Mesopotamian and Other Near Eastern Deities
Gods and Goddesses of the Canaanites, Sumerians, Hittites, Assyrians, and Babylonians
And Lady Asherah of the Sea replies:
"Thy word, El, is wise;
Thou art wise unto eternity;
Lucky life is Thy word.
Our king is Aliyan Baal,
Our judge, and none is above Him.
Let both of Us drain His chalice;
Both of Us drain His cup!"
- From (http://members.aol.com/kheph777/mideast/mythos/cananbe.html) Canaanite Seasonal Cycle Mythos
Here are reference tables of the gods of the Canaanites, Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians and Assyrians. Basic information comes from a series of FAQ pages by Christopher Siren.
Beneficent Deities
| Name |
Function/Identity |
| El |
father of gods, mankind. |
| Athirat |
El's consort. |
| Kothar - and - Khasis |
craftsman. |
| Shachar & Shalim |
twins. |
| Shamu |
a sky god. |
| Baal |
god of fertility, 'rider of the clouds', and god of lightning and thunder. |
| Athtart |
consort of Baal, lesser god of war & the chase. |
| Anat |
goddess of war, the hunt, and savagery. |
| Baalat |
fertility goddess. |
| Tanit |
lady of Carthage. |
| Shapshu |
sun goddess. |
| Yarikh |
moon god. |
| Kotharat |
conception and childbirth. |
| Athtar |
possibly a god of the desert or of artificial irrigation. |
| Sheger |
god of cattle. |
| Ithm |
god of sheep. |
| Hirgab |
father of eagles. |
| Elsh |
steward. |
| Sha'taqat |
a healing demoness. |
| Nikkal - and - Ib |
goddess of fruit. |
| Khirkhib |
king of summer & raiding season. |
| Dagon of Tuttul |
god of wheat, inventor of the plow. |
| Baal - Shamen |
lord of the Assembly of the gods at Gubla. |
| Milqart |
god of the Metropolis and of the monarchy at Tyre and Carthage. |
| Eshmun |
god of healing. |
|
Chaos Gods
| Name |
Function/Identity |
| Yam |
sea & rivers. |
| Arsh |
monstrous attendant of Yam. |
| Atik |
calf of El, enemy of Baal. |
| Ishat |
enemy of Baal. |
| Zabib |
an enemy of Baal. |
| Mot |
sterility, death, and the underworld. |
| Horon |
chthonic deity. |
| Resheph |
pestilence. |
| Aklm |
like grasshoppers. |
| Rephaim |
deities of the underworld. |
| Molech |
? may have been a Canaanite deity to whom children were sacrificed; cult similar to that of Yahweh's; may have been simply a title. |
|
| Mainly from Canaanite/Ugaritic Mythology FAQ |
Sumerian
Primary Deities
|
| Name |
Function/Identity |
|
| An (Babylonian: Anu) |
god of heaven; may have been the main god before 2500 B.C. |
| Ninhursag (Babylonian: Aruru, Mammi) |
mother goddess; progenitor with An of the gods; assists in creation of man. |
| Enlil (Babylonian: Ellil) |
god or air; pantheon leader from 2500 B.C.; father of the gods; king of heaven & earth. |
| Enki (Babylonian: Ea) |
lord of the abyss, semen & wisdom; god of water, creation, fertility. |
| Nanna (Babylonian: Sin) |
moon god. |
| Inanna (Babylonian: Ishtar) |
love and war. |
| Utu (Babylonian: Shamash) |
god of the sun and justice. |
| Ninlil (Babylonian: Mullitu, Mylitta) |
bride of Enlil. |
| From Sumerian Mythology FAQ |
Assyro - Babylonian
Older Gods
| Name |
Function/Identity |
Name |
Function/Identity |
| Apsu |
underworld ocean; begetter of the skies and earth. |
Tiamat |
primeval chaos; bearer of the skies and earth. |
| Lahmu & Lahamu |
|
Anshar |
|
| Kishar |
|
Anu |
sky god, father & king of the gods. |
| Antu(m) |
1st consort of Anu. |
Aruru (Ninmah, Mami) |
mother goddess; midwife of the gods. |
| Mammetum |
maker or mother of fate. |
Nammu |
associated with water. |
|
Anunnaki Gods
|
Younger Gods
| Name |
Function/Identity |
| Ellil (Enlil) |
initially, leader of the pantheon. |
| Ea (Enki, Nudimmud) |
god of the waters. |
| Mummu |
craftsman. |
| Qingu |
battle leader |
| Sin (Nannar) |
moon god. |
| Ningal |
the consort of Sin. |
| Ishtar (Ishhara, Irnini, Inanna) |
goddess of love, procreation, and war. |
| Siduri |
barmaid. |
| Shamash (Babbar, Utu) |
sun god. |
| Aia |
Shamash's consort. |
| Kakka |
Anshar and Anu's vizier |
| Ninlil |
Elil's consort. |
| Nusku |
god of fire and Ellil's vizier. |
| Gerra (Gibil) |
god of fire. |
| Ishum |
god of fire. |
| Kalkal |
Ellil's doorkeeper |
| Nash |
a pure goddess. |
| Zaltu |
strife. |
| Ninurta |
chamberlain of the war god. |
| Ninsun |
great queen. |
| Marduk |
supplants other Babylonian deities to become central figure. |
| Bel (Canaanite Baal) |
cleverest; sage of the gods. |
| Ashur |
god of Assyria and war. |
| Shullat |
Shamash's servant. |
| Papsukkal |
vizier of the great gods. |
| Hanish |
weather god's servant |
| Adad |
a storm god. |
| Shara |
|
| Nin-ildu |
carpenter. |
| Gushkin-banda |
creator of god and man, goldsmith god. |
| Nin-agal |
patron of smiths. |
|
Chthonic Deities
| Name |
Function/Identity |
| Ereshkigal (Allatu) |
supreme goddess of underworld. |
| Belit-tseri |
tablet-scribe of the underworld. |
| Namtar(a) |
the fate-cutter, herald of death. |
| Sumuqan |
cattle god. |
| Nergal (Erragal, Erra, Engidudu) |
underworld; hunter; god of war and plague. |
| Irra |
plague god. |
| Enmesharra |
underworld god |
| Lamashtu |
dread female demon also known as 'she who erases'. |
| Nabu |
god of writing and wisdom. |
| Ningizzia |
guardian of the gate of heaven; a god of the underworld. |
| Tammuz (Dumuzi, Adonis) |
vegetation. |
| Belili (Geshtinanna) |
|
| Gizzida (Gishzida) |
consort of Belili, doorkeeper of Anu. |
| Nissaba (Nisaba) |
cereal grain harvest. |
| Dagan |
fertility and the underworld. |
| Birdu |
an underworld god. |
| Sharru |
god of submission |
| Urshambi |
boatman to Utnapishtim. |
| Ennugi |
controller of the Anunnaki. |
| Geshtu-e |
god whose blood and intelligence are used by Mami to create man. |
|
| From The Assyro-Babylonian Mythology FAQ |
Hittite/Hurrian
Some of the principal gods and goddesses
|
| Name |
Function/Identity |
|
| Alalu(s) |
former king of heaven before Anu. |
| Anu(s) |
first among the gods; spent some time as king of heaven. |
| Kumarbi(s) |
father of all gods. |
| Hannahannas (Nintu, Mah) |
mother of all the gods. |
| Upelluri (Ubelluris) |
giant; carries world on his shoulders. |
| Storm/Weather-god (Hurrian's Teshub, Taru, Luwian's Tarhun(t) |
chief god; battle & victory. |
| Hebat |
wife of storm god. |
| Telepinu |
agricultural god. |
| Ullikummi(s) |
weapon to defeat the Storm-Gods. |
| Sun-god |
god of justice; sometimes king of all gods. |
| Illuyankas |
dragon. |
| Hedammu |
serpent. |
| Irsirra deities |
live in the earth; charged by Kumarbis to hide Ullikummis from the sky gods, the Sun-god, the Storm-god, and Ishtar. |
| Astabis (Zamama, Akkadian Ninurta) |
warrior god. |
| Uliliyassis |
removes impotence. |
| Kubaba |
chief goddes. |
| Yarris |
pestilence. |
| Hasamelis |
protect travelers. |
| From Hittite/Hurrian Mythology |
