List of Mesopotamian deities
Encyclopedia
Major deities
- AdadAdadAdad in Akkadian and Ishkur in Sumerian and Hadad in Aramaic are the names of the storm-god in the Babylonian-Assyrian pantheon. All three are usually written by the logogram dIM...
or Ishkur - god of storms, venerated as a supreme power especially in SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among... - AnshurAshur (god)Ashur is the head of the Assyrian pantheon....
- head of the AssyriaAssyriaAssyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n pantheon, regarded as the equivalent of Enlil - AnuAnuIn Sumerian mythology, Anu was a sky-god, the god of heaven, lord of constellations, king of gods, Consort of Antu, spirits and demons, and dwelt in the highest heavenly regions. It was believed that he had the power to judge those who had committed crimes, and that he had created the stars as...
or An - god of heaven and the sky, lord of constellations, and father of the gods - EnkiEnkiEnki is a god in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian mythology. He was originally patron god of the city of Eridu, but later the influence of his cult spread throughout Mesopotamia and to the Canaanites, Hittites and Hurrians...
or Ea - god of the freshwater Abzu, crafts, water, intelligence, mischief and creation - EnlilEnlilElizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband, Robert Browning, shortly after her death.-Early life:Members...
- god of the wind and divine ruler of the Earth and its human inhabitants - EreshkigalEreshkigalIn Mesopotamian mythology, Ereshkigal was the goddess of Irkalla, the land of the dead or underworld. Sometimes her name is given as Irkalla, similar to the way the name Hades was used in Greek mythology for both the underworld and its ruler.Ereshkigal was the only one who could pass judgment and...
- goddess of IrkallaIrkallaIn Babylonian mythology, Irkalla is the hell-like underworld from which there is no return. It is also called Arali, Kigal, Gizal, and the lower world...
, the Underworld - InannaInannaInanna, also spelled Inana is the Sumerian goddess of sexual love, fertility, and warfare....
or IshtarIshtarIshtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
- goddess of fertility, love, sex and war - MardukMardukMarduk was the Babylonian name of a late-generation god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon, who, when Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of Hammurabi , started to...
- patron deity of BabylonBabylonBabylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
who eventually became regarded as the head of the Babylonian pantheon - NabuNabuNabu is the Assyrian and Babylonian god of wisdom and writing, worshipped by Babylonians as the son of Marduk and his consort, Sarpanitum, and as the grandson of Ea. Nabu's consort was Tashmetum....
- god of wisdom and writing - NansheNansheIn Sumerian mythology, Nanshe was the daughter of Enki and Ninhursag . Her functions as a goddess were varied. She was a goddess of social justice, prophecy, fertility and fishing. Like her father, she was heavily associated with water. She held dominion over the Persian Gulf and all the...
- goddess of social justice, prophecy, fertility and fishing - NergalNergalThe name Nergal, Nirgal, or Nirgali refers to a deity in Babylon with the main seat of his cult at Cuthah represented by the mound of Tell-Ibrahim. Nergal is mentioned in the Hebrew bible as the deity of the city of Cuth : "And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal"...
- god of plague, war, and the sun in its destructive capacity; later husband of Ereshkigal - NinhursagNinhursagIn Sumerian mythology, Ninhursag or Ninkharsag was the earth and mother goddess, one of the seven great deities of Sumer. She is principally a fertility goddess. Temple hymn sources identify her as the 'true and great lady of heaven' and kings of Sumer were 'nourished by Ninhursag's milk'...
- earth and mother goddessMother goddessMother goddess is a term used to refer to a goddess who represents motherhood, fertility, creation or embodies the bounty of the Earth. When equated with the Earth or the natural world such goddesses are sometimes referred to as Mother Earth or as the Earth Mother.Many different goddesses have...
; also known as MamiMami (goddess)Mami is a goddess in the Babylonian epic Atra-Hasis and in other creation legends. She was probably synonymous with Ninhursag. She was involved in the creation of humankind from clay and blood...
, Belet-Ili, KiKi (goddess)Cuneiform KI is the sign for "earth". It is also read as GI5, GUNNI "hearth", KARAŠ "encampment, army", KISLAḪ "threshing floor" or steath, and SUR7...
, Ninmah, Nintu and Aruru - NinlilNinlilIn Sumerian religion, Ninlil , also called Sud, in Assyrian called Mullitu, is the consort goddess of Enlil. Her parentage is variously described. Most commonly she is called the daughter of Haia and Nunbarsegunu...
- goddess of the air; consort of Enlil - NinurtaNinurtaNinurta in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology was the god of Lagash, identified with Ningirsu with whom he may always have been identical...
- champion of the gods, the epitome of youthful vigour, and god of agriculture - ShamashShamashShamash was a native Mesopotamian deity and the sun god in the Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian pantheons. Shamash was the god of justice in Babylonia and Assyria, corresponding to Sumerian Utu...
or UtuUtuUtu is the Sun god in Sumerian mythology, the son of the moon god Nanna and the goddess Ningal. His brother and sisters are Ishkur and Inanna and Erishkigal....
- god of the sun, arbiter of justice and patron of travellers - SinSin (mythology)Sin or Nanna was the god of the moon in Mesopotamian mythology. Nanna is a Sumerian deity, the son of Enlil and Ninlil, and became identified with Semitic Sin. The two chief seats of Nanna's/Sin's worship were Ur in the south of Mesopotamia and Harran in the north.- Name :The original meaning of...
or Nanna - god of the moon - Tammuz or Dumuzi - god of food and vegetation
Lesser deities
- AbuAbu (god)Abu in Sumerian mythology was a minor god of plants. He was one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki....
- a minor god of plants - Ama-arhusAma-arhusAma-arhus is an Akkadian fertility goddess. She is mentioned in texts as being amongst the pantheon at Uruk in Hellenistic times, but is also found as an earlier aspect of the deity Gula....
- Akkadian fertility goddess; later merged into Ninhursag - AmasagnulAmasagnulAmasagnul is an Akkadian fertility goddess. She is mentioned in documents from the Hellenistic period at Uruk, and is thought to be the consort of the god Papsukkal...
- Akkadian fertility goddess - AmathauntaAmathauntaIn Sumerian mythology, Amathaunta is the goddess of the ocean. She was also worshipped by Sumerian immigrants in Egypt, and may be the biblical goddess Ashima. It is also believed that she is related to the Greek god of the ocean, Poseidon....
- goddess of the ocean - Amurru - god of the AmoriteAmoriteAmorite refers to an ancient Semitic people who occupied large parts of Mesopotamia from the 21st Century BC...
people - AnAn (goddess)An in Sumerian mythology is a goddess, possibly a female principle of the creator god An. Early iconography suggests a celestial sky goddess in the form of a cow whose udders produce rain and who becomes Antu in the Akkadian pantheon....
- a goddess, possibly the female principle of Anu - AsaruluduAsaruluduNam-shub redirects here. For the concept of the self-fulfilling prophecy used in Snow Crash, see namcubIn Sumerian and Akkadian mythology Asaruludu is one of the Anunnaku. His name is also spelled Asarludu, Asarluhi, and Namshub....
or Namshub - a protective deity - AshnanAshnanAshnan was the goddess of grain in Mesopotamia. She and her brother Lahar, both children of Enlil, were created by the gods to provide the Annunaki with food, but when the heavenly creatures were found unable to make use of their products, humankind was created to provide an outlet for their...
- goddess of grain - AyaAya (goddess)Aya in Akkadian mythology was a mother goddess, consort of the sun god Shamash. She developed from the Sumerian goddess Šherida, consort of Utu.- History :...
- a mother goddess and consort of Shamash - Azimua - a minor Sumerian goddess
- Bau - dog-headed patron goddess of LagashLagashLagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East...
- Belet-SeriBelet-SeriBelet-Seri in Babylonian and Akkadian mythology is an underworld goddess. The recorder of the dead entering the underworld, she is known as the "Scribe of the Earth". Married to Amurru, the God of Nomads, she's known as 'Queen of the Desert'....
- recorder of the dead entering the underworld - BirduBirduBirdu or Bubu'tu is a god of the underworld, worshipped by the Babylonians and Akkadians. He is the consort of Manungal and was syncretised with Nergal...
- an underworld god; consort of Manungal and later syncretized with Nergal - DamgalnunaDamgalnunaDamgalnuna was a mother goddess in Mesopotamian mythology. She first appears as a consort of Enlil in Sumerian mythology, and later becomes the Akkadian Damkina, consort of Enki/Ea and mother of the god Marduk....
- mother of Marduk - DamuDamuIn Sumerian mythology, Damu is a god of vegetation and rebirth. He is a son of Enki and Nininsinna,or Bau and Ninurta and he kept the sap flowing and helped to regulate the death-rebirth cycle of nature.Damu also seems to be a local offshoot of Tammuz....
- god of vegetation and rebirth; possibly a local offshoot of Dumuzi - DruagaDruagaDruaga refers to a Babylonian/Sumerian deity, who was ruler of the underworld. Druaga is occasionally used as an alternative name for the evil Zoroastrian deity, Ahriman, enemy of the god Ahura Mazda.-Popular Media:...
- an underworld god - EmeshEmeshEmesh is a Sumerian god of vegetation. He was created, alongside the god Enten, at the wish of Enlil to take responsibility on earth for woods, fields, sheep folds, and stables. He is identified with the abundance of the earth and with summer....
- god of vegetation, created to take responsibility on earth for woods, fields, sheep folds, and stables - EnbiluluEnbiluluEnbilulu was the god of rivers and canals in Mesopotamian mythology. In the creation mythology he was placed in charge of the sacred rivers Tigris and Euphrates by the god Enki. Also he was the deity of irrigation and farming. In the Sumerian "Enlil and Ninlil" story he is a son of Enlil and Ninlil...
- god of rivers, canals, irrigation and farming - EndursagaEndursagaEndursaga is the herald god in the Sumerian mythology. He leads the pantheon, particularly in times of conflict. In Akkadian times he becomes Ishum....
- a herald god - EnkimduEnkimduEnkimdu is the Sumerian god of farming, in charge of canals and ditches, a task assigned to him by the water god Enki during his organization of the world....
- god of farming, canals and ditches - EnmesarraEnmesarraEnmesarra, or Enmešarra, in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology is an underworld god of the law. Described as a Sun god, protector of flocks and vegetation, and therefore he has been equated with Nergal.. On the other hand, he has been described as an ancestor of Enlil, and it has been claimed that...
- an underworld god of the law, equated with Nergal - EnnugiEnnugiEnnugi in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology is the attendant and throne-bearer of Enlil...
- attendant and throne-bearer of Enlil - EnshagEnshagEnshag or Enshagag, in Sumerian mythology was one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki. He was made lord of Dilmun by Enki....
- a minor deity born to relieve the illness of Enki - EntenEntenEnten is a Sumerian fertility deity. He was said to have been created by Enlil as a guardian of farmers, along with the vegetation god Emesh. Enten was given specific responsibility for the fertility of ewes, goats, cows, donkeys, birds, and other animals. He is identified with the abundance of the...
- god of vegetation, created to take responsibility on earth for the fertility of ewes, goats, cows, donkeys, birds - Erra - Akkadian god of mayhem and pestilence
- GagaGaga (god)Gaga is a minor Babylonian deity featured in the Enûma Eliš. She is sent by Anshar to the forces of Tiamat with the formal announcement of Marduk's readiness to battle Tiamat....
- a minor deity featured in the Enûma Eliš - GatumdagGatumdagGatumdag is a fertility goddess in Sumerian mythology. She is the daughter of the sky god An and is the tutelary mother goddess of Lagash....
- a fertility goddess and tutelary mother goddess of Lagash - Geshtu-EGeshtu-EGeshtu- is, in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology, a minor god of intelligence. Legend says that he was sacrificed by the great gods and his blood was used in the creation of mankind....
- minor god of intelligence - GibilGibilGibil in Sumerian mythology is the god of fire, variously of the son of An and Ki, An and Shala or of Ishkur and Shala. He later developed into the Akkadian god Gerra....
or GerraGerra (god)Gerra is the Babylonian and Akkadian god of fire, derived from the earlier Sumerian deity Gibil. He is the son of Anu and Antu.- References :*Michael Jordon, Encyclopedia of Gods, Kyle Cathie Limited, 2002...
- god of fire - GugalannaGugalannaIn Mesopotamian mythology, Gugalanna In Mesopotamian mythology, Gugalanna In Mesopotamian mythology, Gugalanna (lit. "The Great Bull of Heaven" In Mesopotamian mythology, Gugalanna (lit. "The Great Bull of Heaven" In Mesopotamian mythology, Gugalanna (lit...
- the Great Bull of Heaven, the constellation TaurusTaurus (constellation)Taurus is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is a Latin word meaning 'bull', and its astrological symbol is a stylized bull's head:...
and the first husband of Ereshkigal - GunaraGunaraGunara is a Sumerian and Akkadian deity of uncertain status. The deity is described variously as the husband of the goddess Nininsina and the father of Damu , but also as the sister of Damu....
- a minor god of uncertain status - HahanuHahanuHahanu is a god in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology. Of uncertain function, he is known from passing references in texts and from inscriptions....
- a minor god of uncertain status - HaniHani (god)Hani is a minor god in Akkadian mythology, one of the attendants of the storm-god Adad.- References :* Michael Jordon, Encyclopedia of Gods, Kyle Cathie Limited, 2002...
- an attendant of the storm god Adad - HayasumHayasumHayasum is a minor god in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology. He is known from texts, but his function is uncertain....
- a minor god of uncertain status - Hegir-NunaHegir-NunaHegir-Nuna is a goddess in Sumerian mythology. She is one of the seven daughters of the goddess Baba, known chiefly at Lagash....
- a daughter of the goddess Bau - HendursagaHendursagaHendursaga is the god of law in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology. He was titled by Gudea of Lagash “herald of the land of Sumer.”...
- god of law - IlabratIlabratIlabrat in Babylonian and Akkadian mythology is the attendant and minister of state of the chief sky god Anu....
- attendant and minister of state to Anu - IshumIshumIshum is a minor god in Akkadian mythology, the brother of Shamash and an attendant of Erra. He may have been a god of fire and, according to texts, led the gods in war as a herald but was nonetheless generally regarded as benevolent. Ishum is known particularly from the Babylonian legend of Erra...
- brother of Shamash and attendant of Erra - IsimudIsimudIsimud is a minor god, the messenger of the god Enki in Sumerian mythology.He is readily identifiable by the fact that he possesses two faces looking in opposite directions....
- two-faced messenger of Enki - IštaranIštaranIštaran was the local deity of the city of Der, a Sumerian city state positioned east of the Tigris on the border between Sumer and Elam. His cult flourished from the Early Dynastic III Period until the Middle Babylonian Period, after which his name is no longer attested in the personal names of...
- god of the city of Der (Sumer)Der (Sumer)Der was a Sumerian city-state at the site of modern Tell Aqar near al-Badra in Iraq's Wasit Governorate. It was east of the Tigris River on the border between Sumer and Elam. It's namewas possibly Durum.-History:... - KabtaKabtaIn Sumerian mythology, Kabta is the god of pickaxes and the shaping of bricks. He is one of the eight deities who were created by Ninhursag. His function is not to be confused with that of his brother, Mushdamma, the god of foundations and buildings....
- god of pickaxes and the shaping of bricks - KakkaKakkaKakka in Babylonian and Akkadian mythology is a minor god, attendant and minister of state to both Anu and Anshar. He is particularly known from the text of Nergal and Ereshkigal....
- attendant and minister of state to both Anu and Anshar - KinguKinguKingu, also spelled Qingu, meaning "unskilled laborer," was a god in Babylonian mythology, and — after the murder of his father Apsu — the consort of the goddess Tiamat, his mother, who wanted to establish him as ruler and leader of all gods before she was slain by Marduk. Tiamat gave Kingu the 3...
- consort of Tiamat; killed by Marduk, who used his blood to create mankind - KubabaKubabaKubaba is the only queen on the Sumerian King List, which states she reigned for 100 years – roughly in the Early Dynastic III period of Sumerian history...
- tutelary goddess of the city of CarchemishCarchemishCarchemish or Kargamış was an important ancient city of the Mitanni, Hittite and Neo Assyrian Empires, now on the frontier between Turkey and Syria. It was the location of an important battle between the Babylonians and Egyptians, mentioned in the Bible... - Kus (god)Kus (god)Kus is a god of herdsmen in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology. He is identified in the Theogony of Dunnu.- References :*Michael Jordon, Encyclopedia of Gods, Kyle Cathie Limited, 2002...
- god of herdsmen - LaharLahar (god)Lahar was the Sumerian cattle-god or goddess sent by Enlil and Enki from the sky down to earth in order to make abundant its cattle. He is the brother of Ashnan...
- god of cattle - Lugal-IrraLugal-IrraLugal-Irra is a Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian god, probably a minor variation of Erra, the Babylonian plague god. The prefix Lugal means "lord". He is often coupled with Mes Iam taea, the god of war....
- possibly a minor variation of Erra - LulalLulalIn Sumerian mythology, Lulal is the younger son of Inanna. He was the patron deity of Bad-tibira while his older brother, Shara was located at neighboring Umma....
- the younger son of Inanna; patron god of Bad-tibiraBad-tibiraBad-tibira, "Wall of the Copper Worker", or "Fortress of the Smiths", identified as modern Tell al-Madineh, between Ash Shatrah and Tell as-Senkereh in southern Iraq, was an ancient Sumerian city, which appears among antediluvian cities in the Sumerian King List. Its Akkadian name was Dûr-gurgurri... - MamituMamituIn Mesopotamian mythology Mamitu was the goat-headed goddess of destiny, who decreed the fate of the new-borns. She was also worshipped as goddess of the oath, later a goddess of fate and a judge in the underworld, where she lives with the Anunnaku. She is occasionally regarded as a consort of...
- goat-headed goddess of destiny, who decreed the fate of the new-borns - ManungalManungalManungal is a goddess of the underworld, worshipped by the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Akkadians. She is the consort of the god Birdu. Her title was the "Queen of the Ekur" where she held the "tablet of life" and carried out judgement on the wicked....
- an underworld goddess; consort of Birdu - MammetunMammetunMammetun was the Sumerian goddess of fate....
- Sumerian goddess of fate - MandanuMandanuMandanu in Babylonian and Akkadian mythology is a god of divine judgement. He is known from the neo-Babylonian period....
-god of divine judgment - MuatiMuatiMuati is an obscure local god in the Sumerian pantheon. He is associated in some texts with the mythical island paradise of Dilmun, and becomes syncretised with Nabu....
- obscure Sumerian god who became syncretized with Nabu - MushdammaMushdammaIn Sumerian mythology, Mushdamma, "the Great Builder of Enlil", is the god of buildings and foundations. He is one of the eight deities who were created by Ninhursag. His function is not to be confused with that of his brother, Kabta, the god of bricks....
- god of buildings and foundations - NammuNammuIn Sumerian mythology, Nammu was a primeval goddess, corresponding to Tiamat in Babylonian mythology....
- a creation goddess - Nanaya - goddess personifying voluptuousness and sensuality
- NaziNazi (god)Nazi is a god in Sumerian mythology, one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki. While he was born from a god Nazi was believed to be a man. He was the consort of the goddess Nindar....
- a minor deity born to relieve the illness of Enki - NegunNegunNegun is a minor goddess worshipped by the Sumerians. She is known from limited references and her function is uncertain. Negun may be associated with the goddess Sirara. Her brother is Ashgi and they are linked with the cities of Adab and Kesh....
- a minor goddess of uncertain status - NetiNeti (mythology)Neti is, in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology, a minor underworld god, the chief gatekeeper of the netherworld, and the servant of the goddess Ereshkigal...
- a minor underworld god; the chief gatekeeper of the netherworld and the servant of Ereshkigal - Ngeshtin-anaNgeshtin-anaNgeshtin-ana is a minor goddess in Sumerian mythology, the so-called "heavenly grape-vine". The sister of Dumuzi and consort of Ningisida, she is involved in the account of Dumuzi trying to escape his fate at the hands of Inana and Ereshkigal...
- goddess of wine and cold seasons - NibhazNibhazNibhaz was a deity of the Avim during the time of Shalmaneser I . Some indications of worship have been found in Syria, between Berytus and Tripolis, in the form of a dog....
- god of the AvimAvimThe Avim in the Old Testament were a people dwelling in Hazerim, or "the villages" or "encampments" on the south-west corner of the sea-coast... - NidabaNidabaNanibgal , also Nisaba or Nidaba was the Sumerian goddess of writing, learning, and the harvest. Her sanctuaries were E-zagin at Eresh and at Umma. On a depiction found in Lagash, she appears with flowing hair, crowned with horned tiara bearing supporting ears of corn and a crescent moon...
- goddess of writing, learning and the harvest - NamtarNamtarIn Mesopotamian mythology Namtar was a hellish deity, god of death, and the messenger of An, Ereshkigal, and Nergal.Namtar was the son of Enlil and Erishkigal and was considered responsible for diseases and pests...
- minister of Ereshkigal - Nin-IlduNin-IlduNin-Ildu is, in Babylonian and Akkadian mythology a minor god, the patron of carpenters....
- god of carpenters - Nin-immaNin-immaNin-imma is a Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian fertility goddess, deification of the female sex organs. Her parents are Enki and Ninkurra- Etymology :Nin - goddessImma - Water that created everything- References :...
- goddess of the female sex organs - NinazuNinazuNinazu in Sumerian mythology was a god of the underworld, and of healing. He was the son of Enlil and Ninlil or, in alternative traditions, of Ereshkigal and Gugalana, and was the father of Ningiszida...
- god of the underworld and healing - NindubNindubNindub is a locally known Sumerian god. He is identified with the city-state of Lagash....
- god associated with the city Lagash - NinegalNinegalNinegal is a minor Akkadian god, the patron deity of smiths1.Ninegal is one of many names of Sumerian goddess Inanna 2.- References :...
- god of smiths - NingalNingalNingal was a goddess of reeds in the Sumerian mythology, daughter of Enki and Ningikurga and the consort of the moon god Nanna by whom she bore Utu the sun god, Inanna, and in some texts, Ishkur...
- goddess of reeds and consort of Nanna (Sin) - NingikugaNingikugaNingikuga in Sumerian mythology was a goddess of reeds and marshes. She was one of the consorts of Enki, by whom she became the mother of Ningal, and the daughter of An and Nammu....
- goddess of reeds and marshes - NingilinNingilinNingilin in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology is an obscure god. His symbol is probably the mongoose....
- obscure god of uncertain status - NingiramaNingiramaNingirama is a Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian minor god of magic. He was invoked particularly as a protector against snakes....
- god of magic and protector against snakes - NingishzidaNingishzidaNingishzida is a Mesopotamian deity of the underworld. His name in Sumerian is translated as "lord of the good tree" by Thorkild Jacobsen....
- god of the underworld - NinkarnunnaNinkarnunnaNinkarnunna is a Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian god of barbers. He is an attendant of the god Ninurta....
- god of barbers - NinkasiNinkasiNinkasi is the ancient Sumerian matron goddess of the intoxicating beverage, beer.Her father was Enki, the lord Nudimmud, and her mother was Ninti, the queen of the Abzu. She is also one of the eight children created in order to heal one of the eight wounds that Enki receives. Furthermore, she is...
- goddess of beerBeerBeer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat... - NinkurraNinkurraIn Sumerian mythology, Ninkurra was a minor mother goddess, daughter of Enki and Ninsar. Mother of Uttu by Enki. In an alternative tradition she was the mother of Nin-imma, the deification of the female sex organs...
- minor mother goddess - NinmenaNinmenaNinmena is a Sumerian mother goddess, who probably become syncretised with Ninhursag....
- Sumerian mother goddess who became syncretized with Ninhursag - NinsarNinsarIn Sumerian mythology, Ninsar is the goddess of plants.Daughter of Ninhursag and Enki.Mother of Ninkurra by EnkiAlso known as Ninki , Ninmah, Ninmu, Nin-shar...
- goddess of plants - NinshuburNinshuburAlso known as Ninshubar, Nincubura or Ninšubur, Ninshubur was the sukkal or second-in-command of the goddess Inanna in Sumerian mythology. A goddess in her own right, her name can be translated as 'Queen of the East', and she was said to be a messenger and traveller for the other gods...
- Queen of the East, messenger goddess and second-in-command to Inanna - NinsunNinsunIn Sumerian mythology, Ninsun or Ninsuna is a goddess, best known as the mother of the legendary hero Gilgamesh, and as the tutelary goddess of Gudea of Lagash. Her parents are the deities Anu and Uras.-Myths:...
- "Lady Wild Cow"; mother of Gilgamesh - NinsutuNinsutuNinsutu was a goddess in Sumerian mythology, one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki. She was the consort of Ninazu....
- a minor deity born to relieve the illness of Enki - Nintinugga - Babylonian goddess of healing
- NintullaNintullaNintulla or Nintul was a god in Sumerian mythology, and one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki. Enki designated him lord of Magan....
- a minor deity born to relieve the illness of Enki - Nu Mus DaNu Mus DaNu Mus Da is a Sumerian god, the patron of the lost city of Kazallu, mentioned in texts....
- patron god of the lost city of Kazallu - NunbarsegunuNunbarsegunuNunbarsegunu is an obscure mother goddess and goddess of barley in Mesopotamian mythology. Mentioned in creation texts as the 'old woman of Nippur', she is identified as the mother of Ninlil, the air goddess. Ninbarsegunu instructs her daughter in the arts of obtaining the attentions of Enlil....
- goddess of barley - NuskuNuskuNusku was the name of the light and fire-god in Babylonia and Assyria, who is hardly to be distinguished, from a certain time on, from a god Girra - formerly Gibil.Nusku-Girru is the symbol of the heavenly as well as of the terrestrial fire...
- god of light and fire - Pabilsaĝ - tutelary god of the city of IsinIsinIsin was an ancient city-state of lower Mesopotamia about 20 miles south of Nippur at the site of modern Ishan al-Bahriyat in Iraq's Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate.-History:...
- Pap-nigin-garaPap-nigin-garaPap-nigin-gara is an Akkadian and Babylonian god of war, syncretised with Ninurta.- References :Michael Jordon, Encyclopedia of Gods, Kyle Cathie Limited, 2002...
- Akkadian and Babylonian god of war, syncretized with Ninurta - PapsukkalPapsukkalPapsukkal is the messenger god in the Akkadian pantheon. He is identified in late Akkadian texts and is known chiefly from the Hellenistic period. His consort is Amasagnul, and he acts as both messenger and gatekeeper for the rest of the pantheon. A sanctuary, the E-akkil is identified from the...
- Akkadian messenger god - SarpanitSarpanitIn Babylonian mythology, Sarpanit is a mother goddess and the consort of the chief god, Marduk. Their marriage was celebrated annually at New Year in Babylon. She was worshipped via the rising moon, and was often depicted as being pregnant. She is also known as Erua...
- mother goddess and consort of Marduk - The SebittiSebittiThe Sebitti are a group of seven minor war gods in Babylonian and Akkadian tradition. They are the children of the god Anu and follow the god Erra into battle. They are, in differing traditions, of good and evil influence....
- a group of minor war gods - ShakkaShakkaShakka is a Babylonian and Akkadian patron god of herdsmen, probably deriving from the Sumerian god Lahar. Also Shakkan, Amakandu, Sumuqan....
- patron god of herdsmen - ShalaShalaShala is a Babylonian and Akkadian war goddess and a goddess of grain, the consort of the storm-god Adad. She carries a double-headed mace-scimitar embellished with lion heads. In the MUL.APIN, she is identified with the Virgo constellation, which was also known as "The Furrow"...
- goddess of war and grain - SharaShara (god)In Sumerian mythology Shara is a minor god of war, mainly identified with the city of Umma, north-east of Unug . He is identified in some texts as the son of Inana .-References:...
- minor god of war and a son of Inanna - Sharra ItuSharra ItuSharra Itu is a Sumerian fertility goddess, originally the tutelary deity of the city of Su-Sin. By Hellenistic times she had probably become the more important deity Sarrahitu who is included in the pantheon at Uruk and mentioned in various cult texts where she is described as "the bride"....
- Sumerian fertility goddess - Shu-pa-eShu-pa-eShul-pa-e is an astral and fertility god in Sumerian mythology. He is identified as the personification of the planet Jupiter and, in one list, is the consort of the mother goddess Ninhursag.- References :...
- astral and fertility god associated with the planet JupiterJupiterJupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,... - Shul-utulaShul-utulaShul-utula is a tutelary deity in the Sumerian pantheon. He is known only as the personal deity to Entemena, king of the city of Eninnu.- References :Michael Jordon, Encyclopedia of Gods, Kyle Cathie Limited, 2002...
- personal deity to EntemenaEntemenaEntemena was a son of En-anna-tum I, and he reestablished Lagash as a power in Sumer. He defeated Illi of Umma, with the aid of Lugal-kinishe-dudu of Uruk, successor to Enshakushanna, who is in the king list.-Artifacts:...
, king of the city of Eninnu - ShullatShullatShullat is a minor god in Babylonian and Akkadian mythology and is an attendant of the sun god Shamash....
- minor god and attendant of Shamash - ShulmanuShulmanuShulmanu is a god of the underworld, fertility, and war. He was worshipped by the Babylonians, Akkadians, and the western Semitic peoples. Shulmanu was found in Assyria circa 1400 BC to 700 BC and is known from Bronze Age inscriptions at Sidon....
- god of the underworld, fertility and war - Shulsaga - astral goddess
- SiraraSirara (goddess)Sirara is the goddess of the Persian Gulf in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology. In creation mythology she is given charge over the waters of the Gulf by the god Enki...
- goddess of the Persian GulfPersian GulfThe Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers... - SirisSiris (goddess)The Mesopotamian goddess Siris was the patron of beer who is conceived of as a demon, which is not necessarily evil.Although beer as we know it had its origins in Mesopotamia, fermented beverages quickly spread around the world from Mesopotamia as the drink was shared with kings and rulers....
- goddess of beer - SirsirSirsirSirsir is a Babylonian and Akkadian god, the patron deity of mariners and boatmen.This name can be found in the fictional spell book based on the equally fictitious Necronomicon, and is presented there as one of the fifty names of Marduk. He is said to be the destroyer of Tiamat, and a "most...
- god of mariners and boatmen - SirtirSirtirSirtir is a goddess in Sumerian mythology, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology. She is a goddess of sheep, and is known from inscriptions and passing comments in texts. She becomes syncretised with Ninsun....
- goddess of sheep - SumuganSumuganSumugan is, in Sumerian mythology a god of the river plains. In creation myth he is given charge by the god Enki over the flat alluvial lands of southern Mesopotamia. He is also known as a god of cattle who dwells in the court of the underworld goddess Ereshkigal....
- god of the river plains - TashmetumTashmetumTashmetum is an Akkadian goddess, the consort of the god Nabu....
- consort of Nabu - TishpakTishpakTishpak is an Akkadian god, the tutelary deity of the city of Esnumma .Likely, identical with the Hurrian god “Teshup”.- References :Michael Jordon Encyclopedia of Gods. Kyle Cathie Limited....
- tutelary god of the city of EshnunnaEshnunnaEshnunna was an ancient Sumerian city and city-state in central Mesopotamia. Although situated in the Diyala Valley north-east of Sumer proper, the city nonetheless belonged securely within the Sumerian cultural milieu.The tutelary deity of the city was Tishpak .- History :Occupied from the Jemdet... - Tutu - tutelary god of the city of BorsippaBorsippaBorsippa was an important ancient city of Sumer, built on both sides of a lake about southwest of Babylon on the east bank of the Euphrates. The site of Borsippa is in Babil Governorate, Iraq and now called Birs Nimrud, identifying the site with Nimrod...
- Ua-IldakUa-IldakUa-Ildak is, in Babylonian and Akkadian mythology, a goddess responsible for pastures and poplar trees....
- goddess responsible for pastures and poplar trees - UkurUkurIn Babylonian/Akkadian mythology, Ukur is a god of the underworld....
- a god of the underworld - UttuUttuUttu in Sumerian mythology is the goddess of weaving and clothing. She is both the child of Enki and Ninkur, and she bears seven new child/trees from Enki, the eighth being the Ti . When Enki then ate Uttu's children, Ninhursag cursed him with eight wounds and disappears...
- goddess of weaving and clothing - WerWer (god)Wer is an Akkadian storm god, a minor deity linked with Adad and Amurru. His attendant is the fierce guardian of the pine forest, Humbaba, the focus of one of the Gilgamesh epic sagas. His cult centres include Afis, south of Aleppo....
- a storm god linked to Adad - ZaqarZaqarIn Mesopotamian mythology, Zaqar or Dzakar is the messenger of the god Sin. He relays these messages to mortals through his power over their dreams and nightmares....
- messenger of Sin who relays communication through dreams and nightmares
Primordial beings
- AbzuAbzuThe abzu also called engur, literally, ab='ocean' zu='to know' or 'deep' was the name for fresh water from underground aquifers that was given a religious quality in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology...
- the Ocean Below, the name for fresh water from underground aquifers; depicted as a deity only in the Babylonian creation epic Enûma Eliš - AnsharAnsharIn Akkadian mythology, Anshar , which means "sky pivot" or "sky axle", is a sky god. He is the husband of his sister Kishar. They might both represent heaven and earth . Both are the second generation of gods; their parents being the serpents Lahmu and Lahamu and grandparents Tiamat and Apsu. In...
- god of the sky and male principle - KisharKisharIn the Akkadian epic Enuma Elish, Kishar is the daughter of Lahmu and Lahamu, the first children of Tiamat and Apsu. She is the female principle, sister and wife of Anshar, the male principle, and the mother of Anu...
- goddess of the earth and female principle - LahamuLahamuLahamu was the first-born daughter of Tiamat and Apsu in Akkadian mythology. With her brother Lahmu she is the mother of Anshar and Kishar, who were in turn parents of the first gods. Lahamu is sometimes seen as a serpent, and sometimes as a woman with a red sash and six curls on her head. It is...
- first-born daughter of Abzu and Tiamat - LahmuLahmu' is a deity from Akkadian mythology.- Mythology :Lahmu, "Hairy" is the name of a protective and beneficent deity is a first-born son of Apsu and Tiamat. He and his sister are the parents of Anshar and Kishar, the sky father and earth mother, who birthed the gods of the Mesopotamian Pantheon...
- first-born son of Abzu and Tiamat; a protective and beneficent deity - MummuMummuMummu vizier of primeval gods Apsu, the fresh water, and Tiamat, the salt water.An ancient Sumero-Babylonian craftsman-god, and personification of technical skill...
- god of crafts and technical skill - TiamatTiamatIn Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is a chaos monster, a primordial goddess of the ocean, mating with Abzû to produce younger gods. It is suggested that there are two parts to the Tiamat mythos, the first in which Tiamat is 'creatrix', through a "Sacred marriage" between salt and fresh water,...
- primordial goddess of the ocean
Demigods and heroes
- AdapaAdapaAdapa was a Babylonian mythical figure who unknowingly refused the gift of immortality. The story is first attested in the Kassite period .-Roles:...
- a hero who unknowingly refused the gift of immortality - The ApkalluApkalluThe Apkallu or Abgal, are seven Sumerian demigods said to have been created by the god Enki to give civilization to mankind. They served as priests of Enki and as advisors or sages to the earliest "kings" or rulers of Sumeria before the flood. They are credited with giving mankind the Me , the...
- seven demigods created by the god Enki to give civilization to mankind - EnkiduEnkiduEnkidu is a central figure in the Ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. Enkidu was first created by Anu, the sky god, to rid Gilgamesh of his arrogance. In the story he is a wild-man raised by animals and ignorant of human society until he is bedded by Shamhat...
- hero and companion of Gilgamesh - EnmerkarEnmerkarEnmerkar, according to the Sumerian king list, was the builder of Uruk in Sumer, and was said to have reigned for "420 years" ....
- the legendary builder of the city of UrukUrukUruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk... - GilgameshGilgameshGilgamesh was the fifth king of Uruk, modern day Iraq , placing his reign ca. 2500 BC. According to the Sumerian king list he reigned for 126 years. In the Tummal Inscription, Gilgamesh, and his son Urlugal, rebuilt the sanctuary of the goddess Ninlil, in Tummal, a sacred quarter in her city of...
- hero and king of Uruk; central character in the Epic of GilgameshEpic of GilgameshEpic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literature. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the protagonist of the story, Gilgamesh king of Uruk, which were fashioned into a longer Akkadian epic much... - LugalbandaLugalbandaLugalbanda is a character found in Sumerian mythology and literature. His name is composed of two Sumerian words meaning "young king" . Lugalbanda is listed in the postdiluvian period of the Sumerian king list as the second king of Uruk, saying he ruled for 1,200 years, and providing him with the...
- second king of Uruk, who ruled for 1,200 years
Spirits and demons
- AsagAsagIn the Sumerian mythological poem Lugale, Asag is a monstrous demon. He is described as being so hideous that his presence makes fish boil alive in the rivers. He was said to be accompanied into battle by an army of rock demon offspring - born of his union with the mountains themselves...
- monstrous demon whose presence makes fish boil alive in the rivers - The edimmuEdimmuThe edimmu, read incorrectly sometimes as ekimmu, were a type of utukku in Sumerian mythology. They were envisioned as the ghosts of those who were not buried properly. They were considered vengeful toward the living and might possess people if they did not take into account certain taboos, such...
- ghosts of those who were not buried properly - HanbiHanbiIn Sumerian and Akkadian mythology Hanbi or Hanpa was the father of the more well known Pazuzu. Other than his relationship with Pazuzu, very little is known of this figure....
or Hanpa - father of Pazuzu - HumbabaHumbabaIn Akkadian mythology Humbaba or Huwawa , also Humbaba the Terrible was a monstrous giant of immemorial age raised by Utu, the Sun...
- guardian of the Cedar ForestCedar ForestThe Cedar Forest is the glorious realm of the gods of Mesopotamian mythology. It is guarded by the demigod Humbaba and was once entered by the hero Gilgamesh who dared cut down trees from its virgin stands during his quest for immortality... - LamashtuLamashtuIn Mesopotamian mythology, Lamashtu was a female demon, monster, malevolent goddess or demigoddess who menaced women during childbirth and, if possible, kidnapped children while they were breastfeeding. She would gnaw on their bones and suck their blood, as well as being charged with a number of...
- a malevolent being who menaced women during childbirth - PazuzuPazuzuIn Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, Pazuzu was the king of the demons of the wind, and son of the god Hanbi. He also represented the southwestern wind, the bearer of storms and drought.- Iconography :...
- king of the demons of the wind; he also represented the southwestern wind, the bearer of storms and drought - RabisuRabisuIn 14th century BC vassals sent from Egypt to Canaan were described as Rabisu or senior Rabisu meaning commissioner or high commissioner respectively....
- an evil vampiric spirit - ZuZu (mythology)Zu, also known as Anzu and Imdugud, in Persian and Sumerian, is a lesser divinity of Akkadian mythology, and the son of the bird goddess Siris. He is also said to be conceived by the pure waters of the Apsu-gods and the wide Earth...
- divine storm-bird and the personification of the southern wind and the thunder clouds