Burkhart kienast

IGIGU AND ANUNNAKKU IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACADIAN SOURCES

BURKHART KIENAST

Heidelberg

Translation by

Kalene Barry, 2010

(The letter ‘š’ is transcribed ‘sh’ throughout the article.)

1. The Acadian sources recognize a whole list of connected conceptions for single god groups like the ilu rabutum, “the great gods,” ilu matim, “the gods of the land,” ilu Sippar-Amnanim, “the gods from Sippar-Amnanum,” or (d)Dajjanu, “the judging gods.” This has to do either with a compound with ilum, “God,” or with a definite job description. In contrast to this interpretation stands two liguistical terms, which we explain—from the Acadian—as “names” of god-groupings: the Igigu and the Anunnakku with their Sumerian equivalents (d)nun-gal-e-ne and (d)a-nun-na. Recently W. von Soden gave an opinion on these two ideas in a presentation which is now also available in printed form.¹ If I were to wage taking up the problem again, the following would be significant reasons therefore: The previous standing research from A. Falkenstein on “Die Anunna in der sumerischen Überlieferung” (Pgs. 127-40) gives a solid basis, from which the terminology I. and A. in their historical developments can be followed. At the same time, A. Falkenstein presented methodological principles of unusual importance for our topic. The application for the interpretation of the following supporting documents would lead to other findings and would put the problem in a new light.

2. Like the Sumerian (d)a-nun-na, the Acadian conceptualizations of Igigu and Anunnakku are shaped by specific kinds of texts: they appear ultimately in the literary works, the myths, epics and hymns, not so much in the religious texts, the prayers and oaths, and lastly in the hymnic sections of the kings’ writings. The absence of both depictions in the rest of the written memorials², especially in the economic and administrative records, and also in the depiction of the names, shows that in the almost 1500 year Acadian tradition neither the I. nor the A.’s independent personas influenced the cult practice or the folk religion. Like at the beginning of their history both groups remained vague masses, whose meaning was chiefly created at the end of the listing of individual deities of the rest of the pantheon in the litany, or else to build the background story of important beings and emphasize their power and reign. In the epic texts, the I. and A. make up a nameless mass, which mostly stands fearful or awestruck before a god who domineers over them.

3. This all-encompassing characterization holds in itself the problems, which stand against the attempt to create a precise definition of the two god-groups: The majority of sources have no meaningful significance that would allow I. and A. to be clearly defined and distinguished from each other. However, here again the literary form of the sources offers unexpected support: the occurrences of both groups’ depictions in the poetic scheme of the parallelism membrorum are unusually frequent, whereby either the I. stand beside the A., or the other way around, or that both conceptualizations of ium, “God,” stand opposite each other. Like the literary adornment of the text, we are obliged some cases in which I., or rather A., are tied appositionally with ilum. In order to fully take advantage of this helpful tool, and to show its whole magnitude, we decided to arrange accordingly, the main group of supporting documents in this presented form.

4. Igigu: Form and Spelling. The name of the I. still eludes a liguistical interpretation because the modern etymology, like the efforts of the antique composers of lexical lists, has forsaken us. The following comes from the series malku= sarru: [1] ri-i-bu (Var. ra-i-i-bu)= I-gi-gu(LTBA II, Nr. 2:274, 3 iv 10, 4 iv 5) und following further: [2] ri-i-bu= (d) nun.gal (Meissner, BAW I 71, line 38, with Pg. 74, footnote 21). The attempt to differentiate Igigu from agagu, “to be angry,” and to interpret “to be angry” through forms of ra’abu, is without value for us and considered late “Folksetymology.”³ The idea appears firstly in aB texts; (d)nun-gal-e-ne serves as a Sumerian equivalent, a grammatically correct creation which isn’t used before the time of the aB texts. From the end of the millennium onward the Sumerogram (d)nun.gal(mes)⁴ began to appear differently in the Acadian sources, then again, in the late Sumerian works or transcriptions, occasionally (d)I-gi(4)-gi(4)-na appears for (d)nun-gal-e-ne.⁵ The syllabic spellings I-gi-gu (Nominative) and I-gi-gi (Oblique), like the pseudologographical form I-gi(4)-gi(4) appear with or without god-determinative at all times of the tradition; one time there appears in the last aB the mixed form I-gi(4)-gu.⁶ It is good to take note that the aB texts never write the god-determinative, and that further still, in the inscriptions of Adadnarari I and Salmanassar I, nominatives and obliques would have been syntactically necessary. The cryptogram (d)ja.min (5 X 60 X 2= I-gi-gi) appears for the first time in the 9^th century⁷ and wins, shortly thereafter, all encompassing circulation. Its number (=600) resulted in the detached name of the I. being rendered through (d)gis.u (=600), the cryptogram for the A.⁸

5. Anunnakku: Form and Spelling. Anunnakku is a loan word from the Sumerian and goes back to the genitive tie with a-nun-ak, “princely seed,” “princely blood.”⁹ The sumerogram (d)a.nun.na and the variation (d)a.nu.na appears in aB and later only seldomly.¹⁰ The normal, often simplified spelling in the young texts (d)A-nun-na-ki with the seldom found variants (d)A-nun-na-ke(4), (d)A-nuna-ki and (d)A-nu-na-ki show the oblique.¹¹ The attached nominative (d)A-nun-na-ku, with the variations (d)A-nun-a-ku, (d)A-nu-na-ku, and one time in Boghazköy (d)A-nun-na-ku(13) is syntactically correct, although this has still to be verified in the inscriptions of Adadnarari I and Salmanassar I.¹² The phonetically shortened form is (d)A-nu-uk-ki.¹³ There is an often documented switch from a to e in the initial sound of Sumerian loan words: (d)E-nu-na-ku, E-nu-na-ki, E-nu-uk-ki and (d)E-nu-uk-ki, which is attested to in the already twice named form, aB.¹⁴ The god-determinative is, apart from a few exceptions, universally established from the aB time onward.¹⁵ For the first time, in the inscriptions of Tiglathpilesser III, there appears the cryptogram (d)gis.u (=60 X 10), and one time also the form (d)gis.u(ki) and gis.u.¹⁶

6.the linguistial relationship of Igigu to Anunnakku. The linguistical analysis contributes hardly anything to a more precise definition of the two names or even to a more clear classification of the two concepts opposite each other. The missing opportunity for a meaning of the I. forces us to assume that the name is an equivalent to the Sumerian (d) nun-gal-e-ne. We must keep an eye on the fact that (d)nun-gal-e-ne, “The Great Rulers,” quite possibly is only a formally differing parallel picture to the old (d)a-nun-na, “The princely/ruling blood”. How ever the relationship between the I. to its Sumerian counterpart may be, it cannot be clarified; yet the Sumerian terminus interprets both descriptions as practically identical.

7. genealogical relations of the Igigu and the Anunnakku. There is hardly anything said in the Acadian sources about the genealogical relationship between the I. and the A. A few results like, “Assur creator of the I. and the A.”[97]¹⁷ or “Ishtar (?), daughter of the I.” [136] are more hymnic praises of the gods and are therefore without value in the attempt to reconstruct familial relationships between the god groups. Just as little significance can be found in the phrase from the hymn to Papulegarra: [3] talim E-nu(!)-na-ki ili ahhika, “equal brother to the A., your godly brothers” (JRAS Cent. Suppl. Tf. VI, Kol. I 8); following further still from the prayer to Ishtar: [3a] sueti (d)a.nun.na, “Lord of the A.” (AfO XIX 54, L. 205). The absence of genealogical evidence weighs especially hard on the idea of the I.; for the A. we can rely back of the Sumerian texts, which see the sky-god An as the father of the A. ¹⁸

8. The number of Igigu and Anunnakku. The most important insight into the number of the I. and the A. can be found in the world creation epic. This reports of the installation of a new godly order through Marduk: [4] Marduk...[Sumerian Text}…izzakru. “Marduk, the king of the gods, divided the A. above and below. He transferred them to An, in order that they might behave his orders. 300 he placed in the sky as watchers. In the same way he laid fast the tracks of the earth: In the sky and on the earth he allowed 600 (A.) to live. After he portioned out all the assignments, and gave the A. from the sky and from the earth their allotments, the A. opened their mouths and said to Marduk, their lord” (En. El. VI 39-48).¹⁹ Only the A. are named here, who are collectively portrayed as the sky and terrestrial gods. This is further clarified in that the epic portrays the ideas of the I. and the A. the same way, in fact, as synonyms of each other (see [71]). When a later commentary (En. el. VI 69; see Ahw. Page 367a) of the “Three hundred I. of the sky, six hundred A. of the Apsu” speaks, it lays no foundationally diverging theological conceptions, rather simply a misunderstanding. The same false interpretation can also be found in a young bi-lingual text, which speaks of the “three hundred A. of the sky, six hundred A. of the earth.”²⁰ Really meaningful is the effect which is contained in the En. el. numerical results on the orthography of the ‘late time’: The above mentioned spelling ja.min (=5 X 60 X 2= I.), is accounted for for the first time by Assurnasirpal II. (9th century), and gis.u (= 60 X 10= A.), appears for the first time by Tiglathpilesser III. (8^th century),²¹ the two must be rooted in the tradition of the epic of the world creation; they show also that still in the idea (imaginary) world of the 1^st millennium the I. and the A. would not have been closer differentiated.

9. Further calculations find themselves different in the lexical lists. So are the results for the I. and two numbers (VIII), and for the A. one number (IX):

[5] (d)VIII= (d)I-gi-gi (II R 25:69g,h) and

[6] (u-sa)VIII= (d)I- <gi-gi>

(i-lim-[mu])IX= (d) A-nun-na-ki (Bab. VII, Pl. VII i 37f.).

These calculations for both god-groups were certified nowhere through the contextual supporting documents. Under consideration, the Sumerian tradition of the IX for the A. is proving faulty. The background of the annotation cannot be ascertained. However, the suspicion lies that they go back to a mistake of a false meaning of the cryptographical spelling, or rather have been influenced by such things.

10. Interwoven is the meaning of two further lists. A list of the gods has the following alignment:

[7] (d)I-ser-tum= (d) I-se[r-tum]

(d) Kur-rib-ba²² = min

(d) I-gi(4)-gi(4)= min

(d) E-nu-uk-ki = (d)A-nun-na-[ki] (CT XVV, Tf. 18, Rs. Ii 5-8)

In the synonym list malku= sarru it means:
[8] zag-gu = i-se-ir-tum

I-gi-gi = min (OECT IV 64, Kol. iv 48 f.).
Here, W. von Soden interprets isirtum as “Group of ten (gods)” and takes the view that the named inscriptions of the young lists of religious concepts are preserved the early aB time.²³ The aB documents which support his theology, we believe must be interpreted apart from W. von Soden. because for us, every conclusion is lacking. The terminus of the I. once signified a group of ten gods. We want to follow the opinion of the CAD (CAD VII 40b). There isirtum, based on the equation with zaggu in the series malku= sarru, means “sanctuary”.²⁴

11. Dwelling Places of the Igigu and the Anunnakku. The character of the two termini as group-images accordingly, acknowledges nowhere in the text, a temple of the I. or the A. Both terms are understood generally as vague collections of individual deities, which possess their own cult location.

This illustrates, for example, a passage from a hymn of Assurbanipal to Marduk: [9]…[Sumerian text]…, “Bowed down, stand before you the I., the A., the gods and goddesses of the cult-location, sanctuaries, and the high places; the proconsuls and the leaders pray to you” (KB VI 2, Page 110, Line 30 f.). And in a prayer of exaltation to Enlilbanda it is written: “The A. in their cultic cities bless you” [60]. The same position can be see in the epic of the world creation, in the speech about the building of the temple to the honor of Marduk: [10]…[Sumerian text]…, “After they built the work of Esagila, the A. established themselves a high place there” (En. el. VI 68).²⁵ Because of this, the main temple to Marduk holds a few oratories for the rest of the gods in the pantheon.

12. Going against the theory of the two group images’ strong individuality, the names of building parts in Ehursaggalkurkurra to Assur don’t speak of the individual gods with their separate cult-cities: [11]…[Sumerian Text]… “His dwelling place I placed again there and name it ‘Place of the rows of the positions of the I.’…The main entrance to the dwelling place I named ‘door, in which the I. kneel’” (OIP II 145 f., Lines 22-25).²⁶ The names are not referring to a collective sanctum of the I.

13. An interesting, if not single insight, on the dwelling place of the A. is provided by the aB fragment from the epic of Gilgamesh from Ishchali, which contains the journey to Zedern forest (Hermon and Lebanon) and the battle of the heroes against Huwawa. In reference to the Zendern forest, it is written: [12] musab E-nu-na-ki pu-zu-ra-mi-ip-te-e, “the chief seat of the A. was opened by him (Enkidu)” (JNES XVI 256, Rs. 20). On the basis of this script, the question comes up whether or not (d)a-nun-na dingir-hur-sag-ga in the Sumerian Lugalbanda-Enmerkar Epic is to be understood rather appositionally as “the A., the gods of the mountains”.²⁷ In a similar way, the A. could be meant in the aB Lamastu-Oath as the “holy gods of the mountains all together” [36], which are named in parallelism with the I.

14. A few sources admonish the I. in the sky, the A. on the earth (underworld). This emerges especially clearly in the Erra-epic, where Erra turns with the following words to Marduk: “To the sky will I go, to the I. will I give answer; I want to climb to Apsu, the A. I want to awaken” [117] and in the formulation “The I. of the sky, the A. of the earth” [114]; see thereto rather “The A. of the sky and of the earth” [4] in the world creation epic; and lastly, in an oath, the I. “the above gods,” the A. “the below gods” are named [115].

15. Frequently, against this theory, we meet places where the A. are portrayed clearly as being housed in the underworld. In the Erra-epic, Marduk says: [13] itbima ina subtisu asar la ari ana subat (d)A-nun-na-ki istakan parnisu, “He lifted himself from his place, into where no one goes, to the dwelling place of the A. did he turn his countenance” (Erra I 192; see [117]). Previous to this, Marduk showed his concern with these words: [14] (d)A-nun-na-ki ilunimma siknat napisti imessu, “The A. will rise up and the crush the living” (Erra I 177). In the underworld vision the A. threw themselves before the enthroned Nergal [68]; in Ishtars journey to the netherworld the invitation of the Ereskigal goes out to Namtar: [15] (d) A-nun-na-ki susa ina kussi hurasi susib, “Let the A. come out, let them take place on the golden throne” (KB VI 1, Page 88, Line 33, parallel Line 37). In the myth of Nergal and Ereskigal said the latter to Namtar in reference to Nergal: [16] akale (d) A-n[un-na-ki likul me (d)A-nun-na-ki listi], “The bread of the A. he wants to eat, the water of the A. he wants to drink” (AnSt X 116, line 39’). In Ishtar’s journey to the netherworld, Ereskigal says: [17] [mi] nu anaku itti (d)A-nun-na-ki me asatti, “What, should I drink water with the A.?” (KAR, Number 1:33). An oath speaks so of the A.: “Your A., Great Gods” [66]; another one says this of illnesses: [18] ana Namtar sukkal erseti piqissu[nuti] itti (d) A-nun-na-ki abulla lirubuma aj[j ituru] Hubur lirubuma ajj issahru, “Namtar, the vizier of the Underworld, recommends to you; you should enter the door with the A. and not turn back; the Hubur you want to outrun/cut across and you should not turn around” (TuL, Page 128, Line 5ff.). See the §§ 22 f. with the sources for the A. as judge of the underworld and for results for the A. as underworld gods. Finally there is cited a passage from the great Shamash-Hymn: [19] saplati malki Kubu (d)A-nun-na-ki tapaqqid elati sa dadme kalisina tustesser, “Underneath you look for the council giver of the Kubu, the A.; above, you govern the rights of the people as whole” (Lambert, BWL Page 126, Line 31 f.).²⁸

16. The function of the Igigu and the Anunnakku. The I. and A. are represented in the myths and epics as independently handled ‘great ones’, whereby the occurrences of the I. are many times less frequent than the occurrences of the A. To be certain, we do hear of the dysfunctional doings of both god-groups: about the outcome of the flood is written in the Gilgamesh epic: [20] (d) A-nun-na-ki issu diparati, “the A. carried the Fakkeln(torches?)” (Gilg. XI 103). After the report of the world creation the A. busied themselves with building a temple: [21] (d) A-nun-na-ki itruku allu satta istat libittasu [ilbinu], “the A. swung the axes, the first year they formed the temple’s bricks” (En. el. VI 59 f.) and arranged their own high place [10]. See further in the Etana-Myth—context has been destroyed: [22] ala (d)I-gi-gi sutashuru […] (Bab. XII 9, Line 19, aB Version).

17. Lastly both groups are called upon in curse and oath formulations. In both cases they are placed mostly at the end of a name list of individual deities, in order to incorporate the rest of the pantheon into the list. So it is written in an aB Lamastu-oath: “The pure I. would like to purify you” [36]; in an oath to the dead spirit: “By the I., the above gods, you swear; by the A., the under gods, you swear” [115]. In an address from Marduk to the demons, we read: “The A., the great gods, want to bind you” [65]. The curse formulation in KH closes with “the A. altogether….will curse” [61]; similarly in the inscriptions of Adadnarari I.: “The I. of the sky, the A. of the earth, altogether will look angrily at you” [114].

18. Their participation in the godly council is responsible for the main sources for the I. and the A. After the Anzu-bird stole the future tablets, the concerned gods gathered to consult [37]; to this is written: [23] pahru I-gi-gu i[lu gi]mru dalhu-ma, “There were gathered the I., the gods were all unsettled” (RA XLVI 90, Line 30, aB Version). Similar is the report from the world creation epic: [24] pahru manzaza kalisunu (d)A-nu-u[k-k]i saptasunu kuttumama qal[is usbu], “They were all gathered, the A.; their lips are closed, silent they sit there” (En. el. II 88). In the same recitation Marduk gathers the gods; there develops a speech [71], in which the new rules of the godly order culminate through Marduk [4] and with the resolution, that the A. will build a temple of splendor to Marduk. [10, 21]. After a prayer to Ishtar, the A. congregate at the council, and the I. turn to them, in order to receive their portion of the sacrifice [79].

19. The domineering position of a single named deity in the congregation becomes clearer through the hymnic background. The I. regard silently the word of the deities [51,76]; the I. and the A. await their commands [93]. The I. should only speak good about the deities [52], they praise their names [41].²⁹Also, Ti’amat requests the A. to praise Kingu [62] (see also in the Erra-epic [116]). See further [25] inu Anum…Enlil…in I-gi(4)-gi(4) usarbi’usu, “As Anum…(and) Enlil… made him(Marduk) great under the I.” (KH i 14); see to that [42]. Further the gods give, the I.[39], like the A.[60], their adoration through joyous jubilee (see [94] and [95]). Often also the A. kneel before the god [76]; kneel the I., prostrate the A. before him [75]; the A. threw themselves before the throne of the Nergal in the underworld vision [68]. According to the Erra-Epic, the I. and the A. stand fearfully there [111]; the A. should fear the god [116]; the I. shy away from Erra, the A. shake before him [74]; see also [76a]. Before Sin, the gods quake, the A. shake [56]; likewise before Ishtar [57]. Before Marduk, the I. kneel, the A. support the gods silently [110]; Marduk holds the lead-rope of the I. and the A. in his hand [109].

20. The I. are rightly managed [54], the I. and the A. are assigned their place [92] (see [4]). Shamash will be highly praised: [26] ana (d)I-gi(4)-gi(4) isiqsunu tu-wa-[ta]-da, “The I. proclaim your part of the offering” (KAR Nr. 32: 32); see [79]. The I. thank the gods for their livelihood: [27] (Shamash) sa kullat (d)I-gi-gi nindabesun[u]…, Samash, “the I., their food offering…” (Lambert, BWL, Page 126, Line 14).³⁰ Even so, Nusku is named “Preparer of the food offering for the I.” [48] and Girru is the same, “the gods give the food offering to the I.; the luster provides the A., the great gods” [80]. Seru’a will be praised: “Daily you prepare the I., and the A. their food offering” [112]. Sin and Shamash prepare the I. the offering piece; place before the A. the dead-feast [118].³¹

21. A positive relationship between the gods in the council resounds in a passage from the Erra-epic, which speaks of a decision from the I. and the advise from the A. [72], which doesn’t always satisfy: So cry the A. with Ishtar about the flood [63], which they swore themselves to carryout over the people (see [20]) and at the same time are the I. under the wrath of Enlil because of the survival of Utnapisti [50]. In opposition to this, the Etana-epic portrays the roll of the A. as counselor and specifier of the future, and the function of the I. as creator of the world’s boundary, in which the people ascertain the godly order [70]. Here, the chosen council given acts of the A. appear to tie in with the concepts of the Sumerian sources, according to which the contribution on the fortune/future decision was one of the main privileges of the A.³² The epithet malku “counselor,” appears differently for the A., however it appears here, that it is always in reference to relationship of the A. as judges of the underworld.³³

22. A exceptional position takes a few credentials, which the A., as judges of the underworld, characterize. So begins an oath with the words: [28] attunu (d)A-nun-na-ki [paris]ut pur[ussi] ana nisi saplati da’inu[t din] Anis a kalu teni[se]ti, “Your A. who make decisions for you about the people down there, regulate the word of An for the whole of humanity” (TuL, Page 54, Lines 28-30= LKA, Number 69 f.); similar [66]; see also [66a]. In another oath is written: [29] (d)gis.u sut kudurra sa lil.ananna ikdiru uruh kur.nu. gi(4)a nasusu, “The A. who decreed the (life) border of the NN, lead him on the way to the land of no return” (JNES XIX 32, line 36= STT I, Number 73). A prayer from Susa contains the words: “I want to go…before the A.,…before the great gods I want to hear the judgment” [67]. See further [18].³⁴

23. A prayer to the gods of the underworld concludes with the following words: [30] kima annam ana pan (d)A-nun-na-ki tamnu, “After you have recited this before the A” (TuL, Page 131, Line 32), after which comes a prayer to the dead spirit.

At another spot, the invocation priest is supposed to present the initiator to the A.: [31] ana pan (d)A-nun-na-ki tuqarrabsuma i[qabbi], “You bring him close to the A. and he should speak” (TuL, Page 130, Line 11).³⁵ After the ritual instruction, the dead spirit receives gifts: [32] ina pan Samas Gilgames (d)A-nun-na-ki etim kim[tija] qista mahrata, “Before Shamash, Gilgamesh, the A., (and) the dead spirit of my family, you received the gift” (TuL, Pg. 132, Line 57 f.); the same deities are to be delivered apotropic statuettes: [33] ina pan Samas Gilgames (d)A-nun-na-ki apqis [sunuti], “ I delivered to him (the statuettes) before Shamash, Gilgamesh (and) the A.” (TuL, Page 133, Line 66). But also the A. receive alms; so it is written in a burial speech: “Gifts for the counselor, the A., and the gods, who inhabit the earth (underworld), I gave” [69].³⁶ Also from sacrifices to the A. is written: [34] kispu ana (d)A-nun-na-ki ikkassip, “the sacrifice for the A. was brought there” (CT XLI, Tf. 39 Rs. 7), and [35] ina imitti majjalti ana etim kimti ina sumel majjalti ana (d)A-nun-na-ki kispa takassip, “to the right of the stretcher/bier you bring the sacrifice for the dead spirit of the family, to the left of the bier that which is for the A.” TuL, Page 50, Line 23 f. =LKA, Number 69 f.).³⁷ In all of these places, the A. have the function of underworld judges, like is said in the comparison with the section 22 cited spot. It is noted that here the offerings³⁸ are only spoken of from the people to the A., however my concern is not to prove that the dead-text, apart from the rest of the sources, sees the concept of the A. as a complete unity and not as a collection of individual deities.

24. In the following section, the supporting texts are ordered after the exterior feature of the parallelism membrorum, in which we begin with the parallel of Igigu : ilu¸ continuing with Anunnakku : ilu and Igigu : Anunnakku, and finally end with the hymnic ephitet.

Igigu:ilu. [36] A aB Lamashtu-oath names, after a detailed invocation to Ea, Nudimmud, Nunammir, Ninkarrak and Damu, five other gods: Adad, Sumuqan, Naru, Shamash, and Hurshanu. At the asyndetic, the oath-formula follows: ilu qasdutum kalusunu sa sadim lissipuka ellutum I-gi-du li-li-li(!)-lu-ka, “The holy gods of the mountains altogether want to confirm you by oath, the pure I. want to purify you” (Böhl, Leiden Coll. II, Nr. 3:9 f).³⁹
[37] In the aB version of the Anzu-myth is written: utessi kullat kalishunu I-gi-gi…ilu matim iptanahhuru ana temim, “There was confusion amongst the I…the gods of the land gathered together for council” (RA XLVI 88, Lines 4 and 6). See [23].
[38] In the jB redaction of the same myth says the Anzu-bird: tereti sa ilani kalisunu luhmum…luma’’ir kullat kalishunu (d)I-gi(4)-gi(4), “I will take the fortunes of all gods in my hand…I will command all of the I. altogether” (CT XV, Tf. 39 ii 14 f.).
[39] From the great Shamash-Hymn comes the following two sources: ana tamartika ihdu ilu malku iressuka gimirsunu (d)I-gi-gi, “At your arrival, the gods celebrate, the counselor, the I. cheer over you.” (Lambert, BWL, Page 126, Line 7 f.).⁴⁰
[40] ul ibassi ina gimir (d)I-gi-gi sa sunuhu balika in aili naphar kissati sa suturu kima kata, “No one is under all I., who is intense, except you; under all gods of outer space (is no one), as phenomenal as you” (Lambert, BWL, Page 128, Line 45 f.).
[41] In a ‘hand-raised-prayer’ (Germ. Handergebungsgebet) to Shamash we read: epsu pika ilanu iqul[lu] zikirka kabtu usharbu (d)I-[gi-gi], “Your sentence, the gods hold silently in esteem; your weighty name, the I. have made great.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 50, Line 7f.).
[42] A different prayer praises Ishtar: Anu Enlil u Ea ulluk ilani asharbu belutki ushashquki ina naphar (d)I-gi-gi ushatiru manzazki, “Anu, Enlil and Ea have elevated you under the gods, have made your reign great; they have lifted up under all of the I., they have made your place outstanding” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 130, Line 18 f.).
[43] In the world creation epic is written: (d)I-gi-gi napharshunu inuqu marsish…ilu rabutu kalishunu mushimmu shimati irubuma muttish Anshar, “The I. altogether, lamented very much…the great gods, all of us, who appoint the future, entered before Anshar” (En. el. III 126,130).

25. The following epithet names [44] Ishtar: shuputu labbat (d)I-gi-gi mukannishat ilani shabsuti, “The shining lions, the I., who subjugate the thunderous gods” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 132, Line 31).

[45] Asariluhi: mashmash ilani rabuti apkal (d)I-gi-gi, “Invocation priests of the great gods, sages of the I.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 80, Line 88).
[46] Naramsit: nur (d)I-gi-gi malik ilani [rabuti], “Light of the I., counselor of the great gods” (LKU, Number 43:9).
[47] Ninurta: qarrad (d)I-gi-gi le’u malik ilani, “Hero of the I., capable counselor of the gods” (AKA, Page 255, Line 2).
[48] Nusku: malik ilani rabuti paqid nindabe sha kala (d)I-gi-gi, “Adviser to the great gods, he prepares the food offering for all the I.” (Maqlu II 1 f.).
[49] Shamash: dajjan ilani bel (d) I-gi-gi, “Judge of the gods, lord of the I.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 48, Line 111; Duplicate STT I, Number 60:16 and 61:17).

26. Special attention is given in a supporting document, in which the concept of the I. follows asyndetic to ilu: ⁴¹ [50] The Gilgamesh-Epic tells in the flood story, how Enlil reacts to the survival of Utnapishti: libbati imtali sha ilani (d)I-gi-gi, “He was full of anger against the gods, the I.” (Gilg. XI 172).

[51] From a hand-lifted-prayer (Handerhebungsgebet) to Shamash comes the following passage: ana qibitukka utaqqu ilanu (d)I-gi-gi, “the gods, the I., respect your words” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 48, Line 103).⁴²
[52] Enlilbanda is praised: [ilanu ra]butu lishaliluka [damiqta]ka liqbu ilanu (d)I-gi(4)-gi(4), “The great gods would like to cheer over you, the gods, the I., speak good things about you.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 68, Line 21 f.).⁴³

27. The following places demand strong interest, because they, in connection with the I., emphatically regard the difference between heaven and earth (or rather the underworld). [53] Tukultininurta I names Ishtar: belat ilani sha shame erseti namad (d)I-gi-gi, “The queen of the gods from heaven (and) earth, the beloved of the I.” (Weidner Tn. Page 30, Line 11).

[54] A ‘Handerhebungsgebet’ names Shamash: dajjan shame u erseti mushteshiru (d)I-gi(4)-[gi(4)] nadin qutrenni ana ilani rabuti, “ Judge of heaven and earth, whom the I. rightly governs, who gives the incense offering to the great gods” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 54 above, Line 8 ff.).
[55] I would like to attach here a passage from a prayer to Marduk, even if here the I. don’t explicitly stand in parallelism with ilu: [ul] ibashshi ina gimir (d)I-gi-gi sha itallalu maharka [ul] tishi shanina elish u shaplish, “There is no one under all of the I., who could sing (a) praise song before you; you do not have the likes of you above or below” (AfO XIX 62, Line 32 f.).

28. Anunnakku:ilu. [56] In a hymn-like address to Sin says Nabonid: ilanu kima [qa]ne ishubbu inarratu (d)A-nun-na-ki, “The gods tremble like reeds (Rohr); the A. shake.” (ZA LVI 222, Kol. ii 41).

[57] Similar is written in a ‘Handerhebungsgebet’ to Ishtar: ana hissati shumeki shamu u erseti irubbu ilanu ishubbu inarratu (d)A-nun-na-ki, “At the mention of your name, heaven and earth rocks; the gods quake, the A. shake.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 130, Line 20 f.).⁴⁴
[58] In an unpublished K-Text is written: palih ilani…palih (d)A-nun-na-ki, “He who the gods fear…who the A. fears” (K.3365 Rs. 22 f.= Delitzsch, HWB, Page 526a).
[59] Tiglathpilesser I. names Enlil: shar gimir (d)A-nun-na-ki abu ilani, “King of all the A., Father of the gods” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 28, Line 3 f.).
[60] The following passage from a ‘Handerhebungsgebet’ to Enlilbanda names the A. second only in direct parallelism with the people: Anu u Enlil resuka (d)A-nun-na-ki ina mahazishunu ikarrabuka nishu mati ishtammara zikirka kabtu ana ilani rabuti tanamdin milki. “Anu and Enlil are full of joy over you, the A. in their cult cities bless you; the people of the land praise your powerful name. To the great gods you give counsel” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 66, Lines 1-4).

29. Like with the I., the idea of the A. appears without copula asyndetic next to ilu. [61] Especially illuminating is the curse-formulation in the KH; which after a lengthy, hymn-like call to Anu, Enlil, Ninlil, Ea, Shamash, Sin, Adad, Zababa, Ishtar, Nergal, Nintu and Ninkarrak goes like this: ilu rabutum sha shame u ersetim (d)a.nun.na ina napharishunu…liruru, “the great gods of the sky and the earth, the A. altogether…intend to curse” (KH Rs. xxviii 70 ff.).

[62] In the world creation epic Ti’amat calls for the elevation of Kingus: lirtabbu zikruka eli kalishunu ilu rabutu (d)A-nun-na-[ki], “Let them make great your name over them, all the great gods, the A.” (En. el. III 104).⁴⁵
[63] In the report of the flood in the Gilgamesh-Epic the gods bemoan the fate of humanity: ilanu sut (d)A-nun-na-ki baku ittisha ilanu ashru ash-bi ina bikiti, “These gods, the A., cry with you (Ishtar), the gods sit depressed and crying there” (Gilg. XI 124 f.).
[64] A ‘Handerhebungsgebet’ to Nisaba names the deities: sapar (d)A-nun-na-ki ilani ekduti, “Net of the A., the vehement gods” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 142, Line 3; Duplicate CT XLIV, Nr. 35:3).

30. In opposition to the preceding supporting documents, the following places are related distinctively to the A. in the underworld. For the designation of the idea of the A. it seems significant, that also here the parallelism with ilum repeatedly appears: [65] In an address of Marduk on the demons it is written after the salutation to various underworld gods: (d)A-nun-na-ki ilanu rautu likmukunushi, “The A., the great gods want to bind you all” (AfO XIX 117, Line 30).

[66] An oath on the underworld gods begins: attunu (d)A-nun-na-ki ilanu rabutu parisu purussa ana nishi shaplati da’inu dini sha kala tenisheti, “You A., great gods, to whom falls the decision for the people below, to whom falls the judgment over the whole of humanity” (TuL, Page 130, Line 12 f.); see [28].
[66a] The epic of Gilgamesh recalls the A. as judges of the underworld: (d)A-nun-na-ki ilanu rabutu pa[hru] Mammetu banat shimti ittishunu shimati ish[immi], “The A., the great gods, are gathered; Mammitu, the creator of fate decides with them the future” (Gilg. X vi 36).
[67] A prayer from Susa begins a description of the situation in the underworld with the following words: alka lullika ili beli ana mahriti E-nu-na-ki lutiq har(!)-[ra]-na⁴⁶ luhuz qatka ina mahar ili rabuti lushmema dina, “Wohlan, I want to go there, my god, my lord, before the A., I want to tread the way, grasp your hand; before the great gods I will hear the spoken judgment” (TuL, Page 20, Lines 1-6).
[68] The underworld vision characterizes the appearance of the enthroned Nergal and states: (d)gis.u ilu rabutu imitta shumela kan[shu], “The A., the great gods, threw themselves down right (and) left” (ZA XLIII 17, Line 52).

[69] According to a burial statement, a son lays treasures with his father in the grave: qishati ana malki (d)A-nun-na-ki u ilani ashibut erseti [u]qajjish, “Presents for the counselor, the A., and for the gods, who inhabit the underworld, I gave in abundance” (TuL, Page 58, Line 19ff.). The copula between the A. and the underworld gods is noticeable.

31. Igigu: Anunnakku. [70] The aB collection of the Etana-Myths begins with the following words: irabutum (d)a.nun.na sha’imu shimtim ushbu imliku mi-li-ik {sha} matatim banu kibratim shakinu shikittim siru ana nishi ilu I-gi(4)-gu isinnam ana nishi ishimu, “The great A., who appoint fate, sat there, in order to come to a resolution about the land; the creators of the world’s shores, they hold fast the ‘lawful’, which the people have exhalted, the gods, the I., confirm the feast calendar of the people” (Bab. XII 10, Line 1-5).
[71] The world creation epic introduces a conversation of Marduk’s with the rest of the gods: Marduk upahhir ili rabuti tabish uma’’ira inamdin tarti epshi pishu ilu ipaqqush sharru ana (d)A-nun-na-ki amatu izzzakkar…ipulushuma (d)I-gi-gi ilu rabutu, “Marduk gathered the great gods; he was friendly as he gave commands and orders: the gods acted at his commands. The king speaks to the A. this word:…The I. answer him, the great gods” (En. el. VI 17-20, 27).⁴⁷
[72] In the Erra-Epic says the pestilence god to his sage, Ishum: sha (d)I-gi-gi tenshunu tidema sha (d)A-nun-na-ki milikshun, “The I.’s decision you know, the A.’s counsel” (Erra III 40).
[73] In the same epic Erra boasts: ina (d)I-gi-gi qardaku ina (d)A-nun-na-ki gashraku, “Under the I., I am a hero, under the A., I am strong” (Erra I 111).
[74] Inversely, Ishum praises his lord Erra: (d)I-gi-gi shahtuka (d)A-nun-na-ki galtuka “The I. shy away from you, the A. shake before you” (Erra III iv 9).⁴⁸
[75] In an prayer is written: Anu Bel shurbu zikirka (d)I-gi-gi kullassunu maharka [kam]su (d)A-nun-na-ki ilanu rabutu [mah[arka nadu “Anu, Bel, very great is your name; the I. altogether kneel before you, the A., the great gods lie down before you” (STT I, Nr. 56:10-13).
[76] Another prayer praises Marduk: sha…[ana epesh pi]shu sharhi utaqqu rabutu (d)I-gi-gi [ul ipparakk]u (d)A-nun-na-ki panka kamsu, “At your elevated word the great I. obey; diligently the A. knee before you.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 92, Line 3 f.).
[76a] In a kudurru, Nebuchadnezzar I. says about Enlil: sha ana nadan urtishu (d)I-gi(4)-gi(4) appa ilabbinu utaqqu palhish u ana shitultishu (d)A-nun-na-ku ashrish shuharruru nazuzzu shahtish, “At your command, the I. throw themselves down, remain fearful; at your decision the A. grow stiff in silence, fearful they stand there” (BER IV 142, Line 5-8).
[77] Neriglissar praises Marduk: sha ina (d)I-gi-gi shurbati amassu ina (d)A-nun-ba-ki shutuqat belussu, “Your word is abundant under the I., your reign is outstanding under the A.” (VAB IV 216, Line 5 f.).
[78] About Ishtar says a ‘Handerhebungsgebet: shumma ina (d)I-gi-gi ajju mahirki shumma ina (d)A-nun-na-ki ali shaninki, “Is it under the I., who is your equal; is it under the A., where is then your rival? (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 60, Line 11 f.).
[79] In an prayer to Ishtar as lord of Nippur is written: ushtessir usurat ilani rabuti itti Ani umishamma ipahhurushi (d)A-nun-na-ki malakish amati rabutu (d)I-gi-gi issanahhuru uddu isqishun maharu sirqishun, “Daily you govern with Anu in a just manner the fortunes of the great gods; the A. congregate by you, the affairs to advise; the great I. encircle you all around, to find out their part, to receive their offering” (RA XXVI 26, Lines 18-20).
[80] The oath series Maqlu names Girru: nadin nindabe ana ilani (d)I-gi-gi sakin namirti ana (d)A-nun-na-ki ilani rabuti, “The I. give the food offering to the gods; the A. provides the great gods the splendor” (Maqlu II 138 f.).

32. The following epithet names [81] Aruru: sagkallat I-gi(4)-gi(4) kurkurrat (d)A-nun-na-ke(4), “Distinguished under the I., great mountain of the A.” (HS 175 iii 23 f., aB).

[82] Belat-mati: le’at (d)A-nun-na-ki…urshanat dnun.gal^mesh, “Brave under the A.,…hero under the I.” (AKA, Page 207, Line 3 f.).
[83] Damkina: apkallat (d)gis.u mudat (d)I-gi-gi, “Sage under the A., wise one under the I.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 28, Line 13).
[84] Enlil: sadu (d)I-gi-gi malku (d)A-nun-na-ki (Var.: -ku), “mountain under the I., leader of the A.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 20, Line 27 and 28 f.).
[85] Ishtar: saquti I-gi(4)-gi(4) rubati (d)A-nun-na-ki, “High under the I., leader of the A.” (RA XXII 57, Kol. i 6 f.).
[86] Marduk: ashir (d)I-gi-gi saniq (d)A-nun-na-ki, “commander of the I., overseer of the A.” (VAB IV 60, Line 3).
[87] Marduk: ushumgal (d)A-nun-na-ki ashiru (d)nun. Gal^mesh, “Sole leader of the A., commander of the I.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 78, Line 32).
[88] Nabu: [ashar]ed (d)I-gi-gi ashiru (d)[A-nun-na-ki], “Leader of the I., commander of the A.” (Ebeling, Handerhebung, Page 110, Line 8).
[89] Ninurta: ashared (d)A-nun-na-ki muma’’ir (d)I-gi-gi, “Leader of the A., Ruler of the I.” (JRAS Cent. Suppl. Tf. II, K. 128:1).
[90] Ninurta: muttalii (d)I-gi-gi…ashared (d)A-nun-na-ki, “Elder of the I., leader of the A.” (I R 29 i 5, 7).
[91] Shamash: muttal (d)A-nun-na-ki etel (d)I-gi-gi, “Elder of the A., Hero of the I.” (KAR, Nr. 184 Rs. 19).

33. The termini I. and A. stand next to each other, tied through the copula [92]. The world creation epic makes reference to the godly new order through Marduk: sha…ana (d)I-gi-gi u (d)A-nun-na-ki uza’’izu manzaza, “He who apportioned the I. and the A. (their) places” (En. el. VI 146). The naming of both god groups is here especially interesting because on this specific place in the epic the talk is only of the A.; see [4].

[93] In an inscription of Assurbanipal is written with reference to Marduk: [(d)I-gi-gi] u (d)A-nun-na-ki uqa’’u ana shikin temeshu,” “The I. and the A. wait for the fixation of his decision” (Bauer, Asb II 80, Rs. 3).
[94] In a prayer of Shamashshumukin on the star of Marduk can be read: sha ana tamartishu (d)I-gi-gi u (d)A-nun-na-ki…, “By its shining, the I. and the A….” (AfO XVIII 386, Line 12).
[95] Nebuchadnezzar names a temple: shikin hidati u reshati sha I-gi(4)-gi(4) u (d)A-nun-na-ki, “Item for joy and jubilee under the I. and the A.” (VAB IV 128, Line 9 f.).

34. The same connection can also be seen in the hymn-like epithets. So is [96] Anu: shar (d)I-gi-g[i] u (d)A-nun-na-ki, “King of the I. and the A.” (WO II 144, Line 2; see III R 7:1) by Salmanassar III. The same epithet can be found by Esarhaddon for Assur (Borger, Esarh. Page 79, Line1).

[97] Assur: shapik (d)I-gi-gi u (d)A-nun-na-ki, “Maker of the I. and the A.” (OIP II 149, Nr. V 3).
[98] Ishtar: sharrat (d)I-gi-gi u (d)A-nun-na-ki, “Queen of the I. and the A.” (Bezold, Cat. Rm. 2,263).
[99] Marduk: shar kaishshat (d)I-gi-gi u (d)A-nun-na-ki, “King of the I. and the A.” (VAB VII 2, Page 234, Line 1).
[100] Marduk: etel (d)I-gi-gi u (d)gish.u^ki , “Hero of the I. and the A.” (Borger, Esarh. Page 96, Line 8).
[101] Marduk: mashmash (d)I-gi-gi u (d)[A-nun-na-ki], “Invocation priest of the I. and the A.” (K.100:15; see Tallquist, Götterepitheta, Page 132).
[102] Marduk: ushumgal(d)I-gi-gi u (d)A-nun-na-ki, “Alone ruler of the I. and the A.” (VAS I, Nr. 37 i 5 f.).
[103] Nabu: ashir (d)I-gi-gi u (d)gish.u, “Commander of the I. and the A.” (Borger, Esarh. Page 79, Line 9). The same epithet, Marduk also bears.⁴⁹
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