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Mesopotamian Character Glossary

English 2110 / 33, 37, 44 & 47 K Mr. Hagin K Kennesaw State University K Fall 2006
Adagbir the vizier of Enlil; dock mate to the fishermen Adapa (Uan, Oannes) son of Ea; a priest in the city of Eridu; the first of the Seven Sages (apkallu) who brought art, culture, and civilization to mankind; refused immortality An (called Anu in Babylonian) sky; the uppermost heaven; son of Anshar and Kishar; head of the older generation of gods Anshar (Anar) whole sky; father of Anu; represents the heavens; the primordial male paired with Kishar, the second set of offspring of Apsu and Tiamat, perhaps the personification of An (sky, heavens) Anunitu (also Annunitum) Babylonian goddess of childbirth; she is often paired with Ulmaitum, two aspects of Inanna worshipped at Agade; the constellation Pisces Anunnaki (Anukki or Anunna) the collected group of the older generation of Sumerian fertility gods, led by Anu; the name means those who Anu sent from heaven to earth; they were also called Nephilim, meaning to fall down to earth, to land or Elohim in the Bible, meaning these Beings; in Arabic they are called Jabaariyn, meaning the mighty ones, and in Aramic (Hebrew) they are named Gibborim, meaning the mighty or majestic ones; they are also called Neteru (Natur),which is an Egyptian term for Anunnaki Anzu the monstrous, lion-headed eagle (thunderbird) and doorkeeper of Ellil; his name means heavy rain or slingstone, and he flaps his wings to create windstorms; he once tried to steal the Holy me from Enki Asag (also Asakku) the demon of the mountains who is defeated by Nintura (or Adad/Ikur); hideous in appearance, he caused fish to boil alive in the rivers; born of An and Ki, he mated with the kur (mountains) to form demon offspring; killed humans with head fevers Atrahasis (also Ziusudra, Ziusura, or Xisuthros in Sumerian) his name means Surpassing Wise or Extra Wise; he is the hero of the Mesopotamian flood story; parallel character to Utnapishtim from The Epic of Gilgamesh and to Noah in Genesis 5-9. Bau (or Baba) protector mother goddess and a goddess of healing; worshipped in Laga; daughter of An and wife of Ningirsu Bel (or Baal) this name is a title (meaning lord) that was associated with numerous Near East gods, including Marduk (Babylon), Assur (Assyria), and Nintura (Sumeria) Belet-ili (another name for Ninhursag, Nintu, Ninmah, or Mami, and sometimes Lapis Lazuli Brick) lady of the gods in Akkadian; Mother Goddess of fertility and creation Belili she who always weeps; an elderly version of Geshtinanna; serves as a family matriarch Belit another name for Ninlil; her name means excellent lady; was the consort of Bel Birtum husband of Nungal Bull of Heaven a mythical beast representing seven years drought; represents the constellation Taurus; also known as Gugalanna, the husband of Ereshkigal Dagan (Hebrew Dagon) West Semitic corn god (dagan means grain) and inventor of the plough; father of Baal, and second in command to El; was an attendant to Enlil in Sumeria; in Assyria, later, Dagan sits with Nergal as one of the judges of the dead in the underworld

Apsu (Abz) the domain of fresh (sweet) water that springs from the earth; home to Ea; husband to Tiamat Aruru (also called Ninhursag, Nintu, Mami, etc.) creation goddess who creates mankind and Enkidu

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brother of Aruru, wife of Ninlil and father of Inanna, Adad (Ikur), Nanna (Suen or Sn), Nergal, Nintura, Nusku, Utu, and others Enkidu (Ea-bani) means Created by Ea, Lord of the Good Place, or The Wild One; was created by Aruru to be the complement to Gilgamesh; becomes Gilgameshs manservant Enkimdu the god of irrigation and cultivation; his name means lord of dike and canal; identified with Enbilulu; son of Enki; one of Marduks 50 names Ennugi canal inspector of the great gods, specifically of the underworld canals; the throne bearer of Ellil; son of Ellil; associated with Enkimdu and Enbilulu Ereshkigal Queen of the Underworld; queen of the great earth; mistress of the earth; sister of Inanna (Ishtar) Erkalla the word means Great City, and it refers to the underworld Etana the twelfth king of Kish after the Great Flood; father of Balih Ezina (or Ezina-kusu) goddess of the growing grain; wife of Enlil; Enki designated Ezina as the goddess who encourages sexual intercourse; her epithet is bread of the whole world galla (gall) an assortment of demons who haul unfortunate people off to the Underworld Geshtinanna (or Belili in Babylonian) lady of wine; little sister of Dumuzi and daughter of Enki; a wise interpreter of dreams Gibil (or Gerra, or Girra) deified fire (fire viewed as a god); he is the son of An (or sometimes Nusku) and the Hittite barley goddess ala; associated with the underworld gods Nergal and Erra; he assumes all aspects of fires power, including the burning heat of summer, creative fire in the smiths furnace or the kiln of the brick maker; often called the purifier Gilgamesh Old Man Becomes a Young Man; the king of Uruk; son of Lugalbanda and brother to Inanna; the fifth ruler of the postdiluvian dynasty in Uruk

Damgalnuna (also called Damkina) a mother goddess and Babylonian derivative of Ninhursag; wife of Ea (Enki); mother to Marduk and Bel; her names means faithful wife; associated with the lion and the constellation Ursa Minor (the Wagon of Heaven) Damu a god of healing and vitality who drives away demons; son of Ninisina, and considered to be either the son of or identical with Ningizida; pet name of Dumuzi (perhaps meaning child) Dumuzi (also called Tammuz or Adonis) faithful son of Enki and Sirtur (Ea and Ninsun), and ancestor to Gilgamesh; Sumerian vegetation and fertility god, but also a god of the underworld; lover of Inanna; he is sometimes the guardian of heavens gates (the Gates of Anu) with Gizzida; also known as Lord of the Sheepfold and Lord of the Tree of Life; his character is based on a shepherd king of Uruk; counterpart to Tammuz, an Akkadian vegetation god; Tammuzs name is mentioned in Ezekiel 8:14 Duranki the name of Ellils temple, meaning the bond of heaven and earth E-ana the name of Inannas temple in Uruk, meaning House of Heaven E-apsu (or E-abz) the name of Enkis temple at Eridu, meaning House of Apsu; called the mooring post of heaven and earth E-kur the name of Enlils temple in Nippur, meaning Mountain House; often called the mooring-rope of heaven and earth E-kurmah the name of Ninazus temple in Nippur, meaning Great Mountain House Enbilulu (Enkimdu) a Sumerian farming god and inspector of canals; a form of Adad (Ikur) Enki (Ea in Babylonian) god of fresh water, wisdom, spells, and civilization; son of An (Anu) and Nammu; he lived in the Apsu; symbolized by the goat-fish (Capticorn), stags horns, and an overflowing vase Enlil (Ellil or Illil in Akkadian) means Great Mountain, wild bull, and raging storm; he is from a younger generation of Sumerian gods, and is god of the wind, especially the destructive winds from the mountains (or attacks from mountain peoples); son of An,

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Gizzida (also called Giszida, Ningishzida, NinGizida) his name means trusty timber, Lord of the Tree of Truth, or Lord of the Good Tree; doorkeeper of Anu; paired with Dumuzi at the Gates of Heaven; pictured often as a serpent with a human head, or as a horned snake (known as Bamu in Akkadian), stretching 60 leagues long with multiple heads and tongues; later considered to be a god of healing; associated with the constellation Hydra Gugalanna the first husband of Ereshkigal and father of Ninazu; his name means canal inspector of An; associated with Ennugi; father of Ninazu; often symbolized as the Bull of Heaven and represented by the constellation Taurus Humbaba (Sumerian Huwawa) the guardian of the Pine Forest of Lebanon; his face is depicted as the outline of coiled intestines, with lions claws for hands, long hair, and whiskers; he is protected by seven layers of radiance (melam and ni); represents the dark side of Nature Hubur river that blocks a mans way; the river of the Underworld, used to settle disputes Igigi the collected group of 300 of the younger generation of Babylonian sky gods, led by Ellil Ilawela (Geshtue) ear; the god slain for his intelligence and blood in the creation of mankind Inanna (called Ishtar in Babylonian) goddess of love and war; Sumerian daughter of Enki (or Babylonian daughter of Anu); called the Queen of Heaven and Earth; brought the holy me to Uruk, fostering fertility Ishkur (also spelled Ikur; called Adad [or Adda or Addu] in Akkadian) rider of the storm; the storm god, canal gate controller; one of the earliest gods, he was the son of Anu (or Enlil) and brother to Enki; associated with many parallel deities: the Semitic Wer (or Mer), the Hurrian Teup, the Kassite Buria, and the Greek Boreas; the beast of Ikur was the lion-dragon, but the beast of Adad was the bull (storm clouds were called Adads bull-calves) Isimud (also called Ism in Akkadian) meaning with two faces; a vizier (advisor) to Enki Kakka the vizier (advisor) of Anshar and Anu

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Ki the Sumerian word for earth and the name of the personified wife of An, both being offspring from the primordial goddess Namma Ki-ur literally place and roof; the earth, territory, or living grounds; likely a reference to Enlils mountain, located in the center of the four corners of the earth Kishar (Kiar) the primordial female paired with Anshar, the second set of offspring of Apsu and Tiamat, perhaps the personification of Ki (earth) Kulla patron god of bricks and clayworks, especially evoked to reconstruct temples Kur the name of the underworld; the name means mountain, and it likely refers to the Zagros Mountains to the east, where the sun rose each morning from the underworld kurgarra and galatur name means professional mourner; asexual (androgynous) creatures who can enter and exit the underworld freely (kur means the Underworld as well as the land of the dead personified and a river of dead stagnant water that flows through the Underworld) Kutha (Cuthah) a Babylonian city that had Nergal as its patron god; thus, Kutha is used as the name of his dwelling lahama the 50 creatures who served Enkis bidding; they guard the temple of E-kur; their name means hairy Lahamu and Lahmu the hairy one; the female and male protective deities of Enki/Ea in the Apsu (or sometimes associated with Marduk), controlling the sea gate, often depicted holding Enkis overflowing vase; the first set of offspring of Apsu and Tiamat Lilith legendary first bride of Adam; she left him to maintain her equality; represents insatiable sexuality; a female demon who appears in Isaiah 34:14 as a participant in the Lords Day of Vengeance; in Sumerian, lil means wind, ghost, or demon Lugalbanda the third ruler of the post-diluvian dynasty in Uruk, ruling for 1,200 years; married to the goddess Ninsun, who are the divine parents of Gilgamesh

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Nezila a minor underworld deity who helps Nungal to arrange joyous occasions for the dead Ninazu Babylonian god of magic and incantations; the son of Ereshkigal (or the second or third son of Enlil and Ninlil) and the father of Ningishzida, Ninazu was the king who stretches measuring lines over the fields; his divine beast was the snake-dragon (muhuu), later associated with Marduk Ninbarag (or Ninbara) a version of Inanna; assisted Namma in creating humans Nindimgul Nungals chief prosecutor in the underworld Ningal (or Nikkal) goddess of dreams and divination; the wife of Nanna/Sn (the moon god), with whom she had a fairytale courtship; also mother of the sun god Utu/Shamash; daughter of Enki and Ningikuga Ningikuga her name means Lady of the Pure Reed, and she was the Sumerian goddess of reeds and marshes; goddess of dreams, interpretation, and insight; one of many consorts of Enki; was the daughter of An and Nammu Ningirsu (or Nigir-si) his name jeans Lord of Grisu, and was a local form of Nintura; he was a warrior god, but also a vegetation god in charge of regulating the canals; he was the son of Enlil and Ninmah, husband of Bau, and brother to Nane and Nisaba; in earlier versions of Anzu, Ningursu (Nintura in later versions) slays Anzu after the bird stole the Tablet of Destinies from Enlil Ningublaga a minor god appointed by Nanshe to dole out justice; son of Nanna Ninguna (or Ninguenna) a local fertility goddess from Nippur assisted Namma in creating humans Ninhursag (also called Ninmah, Nintu, Ninsilika, Belet-ili, or Mami) the great stone land and Mother Goddess; the Womb of Creation; mother of Ninsar, Geshtinanna and Nanshe Ninimma (or Ninima) birth goddess and goddess of female genitalia; assisted Namma in creating humans Ninisina her name means Lady of Isin, and she was the patron goddess of that city; her

Lulal the second son of Inanna, nearly stolen by the galla creatures; patron deity of Bab-tibira (a city given to him after Dumuzis death, a city known for its copper manufacturing) Mami (or Mama, another name for Ninhursag, Ninmah, or Nintu) literally mother, referring to the goddess of fertility and creation; undoubtedly the origin of Mommy Marduk the patron god of Babylon, often called the bull-calf of the sun, later referred to as Bel or Baal (Lord); hero of The Epic of Creation where he slew Tiamat to resore order to the world, thereby earning supreme power and attaining the 50 names Mummu the vizier (advisor) of Apsu Mushdama minor deity in charge of architecture Namma (or Nammu) the mother goddess who gave birth to An, Ki, and Enki; she was associated with the Apsu, perhaps a personification of the subterranean ocean Namtar (or Namtara or Namtaru) a minor deity who acted as the minister to Ereshkigal in the underworld; son of Enlil and Ninlil; his name means destiny or fate Nanshe (also Nane or Nash) local deity of Laga in charge of divination and the interpretation of dreams; the daughter of Enki, she is often depicted with birds and fish; praised for being the benefactor of the socially disadvantaged; she checked the accuracy of weights and measures Narru minor creator god who created mankind and given the title king of the gods Nergal (or Erra) god of the underworld, often responsible for forest fires, fevers, plagues, and war; he was the son of Enlil and Ninlil and the husband of Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld; originally, the gods Nergal and Erra were separate deities but were fused together over time Nergal-Meslamta-ea (or -eda) Nergals chief temple at Kutha bore the name Meslam; the word means the one that rises up from Meslam Neti (Nedu) Ereshkigals gatekeeper to the Underworld

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epithet was great doctor of the blackheaded people due to her healing qualities; she was sometimes called the great daughter of An; she bore Damu Ninkarrak (or Nin-karak) goddess of healing; a daughter of Anu Ninkasi the goddess of beer (especially strong drinks) Ninkura goddess of the mountain pastures; daughter of Enki and Ninsar Ninlil (also Belit) a benevolent mother goddess, she is called merciful mother; her name means lady of power; she was the wife of Enlil Ninmada a snake charmer in Enlils house; assisted Namma in creating humans Ninmah (another name for Ninhursag, Nintu, Beletili, or Mami) literally great lady or exalted lady, referring to the goddess of fertility and creation; she acted as midwife when Namma created mankind Ninmena (another name for Ninhursag, Nintu, Beletili, or Mami) literally lady of the crown, referring to the goddess of fertility and creation Ninmug a goddess of female genitalia; assisted Namma in creating humans Ninsar mistress of vegetation; daughter of Enki and Ninhursag Ninshubur (or Ninubur) advisor to Anu and Inanna (female deity in Sumerian; male in Akkadian); was associated with the god Papsukkal, who was represented by the constellation Orion Ninsikila another name for Ninhursag in Enki and Ninhursag Ninsun (Sirtur) the great wild cow; she is the great queen of heaven and Gilgameshs mother; she is the goddess of wisdom, thus interprets dreams Nintu (another name for Ninhursag, Ninmah, Beletili, or Mami) literally birth lady, referring to the goddess of fertility and creation Nintur another name for Ninhursag in Enki and Ninhursag

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Nintura (or Ningursu) warrior god who fought the enemies of Sumer, primarily those coming from the mountains, such as Anzu or Asag, often symbolized by a winged disk before it shifted onto Utu/Shamash in later times; also a farming god who gave advice regarding cultivation of crops and symbolized by the plough; son of Enlil; was called the champion of Enlil; husband of Gula or Bau; his crown was a rainbow Nisaba (or Nissaba or Nun-bar-she-gunu) goddess of grain (cereal fertility), accounting, and written knowledge; daughter of either An or Enlil; her breasts nourish the fields and her womb gives birth to vegetation and grains; has abundant, flowing hair Nudimmud bull-calf of the Sun; the god Ea in his form as a creator god Nunamnir another name for Enlil Nungal (or Manungal) daughter of Ereshkigal and minor deity of the underworld, specifically associated with the temple Ekur in Nippur; married to Birtum Nusku (or Nuska) the god of light (and fire); the son of Enlil as well as his minister; father to Gibil (Gerra) Papsukkal vizier (advisor) of the gods; son of Sn; he informed Sn and Ea of Ishtars plight Puzur-Amurru The oarsman on Utnapishtims boat during the Great Flood Qingu (also spelled Kingu) Tiamats chosen consort and leader, and holder of the Tablet of Destinies sagursag (or sajursaj) a member of the cultic personnel of Inanna Scorpion Men (called Girtablull) supernatural beings wearing a horned cap of divinity, having a human head with beard, a human body, the hind legs and talons of a hawk, a snake-headed penis, and a scorpion tail; described in the Dalley text as creatures Whose aura is frightful, and whose glance is death . They guard the sun at dawn and dusk (pg. 96)

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Tiamat sea; the salt water personified as a primeval goddess; mother to Anu and Ea Tummal the chief shrine district of Ninlil, located in Nippur Umul the afflicted baby brought forth by Enkis female clay creation after being inseminated by Ninmah. The two gods were playing a drunken contest to create people, the gods helpers, but Enkis creation was far too weak for Ninmah to improve it. Urshanabi (Sumerian Sur-sunamu) the ferryman to Utnapishtim Utnapishtim also Ut-napishtim, Uta-na-ishtim, Utnapiti, Ziusudra, or Xisuthros) He Who Saw Life; survives the Great Flood in The Epic of Gilgamesh; is a parallel character to Atrahasis and Noah (the Hebrew flood survivor) Uttu the Spider; weaver of patterns and life desires; daughter of Enki and Ninkura Utu (or Shamash in Babylonian) the sun god; son of Nanna, and twin brother of Inanna Zamama (or Zababa) Akkadian warrior god and patron deity of Kish and identified with Nintura (Ningirsu); one of Inannas many husbands; his epithet was Marduk of battle, and his symbol was the eagle-headed staff Zulummar a minor creator deity who dug out and pinched the clay to create mankind

Shakkan (Akkadian Sumuqan, also akkan or Amakandu) patron god of animals; the herdsman god or the god of wild animals; was given offerings in the poem The Death of Gilgamesh; son of Utu (Shamash) and assumed an identity with the shepherd Shamhat a divine harlot (temple prostitute) from Ishtars temple, referred to as the voluptuous one Shara son of Inanna; his epithet was hero of Anu; he refuses to attack Anzu after Anzu steals the Tablet of Destinies; patron deity of Umma Sharur (Shar-ur) the personified weapon (likely a mace) of Nintura (or Ningirsu) who encourages the hero to attack the Asag Shul-a-zida Ans herdsman Shuzidanna (or Cu-zi-ana) Enlils concubine; assisted Namma in creating humans Siduri (also Sidur) the divine winemaker or the barmaiden; sometimes depicted as a sea goddess; a manifestation of Ishtar who dwells at the lip of the sea, beyond the Land of the Living; Dalley calls her the alewife who lives down by the sea (pg. 99) Si-lu-igi the ferryman who helps cover for Enlil Suen (also called Sn, Nanna, or Aimbabbar, or other combinations of these names) the moon god (its symbol is a crescent disk); son of Enlil and Ninlil; married Ningal; father of Utu, Ereshkigal, and Inanna

Black, Jeremy, and Anthony Green. Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia. Austin: U. of Texas Press, 1992. http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/ningizzida.html http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/nin-gishzida.html http://www.piney.com/BabAnunnki.html http://killeenroos.com/1/SUMEGODS.htm#Younger http://www.maryforrest.com/mythology http://www.themystica.org/mythical-folk/~articles/n/ningikuga.html http://www.gatewaystobabylon.com/gods/partnerships/nannaningal.html http://www.geocities.com/garyweb65/sumgods.html

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