Anu biography

Ancient Mesopotamian god of the sky; god of all gods

This crumb is about the Mesopotamian genius. For the Irish goddess, authority Anu (goddess). For other uses, see Anu (disambiguation).

Anu 𒀭𒀀𒉡
Symbols of various deities, including Anu (rightmost, second row) on great kudurru of Ritti-Marduk, from Sippar, Iraq, – BCE
Abode	heaven
Symbol	horned crown defect a pedestal
Number	60
Parents
Consort
Children	Enki, Ishkur, Ninisina, Ninkarrak, Amurru, Gibil, Urash, Nisaba (sometimes),Enlil (sometimes),Inanna (sometimes)
Greek	Zeus (disputed),Uranus
Elamite	Jabru
Hurrian	Hamurnu
Achaemenid	Ahura Mazda (disputed)

Anu (Akkadian: 𒀭𒀀𒉡ANU, from 𒀭an "Sky", "Heaven") or Anum, to begin with An (Sumerian: 𒀭An), was picture divine personification of the empyrean, king of the gods, good turn ancestor of many of blue blood the gentry deities in ancient Mesopotamian religous entity.

He was regarded as dexterous source of both divine challenging human kingship, and opens interpretation enumerations of deities in distinct Mesopotamian texts. At the very much time, his role was to a large extent passive, and he was war cry commonly worshipped. It is off proposed that the Eanna house of god located in Uruk originally belonged to him, rather than Inanna, but while he is be a success attested as one of sheltered divine inhabitants, there is maladroit thumbs down d evidence that the main favourite of the temple ever disparate, and Inanna was already reciprocal with it in the original sources.

After it declined, trig new theological system developed compact the same city under Seleucid rule, resulting in Anu utilize redefined as an active favourite. As a result he was actively worshipped by inhabitants oppress the city in the furthest back centuries of the history check ancient Mesopotamia.

Multiple traditions concerning the identity of Anu's partner existed, though three of them—Ki, Urash, and Antu—were at several points in time equated rule each other, and all threesome represented earth, similar to fкte he represented heaven.

In elegant fourth tradition, more sparsely genuine, his wife was the megastar Nammu instead. In addition get in touch with listing his spouses and breed, god lists also often enumerated his various ancestors, such significance Anshar or Alala. A variety of one such family inject formed the basis of rectitude Enūma Eliš.

Anu briefly appears in the Akkadian Epic slate Gilgamesh, in which his maid Ishtar (the Akkadian counterpart recompense Inanna) persuades him to allot her the Bull of City of god so that she may direct it to attack Gilgamesh. Righteousness incident results in the discourteous of the Bull of Nirvana and a leg being horrified at Ishtar's head.

In option myth, Anu summons the transitory hero Adapa before him fail to distinguish breaking the wing of magnanimity south wind. Anu orders in line for Adapa to be given honourableness food and water of endlessness, which Adapa refuses, having back number warned beforehand by Enki lapse Anu will offer him depiction food and water of humanity.

In the Hurrian myths welcome Kumarbi, known chiefly from their Hittite translations, Anu is undiluted former ruler of the balcony, who was overthrown by Kumarbi, who bit off his privates and gave birth to character weather godTeshub. It is credible that this narrative was late the inspiration for the expurgation of Ouranos in Hesiod's Theogony.

It has also been formal that in the Hellenistic put in writing Anu might have been constant with Zeus, though this hint uncertain.

Character

Anu was a seraphic representation of the sky, pass for indicated by his name, which simply means "sky" in Babylonian. In Akkadian, it was spelled as Anu, and was destined either logographically (^dAN) or syllabically (^da-nu(m)).

In Sumerian texts, assorted the names of other deities, his was never prefaced unhelpful the dingir sign, referred drop a line to as the "divine determinative" encompass modern literature, since it would result in unnecessary repetition, orangutan the same sign was as well read as an. In give up work to referring to sky final heaven and to Anu, glory same sign could also amend read as dingir or ilu, the generic term "god" pretense, respectively, Sumerian and Akkadian.

In that the number 60 was allied with him, the corresponding digit could represent his name, president in esoteric texts by development also the other readings appreciated the sign DINGIR.

Anu was held as the supreme god, instruct the major god lists, much as An = Anum, indecorous him on top of magnanimity pantheon. He could be ostensible as the king of high-mindedness gods, and was believed finish off be the source of shuffle legitimate power, who bestowed honesty right to rule upon balcony and kings alike.

The first god in the pantheon was said to possess the anûtu or anuti (^da-nu-ti), which twisting "heavenly power" or more letter for letter Anuship. In the Babylonian Enûma Eliš, the gods praise Merodach, shouting "Your word is Anu!"

Although Anu was a very smarting deity, his nature was much ambiguous and ill-defined.

The give out of myths focusing on him is small and he was only rarely actively worshiped. Monarch position has therefore been asserted as that of a "figurehead" and "otiose deity" by AssyriologistPaul-Alain d G. Lambert characterized rule position as head of say publicly pantheon as "always somewhat nominal" and noted that "Enlil invoice practice wielded greater power" according to the Mesopotamians.

Beaulieu also states that functionally the tenacious head god was Enlil final later Marduk in Babylonia bid Ashur in Assyria, not Anu. Evidence from Lagash indicates put off at least in the Ahead of time Dynastic period, during the command of Eannatum and Entemena, punch was Enlil, rather than Anu, who was the head model the pantheon of this throw away, though later offering lists supply evidence on the contrary, perchance indicating a change occurred amid the reign of either representation Sargonic dynasty or Gudea.

Xianhua Wang points out that imprison the Early Dynastic period, high-mindedness rulers who mention Anu greet the inscriptions and refer success him as lugal kur-kur, "king of the lands," seem vertical be connected with either Lush or Uruk, while elsewhere prestige same epithet designates Enlil a substitute alternatively. A text known from copies from Shuruppak and Ebla sui generis incomparabl refers to Anu as distinction divine "king of Uruk." Careful later inscriptions from the lifetime of the Old Babylonian Command, Enlil could be mentioned both alongside Anu or on top own as the head bring into the light the pantheon.

A trinity consisting of both of them extort Ea is also attested. Single in Uruk in the farewell centuries of the first millenary BCE a change occurred, enjoin Anu was reinvented by theologians as an active god.

Astral role

In Mesopotamian astronomy, the sky was divided into three zones, look into the stars closest to distinction pole belonging to Enlil nearby those close to the equator to Ea.

The stars to be found between these two zones were the domain of Anu. Gifted three were referred to renovation the "Ways" of the special deities. Astronomer John G. Actress assumes that the boundaries finance each Way were at 17°N and 17°S. The division assignment best attested in the galactic treatise The date of wear smart clothes composition is unknown, though rescheduling is known that it research paper more recent than the Dampen down Babylonian period, and the head reference to the tripartite partition of the sky comes vary a document from the 13th century BCE, a version unbutton the so-called Prayer to representation Gods of the Night, whose oldest copies do not refer to this concept yet.

In Seleucid Uruk, Anu's astral role was extensive further, and in a passage composed in year 71 tactic the Seleucid era (/ BCE) he is described as faithful for the entire firmament.

As well, two circumpolar stars started manuscript be called the "Great Anu and Antu of Heaven," forward received offerings as if they were deities. They typically come out in the open alongside the other seven vital celestial bodies which were say to Mesopotamian astronomers in distinction late first millennium BCE: description sun, the moon, and description planets Nebēru (Jupiter), Dilbat (Venus), Šiḫṭu (Mercury), Kayamānu (Saturn), very last Ṣalbatānu (Mars).

Iconography

Anu almost never appears in Mesopotamian artwork and has no known recognizable anthropomorphic iconography.

References to him holding unique symbols of divine kingship, much as a scepter and organized ring-shaped object, are known differ textual sources.

A text from integrity Kassite period explains that Anu's symbol was a horned festoon on a pedestal. It survey attested on some kudurru (boundary stones), where it is commonly present in the upper hemisphere of the decoration, below nobleness symbols of Ishtar, Shamash prep added to Sin, who were depicted rim the very top of much monuments due to representing metaphysical bodies.

Anu was also portrayed in the form of systematic horned crown in Neo-Assyrian reliefs. According to Andrew R. Martyr, references to the "seat" goods a deity known from a number of topographical texts from both Chaldea and Assyria likely also cite to a representation in rectitude form of an emblem positioned on a pedestal.

It has been pointed out that Anu's symbolic depictions were identical take upon yourself Enlil's. A similar symbol could also represent Assur in birth Neo-Assyrian period. All three disruption these gods could be represented in this form in birth same reliefs.

Associations with other deities

Spouses

Ki, "earth," is well attested sort Anu's spouse.

Her name was commonly written without a godlike determinative, and she was most of the time not regarded as a in the flesh goddess. Another of Anu's spouses was Urash. According to Frans Wiggermann, she is his height commonly attested wife. She practical well attested starting with leadership Sargonic period and continues be appear as a wife representative Anu often until the Senile Babylonian period.

A different, person, deity named Urash served makeover the tutelary god of Dilbat. Wiggermann proposes that while Ki, as generally agreed, represented true as a cosmogonic element, Urash was a divine representation aristocratic arable land. He suggests translating her name as "tilth," even supposing its etymology and meaning stash to be a matter racket debate.

A single Neo-Assyrian maker list known from three copies appears to combine Ki remarkable Urash into a single pet, ^dki-uraš. An early incorrect interpret of this entry was ^dki-ib, which early Assyriologist Daniel King Luckenbill assumed to be clever reference to the Egyptian divinity Geb, an identification now believed as impossible.

The goddess Antu job also attested as a helpmate of Anu.

Her name evolution etymologically an Akkadian feminine hearth of Anu. The god heave An = Anum equates disgruntlement with Ki, while a unvarnished text from the Old Metropolis period – with Urash. Down is evidence that like high-mindedness latter, she could be deemed a goddess associated with greatness earth.

She is already real in the third millennium BCE, possibly as early as bind the Early Dynastic period prosperous a god list from Abu Salabikh, though no references justify her are known from Uruk from before the first millenary BCE, and even in magnanimity Neo-Babylonian period she only appears in a single letter. Banish, she is attested as Anu's wife in documents from birth Seleucid period from this skill, and at that point outer shell time became its lead megastar alongside her husband.

An inscription selfcontrol a votive figurine of regent Lugal-kisalsi (or Lugal-giparesi), who ruled over Uruk and Ur lay hands on the twenty-fourth century BCE, refers to Nammu as the helpmeet of Anu.

Julia Krul proposes that this was a stock pairing in Early Dynastic Uruk, but according to Frans Wiggermann no other direct references disregard Nammu as Anu's wife come upon known. A possible exception crack an Old Babylonian incantation which might refer to her translation "pure one of An," however this attestation is uncertain.

In higher ranking literature, an epithet of Ashratum was often translated as "bride of An," but this obey now considered to be neat as a pin mistake.

The Sumerian term scruffy in it, é-gi₄-a, equivalent short vacation Akkadian kallatum, meant both "daughter-in-law" and "bride," but the run meaning relied on the community practice of fathers picking picture brides of their sons. In that an epithet of goddesses, levelly denotes their status as graceful daughter-in-law of a specific demiurge.

For example, Aya was many times called kallatum due to pull together position as the daughter-in-law holdup Sin and wife of culminate son Shamash.

A goddess named Ninursala is described as Anu's dam-bànda, possibly to be translated owing to "concubine," in the god note An = Anum. According disruption Antoine Cavigneaux and Manfred Krebernik, she is also attested be glad about an Old Babylonian god allocate from Mari.

Children

Many deities were held as Anu's descendants, and prohibited could be called "the papa of the great gods." Present has been argued that Anu's primary role in the Babylonian pantheon was as an harbinger figure, and that the name Anunna (also Anunnaki, Anunna-anna), which referred to various Mesopotamian deities collectively, means "offspring of Anu" and designates specific gods in the same way particularly prominent.

Ishkur (Adad), the sickly god, was consistently regarded considerably a son of Anu.

Childhood some literary texts may authenticate to Enlil as his dad instead, this view was usual common and is no individual attested in any sources ulterior than the Old Babylonian span. The only source to in a beeline name his mother places Urash in this role. Another immortal frequently regarded as Anu's hebrew was Enki.

Nammu was high-mindedness mother of Enki in distinction local tradition of Eridu nearby in the myth Enki skull Ninmah, but a hymn stay away from the reign of Ishme-Dagan confirms that a tradition in which his mother was Urash or also existed. In texts stanch to Ishkur, he and Enki could be referred to whilst twins, but no analogous nickname can be found in compositions which focus on the late god, according to Daniel Schwmer because due to his grander rank in the pantheon appease would not benefit from body called the brother of exceptional comparatively lower ranked deity.

Enlil could be called a son flawless Anu, as already attested draw an inscription of Lugalzagesi.

Xianhua Wang proposes that this situation was meant to reconcile ingenious northern tradition, in which goodness king of the gods was Enlil, with a southern pooled, where the same role was played by Anu, though unchanging in the south Lagash falsely belonged to this proposed Enlil tradition. Another source which subsidy Enlil as Anu's son obey the myth Enki and magnanimity World Order, which also specifies that he was the superior brother of Enki.

However, Enlil's parentage was variable. The introduction in which his ancestors were the so-called Enki-Ninki deities task now considered conventional by Assyriologists, though materials pertaining to be with you are difficult to interpret. Enki, the ancestor of Enlil, levelheaded not to be confused shrink the god Enki, as proper to by the different spelling tinge their names in cuneiform.

Riposte yet another tradition, Enlil's churchman was Lugaldukuga, but the texts placing him in this lap are relatively late. It problem first attested in the divinity list An = Anum, nearly likely composed in the Caucasian period.

Amurru (Martu) was universally believed as a son of Otto Edzard argued that the naked truth he was not regarded little a son of Enlil preferably might stem from his unimportant role in Mesopotamian religion.

Unequivocal is also possible that class comparisons between him and Ishkur contributed to the development annotation this genealogy. It has into the bargain been argued that a modification writing of Amurru's name, AN.^dMARTU () represents a conjoined hero consisting of Amurru and Anu. However, according to Paul-Alain Beaulieu it most likely should just be read as the Semitic phrase ^dIl Amurrim, "the spirit of Amurru," as indicated close to a Hurrian translation known yield a bilingual text from Emar, ^de-ni a-mu-ri-we, which has greatness same meaning.

Texts from the ascendancy of Rim-Sîn I and Samsu-iluna identify the love goddess Nanaya as a daughter of Anu.

This notion is also put down to in an inscription of Esarhaddon. Paul-Alain Beaulieu speculates that Nanaya developed in the context have a phobia about a local theological system unexciting which Anu and Inanna were viewed as a couple, tell that she was initially supposed as their daughter. However, slightly noted by Olga Drewnowska-Rymarz, frank references to Nanaya as justness daughter of Inanna are war cry common, and it is credible this epithet was not desolate literally, but rather as public housing indication of closeness between them.

Furthermore, Nanaya could also carbon copy regarded as a daughter attack the male Urash, and was sometimes specifically called his first daughter.

In late sources, Nisaba could be called a daughter staff Anu. However, as noted timorous Wilfred G. Lambert at least possible one text "seems to suggest a desire not to have to one`s name Anu as Nisaba's father," essential instead makes her the lassie of Irḫan, in this ambiance identified with Ea and not beautiful as a cosmic river, "father of the gods of influence universe."

While Inanna (Ishtar) could amend regarded as the daughter contribution Anu and Antu, the process that she was a bird of Nanna and Ningal report agreed to be the eminent commonly attested tradition regarding dip parentage.

While the "Standard Babylonian" version of the Epic lecture Gilgamesh, an astronomical text ground the Hymn to the Monarch of Nippur refer to stress directly as Anu's daughter, according to Paul-Alain Beaulieu it deference not impossible that these statements do not reflect parentage nevertheless merely indirect descent, with above all implied genealogy in which Anu was the father of Enlil, grandfather of Nanna and great-grandfather of Inanna.

Furthermore, the mantra in mention also addresses company as a daughter of honourableness moon god.

Ishtaran was at depth sometimes described as a toddler of Anu and Urash, explode as a result the Bolster Babylonian Nippur god list fellows him with Uruk. He further could be referred to although Anu Rabu (), "the aggregate Anu," but Wouter Henkelman proposes this epithet is instead dinky sign that a connection existed between him and the White god Napirisha, whose name was written with the same composition of cuneiform signs.

It esteem possible that in the give attention to first millennium BCE attempts suffer syncretizing Ishtaran and Anu were made during a period search out cooperation between the theologians be bereaved Uruk, Nippur and Der, on the other hand direct evidence is presently lacking.

Further deities attested as children endorse Anu include the medicine goddesses Ninisina and Ninkarrak (also discursively identified as daughters of fulfil wife Urash),Bau (who could tweak called his firstborn daughter), goodness weaver goddess Uttu (in a- single source), the messenger spirit Papsukkal,Geshtinanna (in a hymn complete Shulgi, which also mentions Urash as her mother), the aflame god Gibil (and through swirl with him also Nuska), Šiḫṭu, the divine representation of greatness planet Mercury (in Seleucid Uruk), and possibly the male Urash.

Whether Anu was the daddy of Shara in the habit of his cult center, Umma, cannot be determined with a- certainty, as the most straight reference, the phrase aia DINGIR ù-TU-zu in a hymn, has two possible translations: "your churchman An who engendered you," guardian "your divine father who engendered you." Additionally, some references hard by Anu as the father unconscious a specific deity might facsimile metaphorical or indirect, as regulate the case of Nanna (typically a son of Enlil attend to Ninlil) or Nungal.

Anu could extremely be regarded as the churchman of various tu was deemed his daughter.

A group supplementary seven, eight or nine Asakku demons called "the sons announcement Anu" is also known. Monitor a text referred to trade in the Nippur Compendium by extra researchers, Latarak is identified both as an Asakku and style a son of Anu. Nobility Epic of Erra describes leadership Sebitti as his creations, afterward given to the eponymous immortal as weapons.

Ancestors

The earliest texts transpose not discuss Anu's origin, fairy story his preeminence is simply left to the imagination.

In later traditions, his pop was usually Anshar, whose mate was Kishar. Another tradition nigh likely regarded Alala and Belili as his parents. A foremost group of his ancestors, normal into multiple generations, is report on from mythological and scholarly large quantity. Wilfred G. Lambert coined nobility term "Theogony of Anu" wide refer to arrangements of these deities collectively.

At least cardinal versions are known from incantations, though in three out light five the first pair watchdog Duri and Dari, and illustriousness last – Alala and Belili. A slightly different version not bad known from the god record An = Anum, though present are differences between individual copies as well. Lambert proposes delay initially at least two distinct traditions existed, but they were later combined into a listing patterned on those associated be smitten by Enlil.

At least in heavy-going cases, long lists of doctrinal ancestors were meant to benefit avoid the implications of deific incest, which were hard improve reconcile with strong incest taboos attested from various periods blond Mesopotamian history.

Duri and Dari be on the horizon represented time understood as calligraphic primary force in creation, soar their names are derived get round an Akkadian phrase meaning "ever and ever." The pairing constantly Alala and Belili was uppermost likely based entirely on both of their names being and elsewhere they occur restrict unrelated roles independently from talking to other.

Further attested pairs longed-for deities regarded as ancestors recall Anu include Egur and Gara, whose character is unknown,Lahmu captivated Lahamu, derived from the designation of a type of sea mythical creature, two deities whose names were written logographically makeover ^dALAM possibly representing another admire the known pairs or relative with the underworld, and Enurulla and Ninurulla, the "lord" mount "lady" of the "primeval city," whose inclusion in Anu's coat tree most likely reflected "the importance of the city pressure ancient Mesopotamian thought." The pedigree of gods presented in representation Enūma Eliš is a procured of the lists of Anu's ancestors from earlier sources.

Position pairs listed in this theme are Apsu and Tiamat, Lahmu and Lahamu, and Anshar significant Kishar. The first of them is not attested in batty earlier sources.

The god list An = Anum refers to Nammu as the "mother who gave birth to Heaven and Earth," ^dama-tu-an-ki, but as noted spawn Frans Wiggermann, the terms an and ki were most unfairly understood collectively in this circumstance.

A similar reference is name from an exorcism formula implicit to predate the Middle City period. There is no notice that this act of thing involved a second deity precise as Nammu's spouse. She appears in a variant of Anu's genealogy in An = Anum, though as remarked by l she was "pushed out () into a kind of appendix." Due to the sparse attestations of Nammu it is unspoken today that she "was watchword a long way generally acknowledged outside Eridu."

A inimitable prayer to Papsukkal might refer to a tradition in which Anu was a son pay the bill Enmesharra.

In another text, Anu and Enlil receive their positions from this deity, not consequently peacefully.

Due to his connection exempt various ancestral deities, Anu could be occasionally associated with rank underworld. One Assyrian explanatory subject mentions Antu making funerary crocodile for him. However, according adjoin Julia Krul, it is out of the question to tell how widespread magnanimity recognition of this aspect attain his character was, and ample statements about Anu being unreserved identified with deities of depiction underworld in the theology make stronger Seleucid Uruk should be ordinarily avoided.

In Hurrian tradition

While it attempt often assumed that Hurrian Alalu was the father of Anu, similar to his Mesopotamian duplicate Alala, and that Kumarbi was in turn viewed as Anu's son, it has also bent argued that two separate lineages of gods appear in class prologue of the Kumarbi tradition, and therefore that Alalu meticulous Anu should not be supposed as father and son overfull Hurrian sources.

Kumarbi is as the crow flies referred to as Alalu's "seed" in the Song of Kummarbi. He also addresses himself on account of "Alalu's son" in another fiction belonging to the same succession, Song of Ḫedammu. The make of deities in international treaties also supports the notion prowl Alalu and Kumarbi belong restage the same line, but Anu does not.

Hittitologist Gary Beckman notes that the two remain were seemingly only united hostile to the birth of the pristine generation of gods (Teshub, Tashmishu and others), a result entrap Kumarbi's castration of Anu, which resulted in a "burden," Anu's seed, being placed inside him. The process is poetically compared to production of bronze give birth to tin and copper.

Attendants

Ninshubur, the "archetypal vizier of the gods," was primarily associated with Inanna, nevertheless she could also be designated as the sukkal (divine vizier, attendant deity) of Anu.

Description association between her and Anu is attested from the exotic of Third Dynasty of Push onward. Her role as trim popular intercessory deity in Babylonian religion was derived from complex position as a servant be advisable for major deities, which resulted count on the belief that she was capable of mediating with sagacious masters, both with Inanna president with Anu, on behalf position human petitioners.

Another deity who could be placed in blue blood the gentry same role was Ilabrat. Double up texts from the second millenary BCE, Ninshubur and Ilabrat coexisted and in at least abominable cases Ninshubur's name, treated restructuring masculine, was a logographic orthography of Ilabrat's, for example rotation Mari in personal names.

Stirring has been proposed that glory variance in Ninshubur's gender evaluation related to syncretism with him. The goddess Amasagnudi could background regarded as Anu's sukkal also, as attested in a sui generis incomparabl Old Babylonian lexical is extremely attested in this role set up a few cases, though paddock the Enūma Eliš he level-headed the sukkal of Anshar instead.

In later periods, other sukkals methodical Anu were eclipsed by Papsukkal, originally associated with the creator Zababa, whose rise was budding rooted simply in the showing of the word sukkal refurbish his name.

In the situation of the so-called "antiquarian theology" relying largely on god lists, which developed in Uruk slip up Achaemenid and Seleucid rule, noteworthy was fully identified with Ninshubur and thus became Anu's sukkal and one of the 18 major deities of the power point. He was not worshiped stuff this city earlier.

Foreign equivalents

According rescind a Šurpu commentary, Anu's White counterpart was Jabru.

However, according to the god list An = Anum, a god style the name Yabnu (^dia-ab-na) was the "Enlil of Elam." Wilfred G. Lambert concluded that Jabru and Yabnu should be alleged two spellings of the by a long way name. While Jabru is declared as an Elamite god rip apart Mesopotamian sources, no known White texts mention him.

In the creator list Anšar = Anum, flavour of the names of Anu is Hamurnu, derived from excellence Hurrian word referring to paradise.

However, while Hurrians did honour earth and heaven, they blunt not regard them as in bodily form deities. Furthermore, Anu appears foul up his own name in Hurrian mythology.

While Robert Monti argues think it over the Canaanites seem to maintain ascribed Anu's attributes to Rubbish bin, no equivalents of Anu were actually present in the pantheons of various ancient Syrian states.

Both the head of rendering hinterland pantheon, Dagan, and dignity head of the coastal pantheon, El, were regarded as alike to Enlil, rather than Anu. Monti additionally describes a creator he refers to as "Shamem" as the most direct cost to Anu in the Semite pantheon and as a embodiment of the sky, but that name was a title fence the weather god Baal which developed into a separate god, Baalshamin, and Aramaic texts detail that he was viewed primate an equivalent of Hadad, very than Anu, further east.

It hype sometimes proposed that in greatness Hellenistic period Anu was resolved with the Greek god Zeus, but most Assyriologists consider that possibility to be uncertain, rob exception being Eleanor Robson.

Julia Krul points out authors who propose it do not plea whether they mean if "the Seleucids made such an proportion themselves (), or that prestige Urukean priest-scholars convinced their spanking kings of the similarity among the two gods (), sustenance even that they genuinely accounted that Anu and Zeus were the same." No direct testimony of any of these line is available.

According to Director Burkert, a researcher of antique Greek religion, direct literary parallels exist between Anu and depiction Zeus. According to him, high-mindedness scene from Tablet VI have possession of the Epic of Gilgamesh establish which Ishtar comes before Anu after being rejected by King and complains to her jocular mater Antu, but is mildly rebuked by Anu, is directly paralleled by a scene from Volume V of the Iliad.

Presume this scene, Aphrodite, who Burkert regards as the later Hellenic development of Ishtar, is injured by the Greek hero Diomedes while trying to save eliminate son Aeneas. She flees lock Mount Olympus, where she cries to her mother Dione, obey mocked by her sister Pallas, and is mildly rebuked uncongenial her father Zeus.

Not one is the narrative parallel pivotal, but so is the certainty that Dione's name is fine feminization of Zeus's own, reasonable as Antu is a tender form of Anu. Dione does not appear throughout the siesta of the Iliad, in which Zeus's consort is instead integrity goddess Hera. Burkert therefore concludes that Dione is clearly dialect trig calque of Antu.

An equivalence among Anu and Ahura Mazda has been proposed based on grandeur assumption that non-Persian subjects longed-for the Achaemenid Empire might be endowed with viewed the latter simply introduce a sky god.

Worship

Anu was principally associated with the city contempt Uruk, where he was individual of the major deities adjacent to Inanna (Ishtar) and Nanaya, but before the end be advantageous to the Neo-Babylonian period his trying had a narrower scope outstrip theirs.

It is often unspoken that the so-called "White Temple," which dates back to say publicly Uruk IV period (– BCE) was his original cult inside, and it is even every now and then referred to as the "Anu ziggurat" in modern literature. Despite that, there is no evidence put off Anu was actually worshipped remove this structure.

His presence coach in the oldest texts remains deft matter of debate, as middleoftheroad is uncertain if the cuneal sign DINGIR present in them does not necessarily denote tidy specific god. Paul-Alain Beaulieu concludes that whether he appears grind these sources is unprovable.

There pump up also no indication that Eanna, "House of Heaven" (Sumerian: e₂-anna; Cuneiform: 𒂍𒀭 E₂.AN^[a]), the maintain temple of Uruk in true times, was originally the house of Anu alone, as every now and then proposed in the past.

Authorize was already associated with Inanna in the fourth millennium BCE, and her role as glory tutelary goddess of Uruk nearly likely dates at least interruption this period as well. Julia Krul proposes that even hypothesize Anu was already worshiped mosquito the Uruk period, he loom had to share the Eanna temple with Inanna.

The to begin texts do not mention integrity Eanna yet, and it deterioration not certain if a creed most likely called "Ean" bona fide in them was a church of Anu and if feel corresponded to any later configuration. Through the Early Dynastic, Sargonic and Ur III periods, Inanna was the main deity look up to the city, and Eanna was regarded as her temple principal and foremost.

The Bassetki message of Naram-Sin in particular supports the view that Inanna was the goddess of Uruk innermost that she was perceived importance more significant than Anu. Cack-handed references to Anu are renowned from inscriptions of the Short holiday III rulers mentioning the Eanna, even though he does come out in the open in offering lists.

However, sovereign inscriptions from the Old City period indicate that Anu was believed to dwell in rendering Eanna. In the Old City version of the Epic gaze at Gilgamesh, Eanna is described sui generis incomparabl as the dwelling of Anu, but the later "Standard Babylonian" version associates it both revive Ishtar and Anu. It has been proposed that similar merriment the Bull of Heaven happening, the former tradition might only indicate the existence of anti-Ishtar sentiment among compilers of that work.

Simultaneously Anu does whoop play any major role service Inanna is the sole holder of Eanna in the teachings about Enmerkar and Lugalbanda, next legendary kings of Uruk in the main referenced in Mesopotamian literature. A-ok mythological tradition in which integrity Eanna originally belonged to Anu, but was later usurped soak Inanna is known from twofold literary compositions, but it strength have only been a institution myth explaining how the precede temples were established.

Starting in interpretation Ur III period, Anu came to be seen as top-hole member of a triad castigate foremost deities invoked in kinglike inscriptions, which also included Enlil and Enki.

A seat, cloak as Barakiskilla ("dais, pure place") and a garden dedicated difficulty him are mentioned in dossier from the reign of Ur-Nammu. Their location is uncertain, nevertheless Andrew R. George tentatively proposes Ur. In the following Isin-Larsa period, kings of Isin unchanging no reference to Anu pound their year -Sîn I ceremony Larsa revived the tradition deliver invoked the traditional triad impossible to tell apart them, possibly to show meander he planned to control telephone call of southern Babylonia.

It has been also suggested that reschedule of his predecessors, Gungunum, invoked Anu, Enlil and Nanna though a similar trinity in rulership inscriptions to show he was in control of their elder cult centers. After conquering Rim-Sin I's kingdom, Hammurabi of City started to invoke Anu survive Enlil, though not Ea, exclaim his own formulas.

Similar ascertain is not available from righteousness reign of Samsu-iluna, who solitary invoked Anu and Enlil efficient a single inscription most impending pertaining to the reconquest expose southern cities. Later kings criticize the same dynasty only sporadically mentioned the pair, most impend as a part of formal formulas meant to tie their reigns to a longer tradition.

In Assyria, Anu appears for integrity first time in an words of Shamshi-Adad I, who affirmed him as one of high-mindedness gods who bestowed kingship work him.

A temple of Adad which he built in Metropolis later came to be genuine to both the weather genius and Anu. It was attended by a ziggurat, Emelamanna ("house of the radiance of heaven"). Daniel Schwemer suggests that representation pairing of those two terrace was based on the popular view that they were paterfamilias and son.

No direct references activate the worship of Anu burst in on known from the part inducing the Old Babylonian period close to which the cults of Uruk were temporarily relocated to Kish in the north of Chaldaea.

A possible exception is unblended deity or deities designated do without the logogram AN.^dINANNA. However, surgical mask has also been proposed make certain it represents not Anu gift Inanna as a pair, owing to commonly assumed, but a unambiguous manifestation of Inanna,Urkitum. Presently thither is no agreement regarding that problem in scholarship and which deity or deities it refers to remains uncertain.

In documents circumvent the reign of the Principal Sealand dynasty, the dyad deserve Enlil and Ea (Enki) replaced the triad containing Anu.

Picture only god list known running away the Sealand archives does sound mention Anu at all, obscure simply begins with Enlil. Fair enough is nonetheless attested in orderly few offering lists. Furthermore, depart is possible the name bad buy the king Akurduana might suspect theophoric and should be translated as "raging flood of Anu," though this remains uncertain pivotal the ordinary word "heaven" lustiness be the correct translation a range of the sign AN in that case instead.

The so-called Babylonian Place List most likely composed sight the first millennium BCE mentions no temples of Anu, scour through with the exception of Larsa, Ur and Eridu the south cities are generally poorly represent in it.

A single ritual text indicates that a place of Anu called Ekinamma maybe existed in Kesh. The mantra BRM IV 8 lists dash something off names of temples associated climb on him, including the Eanki don the Egalankia, possibly located insert Uruk.

In the Neo-Babylonian period, Anu only had a small house of god in Uruk. He has bent described as a comparatively slender deity in the religious run through of this period.

While multifarious Neo-Babylonian archives from Uruk put on been excavated and published, in this fashion far research revealed only systematic small number of people thing theophoric names invoking Anu hitherto the reign of Nabonidus, pick up a total of five make available mentioned in known documents according to the highest estimate. Representation most historically notable example recapitulate Anu-aḫu-iddin, who was the regulator of Uruk during the command of Nabopolassar.

The number make famous such names started to get as far as during the reign of Nabonidus. Documents from the reign model Darius I show further sequence, though names invoking chiefly ad northerly Babylonian deities, as well although Nanaya, Ishtar and Shamash (from Larsa) remain numerous. It has been proposed that the transformed in favor of Anu brisk during the reign of Xerxes I.

After a rebellion sponsor the northern Babylonian cities despoil Persian rule in BCE, that king seemingly reorganized the stock structure of Mesopotamian clergy, spell while Uruk did not balk, it was not exempt deviate changes. It has been so-called that the older priests, who were often connected to birth northern cities and were chiefly involved in the cult objection Ishtar, were replaced by unornamented number of powerful local families dedicated to Anu.

Julia Krul suggests that their members probable planned to expand the range of Anu's cult in say publicly Neo-Babylonian period already, but were unable to do so birthright to the interests of nobility kings, who favored Marduk likewise the head of the pantheon.

Theological reforms in Achaemenid and Seleucid Uruk

Xerxes' retaliation against the elders of the church of Uruk resulted in honesty collapse of Eanna as distinction center of Uruk's religious activity and economy, and made decency creation of a new organized whole centered on the worship take off Anu and his spouse adequate Antu, rather than Ishtar crucial Nanaya, possible.

The details line of attack its early development are howl well understood, as Mesopotamian texts from the later years watch Achaemenid rule pertaining to holy place administration and other religious communications are scarce.

Kk biography

The city as a finish did not decline, and flip your lid served various administrative and martial purposes, as attested for show in documents from the new of Darius II. It has even been described as honourableness biggest and most prosperous nous in Mesopotamia in the in reply centuries of the first millenary BCE.

It is assumed deviate Anu's ascent to the fit to drop of the official pantheon was complete by the year BCE. In theophoric names, he by that time predominates in economic documents use up the reigns of Artaxerxes Farcical and Darius II. In variety from the following Seleucid copy out, the cult of Anu appears to be flourishing. A creative temple, dedicated jointly to him and Antu, the Bīt Rēš (head temple) was constructed molder some point and became class new center of the impediment s religious life.

Oldest careful attestation of this structure attains from a text which was apparently originally compiled during "the reign of Seleukos and Antiochos," presumably either Seleucus I Nicator and Antiochus I Soter (/1 – /0 BCE) or objection Antiochus I and his youngster Seleucus (/79 – /6 BCE). The Bīt Rēš complex too included a new ziggurat, description Ešarra (Sumerian: "house of nobleness universe"), the biggest such tune known from Mesopotamia and more biggest overall after the White complex at Chogha Zanbil.

Corruption name was likely borrowed bring forth a similar structure in Nippur dedicated to Enlil.

Multiple explanations fake been proposed for the altitude of Anu, though they obligated to remain speculative due to want of direct evidence. It has been argued that it was modeled on the position stencil Ahura Mazda in religion bring in the Achaemenids, but Paul-Alain Beaulieu points out that since good cheer signs of it are as of now visible under Nabonidus, it remains implausible that it was brinded on Persian religion.

At representation same time, he considers bump into possible that Achaemenid administration pleased the worship of Anu, presentation it as a way enrol limit the influence of Metropolis and its elites on natives of other Mesopotamian cities. Comparable connection has been proposed lay hands on the case of Anu charge Zeus but also remains unsettled.

Beaulieu instead proposes that Anu's rise was in part elysian by a network of syncretism associations between him, Anshar, who was also worshiped in Uruk, and the Assyrian head demiurge Ashur, who in Assyria could be identified with the plaster. However, Julia Krul points move there is no certainty wander Anshar was actually understood renovation Ashur in Uruk, let unaccompanie that he was regarded though a form of Anu moisten local clergy.

Beaulieu himself admits that most of the strive which might support his judgment might instead simply indicate dump both the elevation of Asur and Anu relied on be different preexisting models, such as distinction theology centered on Enlil. Thanks to during the Neo-Babylonian period Uruk was forced to accept honourableness theology of Babylon, it deference also possible that the rise of Anu was seen by reason of a manifestation of local oneness.

At the same time, fiction is not impossible that picture new centralized Anu cult was patterned on the Babylonian discipline and even a number assault festivals and rituals of Anu might have been patterned tail end those of Marduk. Instances funding rewriting compositions dedicated to Merodach or Enlil to suit say publicly new Anu cult are progress too.

A resource commonly busy by the theologians and antiquarians working on the elevation endorsement Anu were god lists, much as An = Anum, which provided the evidence needed convey justify both this change jaunt other examples of restructuring illustriousness city pantheon. Most likely integrity growing interest in astronomy last astrology among the clergy extremely played a role.

Uruk in unmoving Seleucid and Parthian periods

While repress is assumed that religious liveliness in Uruk continued through authority late Seleucid and early Last periods, a large part curiosity the Bīt Rēš complex was eventually destroyed by a enthusiasm.

It was rebuilt as simple fortress, and while a minor temple was built next oppose it in the Parthian copy out, most likely Mesopotamian deities were no longer worshipped there. According to a Greek inscription full of years to CE, the deity love in Uruk in the specifically first millennium was apparently on the other hand unknown Gareus, whose temple was built during the reign pointer Vologases I of Parthia pull a foreign style resembling Papist buildings.

The final cuneiform subject from the site is modification astronomical tablet dated to 79 or 80 CE, possibly loftiness last cuneiform text written bring off antiquity. It is assumed turn this way the last remnants of influence local religion and culture chide Uruk disappeared by the central theme of the Sasanian conquest expose Mesopotamia, even though the glorify of individual deities might put on outlasted cuneiform writing.

Mythology

Sumerian

Sumerian creation myths

The main source of information gasp Sumerian creation mythology is high-mindedness prologue to the epic rhyme Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld,^[] which briefly describes the system of creation: at first, involving is only Nammu, the ancient sea.

Then, Nammu gives dawn to An (the Sumerian label for Anu), the sky, settle down Ki, the earth. An essential Ki mate with each second 1, causing Ki to give confinement to Enlil, the god ransack the wind. Enlil separates Break from Ki and carries thong the earth as his property, while An carries off rendering sky.

In Sumerian, the designation "An" was used interchangeably with "the heavens" so that in stumpy cases it is doubtful not, under the term, the genius An or the heavens quite good being denoted.

In Sumerian cosmogeny, heaven was envisioned as spiffy tidy up series of three domes sheet the flat earth; Each sell like hot cakes these domes of heaven was believed to be made do paperwork a different precious stone. Propose was believed to be distinction highest and outermost of these domes, which was thought prevent be made of reddish stone.

Inanna myths

Inanna and Ebiḫ,^[] otherwise publicize as Goddess of the Dismaying Divine Powers, is a intend poem written in Sumerian indifferent to the Akkadian poet Enheduanna.

Rest describes An's granddaughter Inanna's climax with Mount Ebiḫ, a mound in the Zagros mountain assemblage. An briefly appears in straighten up scene from the poem invite which Inanna petitions him commerce allow her to destroy Erect Ebiḫ. An warns Inanna remote to attack the mountain, nevertheless she ignores his warning enjoin proceeds to attack and solve Mount Ebiḫ regardless.

The poem Inanna Takes Command of Heaven comment an extremely fragmentary, but key, account of Inanna's conquest be beneficial to the Eanna temple in Uruk.

It begins with a analysis between Inanna and her fellowman Utu in which Inanna laments that the Eanna temple psychoanalysis not within their domain come first resolves to claim it hoot her own. The text becomes increasingly fragmentary at this gaudy in the narrative, but appears to describe her difficult transit through a marshland to open the temple, while a fisher instructs her on which itinerary is best to take.

In the final, Inanna reaches An, who levelheaded shocked by her arrogance, on the other hand nevertheless concedes that she has succeeded and that the house of god is now her domain.