04 p1 The Anunnaki, Igigi, and the Younger Gods (gods and the heroes of the Babylonians)
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This article is from the Assyro-Babylonian Mythology FAQ, by Christopher B. Siren cbsiren@hopper.unh.edu with numerous contributions by others.
04 p1 The Anunnaki, Igigi, and the Younger Gods (gods and the heroes of the Babylonians)
Ellil (Enlil) - Sumerian for "wind/storm-god". Initially the leader
of the pantheon, he has since relinquished his spot to Anu. He is possiblly
the slayer of Enmesharra and avenger of his father Anu. His role in this
was upplanted by Marduk by the Babylonians. He is a short-tempered god
who was responsible for the great flood. He is the creator of mankind.
He is thought to favor and help those in need. He guards the "tablets
of destiny", which allow him to determines the fate of all things
animate or inanimate. They was once stolen from him by a Zu, a storm-
bird (a bird with some human qualities). They were recovered and Zu
faced judgment by Ellil. His consort is Ninlil, his chief-minister is
Nusku. He was also god of the lands and of the earth. He is a "King of
the Anunnaki". He was their counselor warrior. He and his people
receive the earth in 'Atrahasis'. His temple is Duranki.
When the Igigi rebelled against him, and surrounded his house and
called for Anu. After man was created in response to the Igigi's
grievances, he grew weary of their noise and released several disasters
upon them, after each one, man recovered and then he released a new one.
The disasters included disease, flood, drought, and the great flood. He
appointed Humbaba to guard the cedar forest and terrify mankind. He
decreed that Enkidu must die for the slaying of the Bull of Heaven and
Humbaba. He does not answer Gilgamesh's plea to restore Enkidu to life.
He found a throne for Etana to rule from in Kish. He appointed Anzu as
the guardian of his bath chamber, but while bathing, Anzu stole from him
the Tablet of Destinies, and his Ellil-power. Ninurta, with Ea's advise
and Belet-ili's urgings slew Anzu and recovered the Tablet of Destinies.
Symbol: Seven small circles representing the Pleiades.
Sacred number: 50
Astrological region: north of "the way of Anu" ie. 12 degrees
north of the equator.
Ea (Enki, Nudimmud) - god of the waters. He is in charge of the
bolt which bars the sea. He knows everything. He is the "Lord of
Wisdom" and "Lord of Incantations". When he speaks, of a thing, it will
be made. He is the son of Anu, but sometimes he is the son of Anshar.
Dumkina is his consort. He created Zaltu as a complement to Ishtar.
He discovered the plot of Apsu and Mummu, put Apsu under a sleeping
spell, and slew him and put Mummu into a daze, tied him up, and slew
him. He then named his quarters Apsu, the underworld ocean that
supports the world. He and Damkina produced Bel and Marduk. (Bel is
likely to be another name for Marduk.)
He learned that Tiamat was planning a war of revenge against the gods.
His father Anshar tries to spur him into making the first attack against
Tiamat, but Ea rebuffs him. He is the sire of Marduk. When Anu's peace
mission fails, he urges Marduk into action.
He suggests the method of creating man, in response to the heavy
workload of the Igigi. As mankind's patron, he is the instructor of all
crafts, writing, building, farming, and magic. He advises mankind when
other gods would do them harm. He granted Adapa understanding, to teach
mankind. When Adapa used this knowledge to break the wing of the South
Wind, he cursed him and told him to complain of Dumuzi and Gizzida's
absence to Anu. While in Anu's court, he advises Adapa not to eat the
bread of eternal life (lest he forfeit his life on earth). He refuses
to flood mankind for Ellil. Eventually he accedes, but only after
advising Atrahasis to build a boat in which to weather the flood.
He tells Nergal to allow Enkidu's spirit to visit with Gilgamesh.
When Ea is informed of Ishtar's imprisonment in the Underworld, he
creates 'His appearance is bright' to stand at Ereshkigal's gate and
mellow her mood and have her swear an oath by the great gods. He
instructs Nergal on how to build the gift throne for Ereshkigal, and
hides him with spring water to hide him from Namtar after he returned
from the underworld.
When Anu and the gods could not locate a volunteer to kill Anzu, he
told the Igiggi that he would pick one. He instructs Belet-ili/Mami to
send Ninurta to slay Anzu and, through Sharur advises Ninurta on how to
defeat the creature.
Symbol: Ram's head; goat-fish (a goat's head on a fish's body)
Sacred number: 40
Astrological region: 12 degrees south in the sky (includes Pisces
and Aquarius)
Mummu - the craftsman god. He is attendant to Ea and Apsu's vizier.
He is very fond of Apsu and colludes with him to disperse the younger
gods when they disturb Tiamat, even after Tiamat rejects the plan. Ea
found out about his plan, enspelled him and tied him up.
Qingu - Tiamat's battle leader. He is promoted and enhanced to a
leading position from among the ranks. Tiamat places the Tablet of
Destinies into his possession, giving him the Anu-power, such that his
word is law and effects reality. He gives his army fire-quenching
breath and paralyzing venom. His battle strategy initially confuses
Marduk. He is defeated by Marduk and counted among the dead gods.
Sin (Nannar) - moon god, son of Enlil. He has a beard of Lapis
Lazuli and rides a winged bull. His consort is Ningal. He is the
father of Shamash. He does not answer Gilgamesh's plea to restore
Enkidu to life.
Symbol: Crescent
Sacred number: 30
Sphere of influence: the moon, calendars, vegetation, cattle
fertility
Ningal - the consort of Sin, the mother of Shamash
Ishtar (Ishhara, Irnini, Inanna) - She is Anu's second consort,
daughter of Anu and Antum, (sometimes daughter of Sin), and sometimes
the sister of Ereshkigal. She is the goddess of love, procreation, and
war. She is armed with a quiver and bow. Her temples have special
prostitutes of both genders. She is often accompanied by a lion, and
sometimes rides it. The Eanna in Uruk is dedicated both to her and Anu.
As Irnini, she has a parakku (throne-base) at the cedar mountain. She
loved Tammuz in her youth, although he spends half the year in the
nether world wailing. She loved a lion, a stallion, a shepherd, all of
whom she required great sacrifice from and abandoned. She loved
Ishullanu a gardener who offered her fruit, but was taken aback when she
revealed herself to him, so she turned him into a frog.
After Gilgamesh cleans himself up, following his defeat of Humbaba,
she asks him to be her lover and husband, and offers him many gifts and
the homage of earthly rulers and kingdoms. She is rejected, both
because of her godly nature, and as a fair-weather lover. Ishtar asks
Anu to send the Bull of Heaven to kill Gilgamesh, and he agrees.
She determines to go to the Underworld. She threatened to smash
the gate and raise the dead so that they would eat and outnumber the
living unless the gatekeeper would open it for her. She holds the great
keppu-toy (a whipping top). She is allowed in by the gate keeper, who
takes her through seven gates to Ereshkigal's realm. By Erishkigal's
rites, she is stripped of items of clothing as she passes through each
of the gates: first her crown, then her earrings, then her necklace,
then her tudditu (breast pins), then her belt of birthstones, then her
wrist and ankle bangles, and finally her garment. While in the
underworld, no creatures engaged in acts of procreation. She was kept
in Egalgina and brought forth by Namtar after being sprinkled with the
water of life, and after 'His appearance is bright' has been cursed.
She is led back out through the gates, given back her accouterments, and
released in exchange for Dumuzi (Tammuz).
Symbol: an eight or sixteen-pointed star
Sacred number: 15
Astrological region: Dibalt (Venus) and the Bowstar (Sirius)
Sacred animal: lion, (dragon)
Siduri - the barmaid, a manifestation of Ishtar who dwells at the
lip of the sea, beyond which is the Land of Life, where Utnapishtim
lives. She speaks with Gilgamesh. She wears a veil.
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