovered and then he released a new one. The disasters included disease, flood, drought, and the great flood. 8e appointed 8umbaba to guard the cedar forest and terrify mankind. 8e decreed that "nkidu must die for the slaying of the 3ull of 8eaven and 8umbaba. 8e does not answer (ilgameshEs plea to restore "nkidu to life. 8e found a throne for "tana to rule from in !ish. 8e appointed AnDu as the guardian of his bath chamber, but while bathing, AnDu stole from him the Tablet of %estinies, and his "llil-power. /inurta, with "aEs advise and 3elet-iliEs urgings slew

AnDu and recovered the Tablet of %estinies. +See also the 8ittite "llil Symbol: Seven small circles representing the 2leiades. Sacred number: O1 Astrological region: north of Cthe way of AnuC ie. @K degrees north of the e7uator. "a +"nki, /udimmud- god of the waters. 8e is in charge of the bolt which bars the sea. 8e knows everything. 8e is the C;ord of 6isdomC and C;ord of 'ncantationsC. 6hen he speaks, of a thing, it will be made. 8e is the son of Anu, but sometimes he is the son of Anshar. %umkina is his consort. 8e created Ialtu as a complement to 'shtar. 8e discovered the plot of Apsu and Bummu, put Apsu under a sleeping spell, and slew him and put Bummu into a daDe, tied him up, and slew him. 8e then named his 7uarters Apsu, the underworld ocean that supports the world. 8e and %amkina produced 3el and Barduk. +3el is likely to be another name for Barduk.8e learned that Tiamat was planning a war of revenge against the gods. 8is father Anshar tries to spur him into making the first attack against Tiamat, but "a rebuffs him. 6hen AnuEs peace mission fails, he urges Barduk into action. 8e suggests the method of creating man, in response to the heavy workload of the 'gigi. As mankindEs patron, he is the instructor of all crafts, writing, building, farming, and magic. 8e advises mankind when other gods would do them harm. 8e granted Adapa understanding, to teach mankind. 6hen Adapa used this knowledge to break the wing of the South 6ind, he cursed him and told him to complain of %umuDi and (iDDidaEs absence to Anu. 6hile in AnuEs court, he advises Adapa not to eat the bread of eternal life +lest he forfeit his life on earth-. 8e refuses to flood mankind for "llil. "ventually he accedes, but only after advising Atrahasis to build a boat in which to weather the flood. 8e tells /ergal to allow "nkiduEs spirit to visit with (ilgamesh. 6hen "a is informed of 'shtarEs imprisonment in the #nderworld, he creates E8is appearance is brightE to stand at "reshkigalEs gate and mellow her mood and have her swear an oath by the great gods. 8e instructs /ergal on how to build the gift throne for "reshkigal, and hides him with spring water to hide him from /amtar after he returned from the underworld. 6hen Anu and the gods could not locate a volunteer to kill AnDu, he told the 'giggi that he would pick one. 8e instructs 3elet-iliHBami to send /inurta to slay AnDu and, through Sharur advises /inurta on how to defeat the creature. +See also the 4anaanite 8eyan aka !othar-u-!hasis and the 8ittite Ayas Symbol: >amEs head goat-fish +a goatEs head on a fishEs bodySacred number: A1 Astrological region: @K degrees south in the sky +includes 2isces and A7uariusBummu - the craftsman god. 8e is attendant to "a and ApsuEs viDier. 8e is very fond of Apsu and colludes with him to disperse the younger gods when they disturb Tiamat, even after Tiamat re$ects the plan. "a found out about his plan, enspelled him and tied him up. Pingu - TiamatEs battle leader. 8e is promoted and enhanced to a leading position from among the ranks. Tiamat places the Tablet of %estinies into his possession, giving him the Anu-power, such that his word is law and effects reality. 8e gives his army fire-7uenching breath and paralyDing venom. 8is battle strategy initially confuses Barduk. 8e is defeated by Barduk and counted among the dead gods. Sin +/annar- moon god, son of "nlil. 8e has a beard of ;apis ;aDuli and rides a winged bull. 8is consort is /ingal. 8e is the father of Shamash. 8e does not answer (ilgameshEs plea to restore "nkidu to life. Symbol: 4rescent Sacred number: L1 Sphere of influence: the moon, calendars, vegetation, cattle fertility

/ingal - the consort of Sin, the mother of Shamash 'shtar +'shhara, 'rnini, 'nannaShe is AnuEs second consort, daughter of Anu and Antum, +sometimes daughter of Sin-, and sometimes the sister of "reshkigal. She is the goddess of love, procreation, and war. She is armed with a 7uiver and bow. 8er temples have special prostitutes of both genders. She is often accompanied by a lion, and sometimes rides it. The "anna in #ruk is dedicated both to her and Anu. As 'rnini, she has a parakku +throne-base- at the cedar mountain. She loved TammuD in her youth, although he spends half the year in the nether world wailing. She loved a lion, a stallion, a shepherd, all of whom she re7uired great sacrifice from and abandoned. She loved 'shullanu, a gardener who offered her fruit, but was taken aback when she revealed herself to him, so she turned him into a frog. After (ilgamesh cleans himself up, following his defeat of 8umbaba, she asks him to be her lover and husband, and offers him many gifts and the homage of earthly rulers and kingdoms. She is re$ected, both because of her godly nature, and as a fair-weather lover. 'shtar asks Anu to send the 3ull of 8eaven to kill (ilgamesh, and he agrees. She determines to go to the #nderworld. She threatened to smash the gate and raise the dead so that they would eat and outnumber the living unless the gatekeeper would open it for her. She holds the great keppu-toy +a whipping top-. She is allowed in by the gate keeper, who takes her through seven gates to "reshkigalEs realm. 3y "reshkigalEs rites, she is stripped of items of clothing as she passes through each of the gates: first her crown, then her earrings, then her necklace, then her tudditu +breast pins-, then her belt of birthstones, then her wrist and ankle bangles, and finally her garment. 6hile in the underworld, no creatures engaged in acts of procreation. She was kept in "galgina and brought forth by /amtar after being sprinkled with the water of life, and after E8is appearance is brightE has been cursed. She is led back out through the gates, given back her accouterments, and released in exchange for %umuDi +TammuD-. +See also the 8ittite Shaushka and the 4anaanite Astarte and Anat Symbol: an eight or sixteen-pointed star Sacred number: @O Astrological region: %ibalt +.enus- and the 3owstar +Sirius- Sacred animal: lion, +dragonSiduri - the barmaid, a manifestation of 'shtar who dwells at the lip of the sea, beyond which is the ;and of ;ife, where #tnapishtim lives. She speaks with (ilgamesh. She wears a veil. Shamash +3abbar, #tu- the sun god, the son of Sin and /ingal. 8e rises from the mountains with rays out of his shoulders. 8e enters and exits the underworld through a set of gates in the mountain, guarded by scorpion-people. 8e travels both on foot and in a chariot, pulled by fiery mules. 8e upholds truth, and $ustice. 8e is a lawgiver and informs oracles. /ergal is a corrupt aspect of his nature. 8e loves (ilgamesh, hates evil and instigates (ilgameshEs 7uest against 8umbaba, guiding him and receiving prayers from him along the way. 8e tries to intercede to "llil on "nkiduEs behalf, but is unsuccessful. 8e rebukes "nkidu for cursing the Stalker and the temple prostitute for bringing him out of the wild. 'n !ish, the eagle and the serpent swore an oath to Shamash that they would not overstep the limits of Shamash. The eagle broke the oath and ate the eggs of the serpent. Shamash, Ewhose net is as wide as earthE, told the serpent how to serve the eagle $ustice. The serpent lured the eagle with a bull carcass and captured him. The eagle re7uested to be spared and the serpent refused, saying that ShamashEs punishment would fall on him if he did not carry it out. 8e cut the eagleEs wings and left him to die in a pit. The eagle prayed to Shamash for mercy, and Shamash refused to help personally, but sent "tana to help the eagle. 8e agreed to help "tanaEs infertility problem if "tana would help the eagle. See also the 8ittite Sun-god and the 4anaanite Shapshu. Symbol: Solar disk with a four point star inside with rays coming from between the points. A winged disk. Sacred /umber: K1

Aia - ShamashEs consort !akka - Anshar and AnuEs viDier, who is sent to !urnugi to deliver "reshkigal the message that Anu wishes to deliver a gift to her via one of her messengers. Anshar sends him to round up ;ahmu and ;ahamu to send off Barduk for his battle with Tiamat and rally them to his side. /inlil - "llilEs consort. +see also Sumerian /inlil./usku - the god of fire and "llilEs viDier. (erra+(ibil- the god of fire, Anunitu +Antu-Es son. 8e despairs and will not attack AnDu after AnDu has stolen the Tablet of %estinies from "llil. 'shum +8endursanga - Elofty maceE- 8e is the god of fire, and is adept at using weapons. 8e lights the way in front of "rra and the Sebitti. 8e advises "rra against attacking Barduk or his people in 3abylon. 6hen "rra takes BardukEs seat, 'shum persuades him against destroying 3abylon, finally appeasing him by promising that the other gods would acknowledge themselves as his servants. !alkal - "llilEs doorkeeper in /ippur. %umkina - "aEs lover, mother of 3el and Barduk +note 3el is likely to be another title for Barduk-. /ash +/anshe- one of Cthe pure goddessesC, "aEs daughter. 8er cult center is Sirara near ;agash. Ialtu - CstrifeC, goddess created by "a to complement 'shtar. /inurta +shares some characteristics with /ingrisu- 4hamberlain of the Anunnaki, the war god, the champion of the land. 8e is the child of "llil and Bami. 8e was born in "kur, "llilEs temple in "kur. 8e is responsible for some small scale irrigation. 8e has a bow and arrow, sometimes they are poisoned. 8e also carries the mace, Sharur, which can act as a messenger between /inurta and other beings +notably "a-. 8e can marshal the Seven of 3attle, who can generate whirlwinds. 8e bound the Bountain of Stones in his fury, con7uered the AnDu with his weapon and slew the bullman inside the Sea. +%alley p. K1A-. After the Tablet of %estinies was stolen, 3elit-ili, at "aEs advice, instructed him to kill AnDu. 'nitially his assault was futile, but Sharur relayed advise from "a to him, which, when it was carried out allowed him to slay AnDu in a great onslaught. 8e recovered the Tablet of %estinies for "llil. /issaba performs a purification ceremony on him and he receives the following new names and shrines: %uku Eholy moundE in Sumerian, 8urabtil - an "lamite god, Shushinak - patron god of the "lamite city Susa, ;ord of the Secret, 2abilsag - god of the antediluvian city ;arak, /in-ADu - god of "shunna, 'shtaran god of %er, Iababa -warrior god of !ish, ;ugalbanda - (ilgameshEs father, ;ugal-Barada - patron god of Barad, 6arrior Tishpak - similar to /in- ADu, 6arrior of #ruk, ;ord of the 3oundary-Arrow, 2anigara - a warrior god, and 2apsukkal - viDier of the great gods. /insun

- Ethe great wild cowE, the great 7ueen, (ilgameshEs mother and ;ugalbandaEs mate. She is wise, Eknows everythingE and interprets (ilgameshEs dreams. She offers incense and drink to Shamash and 7uestions his decision to send (ilgamesh against 8umbaba. 6hen doing so, she wears a circlet on her head and an ornament on her breast. She adopts "nkidu prior to the 7uest against 8umbaba. Barduk - son of "a and %umkina. 8e supplants the other 3abylonian deities to become the central figure of their pantheon. 8e is a C!ing of the 'gigiC 8e often works with and asks 7uestions of his father. 8e has fifty names many of which are those of other deities whose attributes he usurped. 8e was of proud form and piercing stare, born mature, powerful, and perfect and superior. 8e has four eyes, four ears, and emits fire from his mouth when he speaks. 8e is also gifted in magic. Anu gave him the four winds to play with. 6hen AnuEs peace mission to Tiamat fails, "a urges him into action. 8e goes before Anshar and the divine assembly and declares that he will defeat Tiamat and lay her head at his feet, but that the assembly must promise that he should be the one to fix fates and more or less assume the role of the leader of the pantheon. Anshar, ;ahmu, ;ahamu, and Anu find him a shrine and Anu instills upon him the Anu-power in which, his word decrees fate. 8e is proclaimed king and invested with the scepter, throne, and staff-of- office. 8e is given an unfaceable weapon, the flood-weapon. 8e takes a bow and arrow and mace. 8e puts lightning in front of him, marshals his winds, makes a net to encircle Tiamat, fills his body with flame. 8e rides his storm-chariot driven by Slayer, 2itiless, >acer, and 9lyer, poison-toothed, tireless steeds. 8e had a spell on his lips and an anti- toxin in his hand. 8e led the gods to battle. +2.KO@-KOK %alley- PinguEs strategy confused him. Tiamat tried to enspell him and wheedled at him. Barduk reproaches her and calls her out for single combat. She looses her temper and they fight. 8e unleashes his weapons at her, distended her body with winds, shot her in the belly with an arrow, split her in two and slit her heart. 8e defeats the rest of her forces and retrieves the Tablet of %estinies. 8e smashed TiamatEs skull to herald her death. 8e made half of her skin the roof of the sky. 8e leveled Apsu, measured it and established numerous shrines for many of the gods. 8e set up stands for the gods, constructed the heavens and regulated the year, giving Shamash some dominion over the months and the year. 8e made the Tigris and "uphrates rivers from TiamatEs eyes and made mountains from her udders. 8e smashed the weapons of TiamatEs army and put images of them at the gates to the underworld. 8e set up his temple at "sharra. and his seat in 3abylon. The gods honored him as king. 8e put blood and bones together as and made early man to bear the work of the gods, as in Atrahasis. 9or PinguEs part in the war he was made to provide the blood for the creation of man. 8e divided the Anunnaki and placed L11 to guard the sky, and six hundred to dwell in heaven and earth. 8e had them create 3abylon building the "sagalia temple and a high Diggurat. Anshar gave him many new names: @. Asarluhi, K. Barduk, L. The Son, The Ba$esty of the (ods, A. Barukka, O. Bershakushu, 0. ;ugaldimmer-ankia +!ing of heaven and earth-, J. 3el, M. /ari-lugal-dimmer-ankia, N. Asarluhi, @1. /amtila, @@. /amru, @K. EAsare, @L. Asar-alim, @A. Asar-alim-nuna, @O. Tutu, @0. Ii-ukkina, @J. Iiku, @M. Agaku, @N. ShaDu, K1. Iisi, K@. Suhrim, KK. Suhgurim, KL. Iahrim, KA. Iahgurim, KO. "nbilulu, K0. "padun, KJ. (ugal, KM. 8egal, KN. Sirsir, L1. Balah, L@. (il, LK. (ilima, LL. Agilima, LA. Iulum, LO. Bummu, L0. Iulum-ummu, LJ. (iDh- numun-ab, LM. ;ugal-ab-dubur, LN. 2agal-guena, A1. ;ugal%urmah, A@. Aranuna, AK. %umu-duku, AL. ;ugal-duku, AA. ;ugal-shuanna, AO. 'ruga, A0. 'r7ingu, AJ. !inma, AM. !inma, AN. "-siDkur, O1. Addu, O@. Asharu, OK. /eberu, OL. "nkukur. 8e becomes a firm lawgiver and $udge who, when angered is not stoppable. ;ater he becomes somewhat negligent and "rra challenges him by preparing to attack his people in 3abylon. 8e responds to the challenge by saying that he already killed most of the people in the flood and would not do so again. 8e also states that no- one would be in control of things if he got off of his throne to work up a flood, to which "rra volunteers to run things from BardukEs throne. 3el +4anaanite 3aal- 4leverest of the clever and sage of the gods, he is the child of "a and %umkina. This name +meaning ElordE- is most likely referringto Barduk. Ashur +A-sir, Arusar, A-shar, Assur-

- god of Assyria and war. 8e is a C!ing of the 'gigiC Symbol: winged disk enclosing upper body, while he shoots an arrow. Shullat - ShamashEs servant. 2apsukkal - viDier of the (reat (ods, son of Sin. 6hile 'shtar was in the #nderworld, he became gloomy and informed Sin and "a of this plight. 8anish - the weather godEs servant. Adad +the 4anaanite 8adad, the 8urrian Teshub, the 4anaaniteH"gyptian >esheph, >immon- a storm god, AnuEs son. 8e holds a lightning bolt in his right hand and an axe in his left. 8e is partially responsible for the flood. 8e despairs and will not attack AnDu after AnDu has stolen the Tablet of %estinies from "llil. Sacred number: 0 Sacred animal: 3ull Shara - Anu and 'shtarEs son. 8e despairs and will not attack AnDu after AnDu has stolen the Tablet of %estinies from "llil. /in-ildu - the carpenter god. 8e carries the pure axe of the sun. (ushkin-banda - creator of god and man, goldsmith god. /in-agal - Elord strong-armE patron god of smiths. 8e chews copper and makes tools.

/! The Anunna(i an& other %hthoni% &eities an& &emons

"reshkigal +Allatu- the supreme goddess of the underworld. /ergal is her consort. She is often considered 'shtarEs sister. 6hen angered, her face grows livid and her lips grow black. She doesnEt know why 'shtar would visit her, but she allows her in, according to the ancient rites. She instructs /amtar to release his diseases upon 'shtar. 6hen E8is appearance is brightE tries to get her to swear an oath, she curses him. She has /amtar release 'shtar in exchange for %umuDi. Anu sends !akka to her with a message and then sends /ergal to give her a throne upon which she is to sit and give $udgment. She offers /ergal food, drink, a foot bath, and entices him with her body. "ventually he succumbs and they sleep with each other for seven days. She is enraged when he wishes to leave. She sends /amtar to heaven to re7uest that Anu, "llil, and "a send /ergal to her as one of the few favors she has ever had. 'f they do not, she will raise the dead and they will eat and outnumber the living. /ergal is brought back. 'n some versions of the myth, /ergal takes control of /amtarEs attendant demons and grabs "reshkigal by the hair. 'n this position she proposes marriage to him. 'n both versions they are married. +See also Sumerian "reshkigal and the 8ittite ;elwanis3elit-tseri tablet-scribe of the underworld. She kneels before "reshkigal. /amtar+a-

- the 9ate-4utter, "reshkigalEs messenger and viDier, the herald of death. 8e commands sixty diseases, which are grouped by the part of the body which they affect. 5fferings to him may stave off diseases. 8e takes 'shtar back out of the #nderworld at "reshkigalEs command. 8e acts as her messenger to Anu. Sumu7an - the cattle god, he resides in the underworld, in "reshkigalEs court. /ergal +"rragal, "rra, "ngidudu - Elord who prowls by nightE- -, the #nsparing, god of the underworld, husband of "reshkigal, lover of Bami. As "rra he is a hunter god, a god of war and plague. 8e is submissive to "a. 8e can open the doorposts to the underworld to allow the passage of a soul. 8e achieved his post by refusing to stand before an address of /amtar. 6hen "reshkigal called him to be punished, he dragged her off of her throne by the hair, and threatened to decapitate her. She offered him the position as her consort and he accepted. 8e is an evil aspect of Shamash. 8e allows "nkiduEs spirit to visit (ilgamesh at the behest of "a. 8e is sometimes the son of "a. 2rior to his first $ourney to the underworld, he builds a chair of fine wood under "aEs instruction to give to "reshkigal as a gift from Anu. 8e is advised not to take part of the food, drink and entertainment offered there. 8e is tempted by "reshkigal and eventually succumbs, sleeping with her for seven days. 8e then takes his leave, angering her. The gatekeeper lets him out and he climbs the stairway to heaven. 8e hides from /amtar in heaven, but is discovered and returns to the underworld to marry "reshkigal. 'n some versions, on the way back to the #nderworld, he seiDes control of /amtarEs attendant demons and grabs "reshkigal by the hair. 'n this position she offers marriage. 8e commands the Sebitti, seven warriors who are also the 2leadies, they aid in his killing of noisy, over-populous people and animals. 8e rallies them when he feels the urge for war, and calls 'shum to light the way. They prefer to be used in war instead of waiting while "rra kills by disease. 8e regards Barduk as having become negligent and prepares to attack his people in 3abylon. 8e challenges Barduk in "sagila in ShuannaH3abylon. Barduk responds that he already killed most of the people in the flood and would not do so again. 8e also states that he could not run the flood without getting off of his throne and letting control slip. "rra volunteers to take his seat and control things. Barduk takes his vacation and "rra sets about trying to destroy 3abylon. 'shum intervenes on 3abylonEs behalf and persuades "rra to stop, but not before he promises that the other gods will acknowledge themselves as "rraEs servants. +See also Sumerian /ergal 'rra - plague god, underling of /ergal "nmesharra - #nderworld god ;amashtu - a dread female demon also known as Eshe who erasesE. /abu - god of writing and wisdom /edu - the guardian of the first gate of the underworld. /ingiDDia - a guardian of the gate of heaven a god of the underworld. TammuD +%umuDi, Adonisthe brother and spouse to 'shtar, or the lover of her youth. 8e is a vegetation god. 8e went into the underworld and was recovered through the intervention of 'shtar. 8e is sometimes the guardian of

heavenEs gates and sometimes a god of the underworld. 8e is friends with /ingiDDia. 8e is exchanged for 'shtar in the #nderworld. 8e guards the (ate of Anu with (iDDida. 3elili +(eshtinanna- TammuDH%umuDiEs sister, Ethe one who always weepsE, the wife of /ingishDida. (iDDida +(ishDida- son of /inaDu, consort of 3elili, doorkeeper of Anu. /issaba +/isaba- cereal grain harvest goddess. 8er breast nourishes the fields. 8er womb gives birth to the vegetation and grain. She has abundant locks of hair. She is also a goddess of writing and learned knowledge. She performs the purification ceremony on /inurta after he has slain AnDu and is given his additional names and shrines. %agan +#garitic for EgrainE- chthonic god of fertility and of the #nderworld. 8e is paired with Anu as one who acknowledges directives and courses of action put forth in front of the assembly of the gods. +See also the 4anaanite %agon 3irdu - +means EpimpleE- an underworld god. "llil used him as a messenger to /inurta Sharru - god of submission #rshambi - boatman to #tnapishtim "nnugi - canal- controller of the Anunnaki. (eshtu-e - EearE, god whose blood and intelligence are used by Bami to create man.

D! Demigo&s- heroes- an& monsters,

Adapa +#an- the first of the seven antediluvian sages who were sent by "a to deliver the arts of civiliDation to mankind. 8e was from "ridu. 8e offered food an water to the gods in "ridu. 8e went out to catch fish for the temple of "a and was caught in a storm. 8e broke the South 6indEs wing and was called to be punished. "a advised him to say that he behaved that way on account of %umuDiEs and (iDDidaEs absence from the country. Those gods, who tended AnuEs gate, spoke in his favor to Anu. 8e was offered the bread and water of eternal life, but "a advised against his taking it, lest he end his life on earth. Atrahasis and #t-napishtim, ;ike the Sumerian Iiusudra +the Qisuthros of 3erossus- or /oah from the 2entateuch, were the longlived survivors of the great flood which wiped out the rest of humanity. 'n AtrahasisE case, "llil had grown tired of the noise that the mass of humanity was making, and after a series of disasters failed to eliminate the problem, he had "nki release the floodgates to drown them out. Since "nki had a hand in creating man, he wanted to preserve his creation, warned Atrahasis, and had him build a boat, with which he weathered the flood. 8e also had kept his ear open to "nki during the previous disasters and had been able to listen to "nkiEs advice on how to avoid their full effects by making the appropriate offerings to the appropriate deities. 8e lived hundreds of years prior to the flood, while #tnapishtim lives forever after the flood.

#tnapishtim of Shuruppak was the son of #baratutu. 8is flood has no reason behind it save the stirrings of the hearts of the (ods. As with Atrahasis, #tnapishtim is warned to build an ark by "a. 8e is also told to abandon riches and possessions and seek life and to tell the city elders that he is hated by "nlil and would go to the watery Abyss to live with "a via the ark. 8e loads gold, silver, and the seed of all living creatures into the ark and all of his craftsmenEs children as well. After "a advises "nlil on better means to control the human population, +predators, famine, and plague-, "nlil makes #tnapishtim and his wife immortal, like the gods. ;ugalbanda - a warrior-king and, with /insun, the progenitor of (ilgamesh. 8e is worshipped, being (ilgameshEs ancestor, by (ilgamesh as a god. (ilgamesh +possibly 3ilgamesh- and "nkidu The son of the warrior-king ;ugalbanda and the wise goddess /insun, (ilgamesh built the walls of the city #ruk, and the "anna +house of An- temple complex there, dedicated to 'shtar. 8e is two-thirds divine and one-third human. 8e is tall and a peerless warrior. 8e is the king and shepherd of the people of #ruk, but he was very wild, which upset his people, so they called out to Anu. Anu told Aruru to make a peer for (ilgamesh, so that they could fight and be kept occupied, so she created the wild-man "nkidu. "nkidu terroriDes the countryside, and a Stalker, advised by his father, informs (ilgamesh. They bring a love- priestess to bait "nkidu. She sleeps with him, and educates him about civiliDation, (ilgamesh and the city. (ilgamesh dreams about "nkidu and is anxious to meet him. "nkidu comes into the city (ilgamesh is on his way to deflower the brides in the cityEs Cbride-houseC and the two fight. They are evenly matched and become friends. (ilgamesh decides to strengthen his reputation by taking on 8umbaba, "nlilEs guardian of the forest. "nkidu accompanies (ilgamesh and they spend much time in preparation. "ventually they find the monster and defeat him. 'shtar offers to become (ilgameshEs lover, but (ilgamesh insults her, saying that she has had many lovers and has not been faithful to them. 'shtar asks Anu to send the 3ull of 8eaven to punish (ilgamesh, and he does. (ilgamesh and "nkidu defeat the creature, but "nkidu falls ill and dies, presumably because the gods are unhappy that he helped kill 8umbaba and the 3ull of 8eaven. (ilgamesh morns "nkidu and decides to visit #tnapishtim, the only human who does not die. 8e goes to the mountains of Bashu and passes by the guardian scorpion-demons into the darkness. 't becomes light as he enters the (arden of the (ods and he finds Siduri the 3armaid, to whom he relates his 7uest. She sends him to cross the waters of death and he confronts the boatman, #rshanabi. They cross and (ilgamesh speaks with #tnapishtim. #tnapishtim recounts the tale of the flood and challenges (ilgamesh to remain awake for six days and seven nights. 8e fails, but #tnapishtimEs wife urges him to reveal to (ilgamesh a re$uvinative plant. (ilgamesh takes it, but looses it to a serpent before returning to #ruk. Another tablet of the 3abylonian (ilgamesh story exists, which is similar to the Sumerian version of the tale. "nkidu volunteers to enter the underworld to recover (ilgameshEs pukku and mikku +drum and throwing stick-. (ilgamesh warns him of the proper eti7uette for the underworld, lest "nkidu be kept there. "nkidu prepares to enter the underworld, and is dressed, scented and bade good-bye. The "arth seiDes him and (ilgamesh weeps. 8e pleads for "nkiduEs sake to "nlil, Sin, and finally to "a. "a tells /ergal to let "nkiduEs ghost escape the underworld and tell (ilgamesh about it. 8e tells (ilgamesh of the dead which he has seen there, of those who are cared for and those who arenEt, indicating the sort of $udgment and ritual associated with the afterlife and death. "tana - the human taken to the sky by an eagle. 8e was the king of !ish. 'shtar and the 'gigi searched for a king for !ish. "llil found a throne for "tana and they declared him the king. 8e was pious an continued to pray to Shamash, yet he had no son. Shamash told him to where to find the eagle with the cut wings, who would find for him the plant of birth. 8e found the eagle, fed it, and taught it to fly again. /ot being able to find the plant, the eagle had "tana mount on his back and they $ourneyed to 'shtar, mistress of birth. 5n flying up to heaven, "tana grew scared at the height and went down. Then

after some encouraging dreams tried to ascend to heaven on the eagle again. They succeeded. "tana had a son, 3alih. 8umbaba +8uwawa- this monster was appointed by "llil to guard the cedar forest, which is in fact one large tree, the home of the gods, and terrify mankind. E8is shout is the storm-flood, his mouth, fire, his breath is death.E +(ardner F Baier p. @1O- 8e has seven cloaks with which to arm himself. There is a gate and a path in the cedar mountain for 8umbaba to walk on. (ilgamesh and "nkidu attack. 8umbaba pleads for mercy, "nkidu argues against mercy, and "nkidu and (ilgamesh decapitate him. The 3ull of 8eaven - this creature was created by Anu to kill (ilgamesh at 'shtarEs behest. At its snorting, a hole opened up and K11 men fell into it. 6hen it fights "nkidu and (ilgamesh, it throws spittle and excrement at them. 't is killed and set as an offering to Shamash. AnDu - a demonic being with lion paws and face and eagle talons and wings. 't was born on the mountain 8ehe. 'tEs beak is like a saw, its hide as eleven coats of mail. 't was very powerful. "llil appointed him to guard his bath chamber. 8e envied the "llil-power inherent in "llilEs Tablet of %estinies and stole it while "llil was bathing. 6ith the Tablet of %estinies, anything he puts into words becomes reality. 8e takes advandtage of this by causing /inurtaEs arrows to never reach their target. 8owever, once "aEs advice reached /inurta, AnDu was slain by the heroEs onslaught. a7rabuamelu +girtablilu- scorpion-man, the guardians of the gates of the underworld. Their Cterror is awesomeC and their Cglance is deathC. They guard the passage of Shamash. They appraise (ilgamesh and speak with him. %efinitions: Anunnaki - gods +mostly of the earth-. The sky Anunnaki set the 'gigi to digging out the rivers 'gigi - gods +mostly of the heavens- They are given the task of digging riverbeds by the Anunnaki. They rebelled against "llil. Sebitti - the seven warrior gods led by "rra in the sky they are the 2leadies. They were children of Anu and the "arth-mother. Anu gave them fearsome and lethal destinies and put them under "rraEs command. They prefer to exercise there skills instead of letting "rra stay in the cities with his diseases. #tukki - demons Buttabri7u - 9lashes of ;ightning Sarabda - 3ailiff >abishu - 4roucher Tirid - "xpulsion 'diptu - 6ind 3ennu - 9its Sidana - Staggers Bi7it - Stroke 3el #ri - ;ord of the >oof #mma - 9everhot ;ibu - Scab gallu-demons - can fre7uently alter their form. umu-demons - fiercely bare their teeth.