To that end, one of the oldest known literary works in human history, known as the Kesh Temple Hymn (also called the Liturgy to Nintud), inscribed circa 2600 BC, comprises eight set of songs – all of which are attributed to Nisaba, who goes on to praise Enlil. To that end, Marduk was portrayed as the very King of Gods (or even Storm God), draped in royal robes, whose fields of ‘expertise’ ranged from justice, healing to agriculture and magic. Kesh was positioned there for him with head uplifted, and as Kesh lifted its head among all the lands, Enlil spoke the praises of Kesh. During the rebellion, he becomes a high-ranking and valued warrior and a respected battle instructor, and goes on to become the lover of Agron. Baby names of Assyrian Origin Below you will find our wide selection of Assyrian boy names and Assyrian girl names, as categorized by our name experts research, our readers feedback and other sources. But as most of us aficionados would know, the progression of history and mythology is not linear, and as such many of the Mesopotamian mythological characters evolved (and devolved) into variant entities (based on the faction’s preference – like Sumerian sun god Utu ‘morphed’ into Akkadian Shamash). To give an example, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the wild man En-kidu “did not know how to eat bread, / nor had he ever learned to drink beer!”, with the latter phrase suggesting how drinking beer was seen as a ‘quality’ of a civilized person. To that end, several of the Assyrian kings even prayed in her temple before their military campaigns and actions of wars. For our last entry, we decided to take a lighter route by summarizing about Ninkasi, the ancient Sumerian tutelary goddess of beer (and alcohol). Once again reverting to history, Marduk was by far the most important Babylonian god (among the Mesopotamian gods), with his worship almost bordering on monotheism. Probably having her origins from a grain goddess, circa 2700 BC, Nisaba later became the primary deity of the Mesopotamian city of Eresh. His image did match with such characteristics, with Shamash being portrayed as an old wise man with long beard seating on a royal throne, haloed behind his shoulders by the effulgent rays of the sun – and his role ‘modestly’ defined as being the governor of the whole universe. To that end, there is a theory that the god himself was the deified form of the Old Assyrian capital Assur, an urban center that dates back from 3rd millennium BC. So as a re-interpretation (with practicality taken into consideration), Enlil may have been portrayed as the ‘Lord of Air’ or basically a deity representing the sky and atmosphere. Historically, the famous ziggurat of Babylon was also dedicated to Marduk, which in itself was probably the (literary) model for the Biblical Tower of Babel. Suffice it to say, among the Mesopotamian gods and goddesses, as could be comprehended from her representative traits, Ishtar tended to be associated with sexuality, even since the Sumerian times – and such she was the patron goddess of sacred prostitutes. In many Sumerian sources, he is also mentioned as being the son of primeval goddess Tiamat (mentioned in the first entry). From the name of the city of ASHUR, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which is of unknown meaning. To that end, some of the excerpts from a 3900-year-old Sumerian poem honoring Ninkasi (the Hymn to Ninkasi), translated by Miguel Civil, read like this –. Incredible images from 1944 show Hitler in his potential disguises! Interestingly enough, this mythic connection to the moon also associated Sin to fertility, on account of menstrual cycles corresponding to the timings of the moon’s periodic ‘shape-shifting’. And even more intriguingly, unlike other capricious Mesopotamian gods, Shamash tended to be portrayed as an undoubtedly righteous divine being, which made his role rather ambiguous and yet crucial in the vibrant mythos of the city-states. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times. Animation Showcases The Spread Of Christianity Across The World, 15 Major Norse Gods, Goddesses, And Their Family Tree, Gorgeous animation presents the grandiose scope of the Colosseum inside ancient Rome, Analysis reveals the giant finger of Emperor Constantine’s statue, previously thought to be a toe, 8 Inventive Designs Of Leonardo Da Vinci That Have Modern-Day Counterparts, Battle of Thermopylae: 10 Things You Should Know, 10 bizarre mythical monsters you should know about by Halloween, 10 of the oddest military encounters recorded in history, History of the Huns and Their Warfare: 12 Things You Should Know. Furthermore, some of these Mesopotamian gods were honored more as patron deities of individual cities. The princely one, the princely one came forth from the house. However, most importantly, ancient Mesopotamians ascribed an astronomical angle when it came to studying of Sin. To that end, the very portrayal of Tiamat as one of the Mesopotamian gods in the ancient motifs takes a paradoxical route, with one ‘side’ showing how she epitomized the beauty of the feminine, while the other showcasing how she represented the chaotic scope of primordial origins. Ashurbanipal, also spelled Assurbanipal, Asshurbanipal and Asurbanipal (Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , Aššur-bāni-apli or Aššur-bāni-habal, meaning "Ashur has given a son-heir") was the king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire from the death of his father Esarhaddon in 668 BC to his own death in 631 BC. And as a demonstration of the Assyrian elites’ association to war (as a ritual extension of their power), some of the newborn princes were even breastfed by the priestesses of Ishtar. Yonatan ben Uziel, a sage who lived in the Second Temple era, translates the word Chidekel into the Aramaic word Diglas.3 Even today, the Tigris is called Dicle in Turkish and Dijla in Arabic. In Christian and Islamic tradition, this is the name of a Watcher. A Mesopotamian goddess of contrasting traits, Ishtar (or Inanna in Sumerian) was projected as the female divine entity of beauty, sex, and desire, while at the same time being the symbolic purveyor of war and combat. Yet the name still used today, " Asher," worked its way into the Hebrew language probably by way of intermarriage. The four corners of heaven became green for Enlil like a garden. Name: Gender: Meaning: Origin - A - Abner: M: Father of light. In terms of mythology, Marduk was the son of Enki (mentioned in the previous entry), and he was responsible for defeating and killing Tiamat, the primeval goddess who took a dragon form to challenge many of the younger gods. The Akkadian god Shamash was probably directly derived from the Sumerian counterpart Utu, with both entities being projected as the god of the sun and divine justice. Introduction. And while her earlier tales present her as being coyly amorous, with uttering like “plough my vulva, man of my heart” (excerpt from a Sumerian poem), the latter Akkadian ‘evolution’ transforms her into a more assertive personality, with one line from the Epic of Gilgamesh saying – ‘let us enjoy your strength, so put your hand and touch our vulva!’. Ashur (or Assur) pertains to the interesting synthesis of an ancient city and its patron deity, with the latter originating as an East Semitic god mainly worshiped in the northern regions of Mesopotamia, along with the north-eastern regions corresponding more-or-less to the realm of Old Assyria. The Sumerian civilization can be credited with many of humanity’s cultural inventions and achievements, including the world’s oldest known pieces of literature. According to those legends, it was Enki who took the fight to his father Apsû after he learned that Apsû was planning to kill all the younger gods. This brings us to the question – what natural (or supernatural) element did Enlil himself represent? Below you will find our wide selection of Assyrian boy names and Assyrian girl names, as categorized by our name experts research, our readers feedback and other sources. Dilmun, the origin place of many Mesopotamian myths, is also thought to have been located in the country of Bahrain (which in Arabic translates to ‘two seas’). According to this identification, the location described in the verse, Ashur, refers to ancient Assyria , which was centered around the upper Tigris River. Occupying a strategic position at the foothills of Zagros mountains, the city was the center for the worship of the Assyro-Babylonian goddess (in her war-like avatar). This emphasis on the intrinsic ties between Assyrian imperialism and the divine entity even led to the adoption of king names that included the word ‘Ashur’, like Ashurnasirpal, Esarhaddon (Ashur-aha-iddina), and Ashurbanipal. As a matter of fact, Marduk as a deity was held in such a high regard in the lands of Babylonia that even ‘foreign’ Persian (Achaemenid) emperors like Cyrus and Darius projected themselves as the chosen of the god. I.A.1.A. Enlil, the princely one, came forth from the house. Associated with the moon, Sin was represented as the bull, with the symbol alluding to the resemblance of the waxing moon to the horns of the animal. Home » Blog Posts » Culture » 10 ancient Mesopotamian gods and goddesses you should know about. RealmofHistory(C)2019. In accordance with Mesopotamian cosmic geography, the abzu pertained to the ocean underneath the earth; and for that matter, even Babylon was touted to be built atop an abzu. All Rights Reserved. Pertaining to the latter quality, it was Enlil who brought upon the great flood upon humanity (according to the Akkadian epic Atra-Hasis, circa 18th century BC), after being perturbed by their higher rate of fertility and the general ‘noise’ they made (that disturbed his sleep). I. Meaning expand search to ancestral names ... Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew Means "lady, princess, noblewoman" in Hebrew. And in case we have not attributed or misattributed any image, artwork or photograph, we apologize in advance. His immense popularity among the populace is also suggested by three different ancient cult centers in all of Mesopotamia – Larsa and Eridu in (southern) Sumer, along with Sippar in (northern) Akkad. 11 Now leave at once and go home() I said I would reward you handsomely, but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.�12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me, 13 ‘Even if Balak … If you like unusual baby names, shadow baby names will meet your requirement. As for the historical side of affairs, there are theories that suggest that Tiamat as a Mesopotamian goddess was worshiped as a part of the cult of Nammu (a primeval goddess, being the Sumerian equivalent to Tiamat). In any case, Shamash (or Utu) was one of the most important deities in the ancient Mesopotamian culture, attested by the fact that the entity was mentioned as early as circa 3500 BC (5,500-years ago) in the nascent forms of Sumerian writings. He was also portrayed, during various time-periods, as the father of two major divine entities – Utu (the sun god) and Inanna (the goddess of beauty). Enlil lifted his glance over all the lands, and the lands raised themselves to Enlil. The princely one came forth royally from the house. If you purchase a product or service linked from this site, we may receive an "affiliate commission". Interestingly enough, Dr Harriet Crawford has observed how the middle Persian Gulf region exhibits the ‘mixture’ of waters with the mingling of freshwater from the Arabian aquifers and the saltwater from the seas. He is one of the seven archangels listed in the Book of Enoch. Interestingly enough, many of the initial Sumerian texts also refer to Enki’s virile masculinity, sometimes in overtly sexual tones – though the literary scope in itself probably wanted to indicate the ‘creative’ ability of Enki, as opposed to eroticism. The Three Empires of Ancient Assyria. Taking these multifarious factors into consideration, let us take a gander at the ten ancient Mesopotamian gods and goddesses you should know about. In essence, Ashur, as one of the Mesopotamian gods, rather signified the clash of cultural overtones between the northern and southern parts of Mesopotamia. Naming your babies by meaning is a cool idea, and many parents are choosing names by special meanings. In essence, the first part of her mythos projects the goddess as the creator, who in sacred bond with freshwater sources (represented by god Apsû), gives birth to the cosmos and its successive generations. As we fleetingly mentioned before in the earlier entry, Enki (known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian mythology), was one of the other important Mesopotamian gods of the supreme triad. And beyond just war ceremonies, the temple was viewed as a fortified sanctuary for Assyrian queens during their pregnancy. Marduk then proceeded on to ‘source’ the rivers Tigris and Euphrates from the slain goddess’ eyes, while her body was carved up to create heaven and earth. General Introduction To The Book. To join over 5,600 other subscribers, simply provide your email address: 10 ancient Mesopotamian gods and goddesses you should know about, Macedonian Phalanx: 5 Things You Should Know, The Mysterious Nefertiti: History and Reconstruction, Samurai – Origins, History, and Culture of the Japanese Warrior Class, Moors: The History Of The Muslim Rulers Of Al-Andalus And Their Military, Incredible animation showcases the Roman maniple army formation ‘Triplex Acies’ in action. ... Esharra being the main temple dedicated to the god Ashur in the city of Ashur. As for the historical side of affairs, the ancient city of Erbil (also known as Arbela or Urbilum in Sumerian) had always been an integral part of even the Old Assyrian state, circa 2050 BC. She is also said to have created the first batch of monsters and ‘poison-filled’ dragons, and ultimately ends up being slain by god Marduk, who in turn then proceeds to construct both heaven and earth from her remnant body. And while his origins probably lied in the rustic agricultural god named Asarluhi (who was symbolized by a spade), Marduk, as opposed to many other gods, was said to reign directly from his temple (and stronghold) Esagila in Babylon. The owner of this website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Please let us know via the ‘Contact Us’ link, provided both above the top bar and at the bottom bar of the page. And since we are talking about history, like many of the oldest cultural achievements pertaining to humanity, the oldest recipe for brewing beer comes from the land of Mesopotamia. Sin (or Nanna in Sumerian, not to be confused with the Norse deity) was the tutelary god of Ur, one of the major ancient Mesopotamian urban centers that originally occupied a coastal position near the mouth of river Euphrates (in what is now southern Iraq). Interestingly enough, this is where the historians and linguists are baffled alike, with the very Sumerian word “líl” meaning ‘ghost or even haunted’. Almost as a reactionary process, Ashur took the position of Enlil (and his mythic lineage) in northern Mesopotamia, and this religious shift extended till the period of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. For example, by Hammurabi’s time, Marduk replaced Enlil as the chief deity of the majority of the southern Mesopotamian lands. When it comes to the early historical scope of Mesopotamia, there were no singular factions or political entities that ruled the extensive lands between and around the rivers of Tigris and Euphrates (at least until the brief Akkadian interlude and the later ascension of the Babylonian and Neo-Assyrian Empire). We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising" and also in accordance to amazon associates programme operating agreement. These records were compiled to keep an eye on future omens that were thought to have the potential to decide the course of important events. ASK m Norse Mythology Derived from Old Norse askr "ash tree". However, the Mesopotamian city-states from after 3rd millennium BC did share their cultural traits and even languages, with the latter example pertaining to how ancient Sumerian heavily influenced Akkadian (of which Babylonian was a variant), the lingua franca of much of the Ancient Near East. Depicted as the primordial goddess of the oceans, Tiamat is possibly one of the earliest known Babylonian entities used for Chaoskampf, a myth that portrays the momentous battle between a hero and a chthonic monster. However, the second part of the Chaoskampf makes Tiamat the antagonist, with her taking the form of a giant dragon to wreak havoc on the younger generation of gods (as an act of revenge, instigated by the murder of her husband Apsû). The Middle Assyrian Empire (1365–1020 BC): The … Nasir is a Syrian slave who is freed by Spartacus' rebellion. Ashur was the patron deity of the city and the chief god of Assyria. The Akkadian god Shamash was probably directly derived from the Sumerian counterpart Utu, with both entities being projected as the god of the sun and divine justice.However, interestingly enough, while Utu had been depicted as the son of Moon-god Sin (summarized in the earlier entry), Shamash, as one of the Mesopotamian gods, was represented as the son of Enlil (summarized in … The first paragraph of the ancient literature piece roughly reads like this –. Commonly translated as the ‘Lord of the Earth’, Enki had also been depicted as a deity of creation, crafts, intelligence and even magic. Probably most famous as the patron deity of Babylon itself, Marduk as one of the major Mesopotamian gods formed an important part of the Babylonian pantheon, which in itself suggests a shift in cultural prominence from the ancient Sumerians to the later Babylonians.

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