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part of the body which they affect.  Offerings to him may stave off 
diseases.  He takes Ishtar back out of the Underworld at Ereshkigal's 
command.  He acts as her messenger to Anu.  

    Sumuqan - the cattle god, he resides in the underworld, in 
Ereshkigal's court.

    Nergal (Erragal, Erra, Engidudu - 'lord who prowls by night') -, 
the Unsparing, god of the underworld, husband of Ereshkigal, lover of 
Mami.  As Erra he is a hunter god, a god of war and plague.  He is 
submissive to Ea.  He can open the doorposts to the underworld to allow 
the passage of a soul.
  He achieved his post by refusing to stand before an address of Namtar.  
When Ereshkigal called him to be punished, he dragged her off of her 
throne by the hair, and threatened to decapitate her.  She offered him 
the position as her consort and he accepted.
  He is an evil aspect of Shamash.  He allows Enkidu's spirit to visit 
Gilgamesh at the behest of Ea.  He is sometimes the son of Ea.  Prior to 
his first journey to the underworld, he builds a chair of fine wood 
under Ea's instruction to give to Ereshkigal as a gift from Anu.  He is 
advised not to take part of the food, drink and entertainment offered 
there.  He is tempted by Ereshkigal and eventually succumbs, sleeping 
with her for seven days.  He then takes his leave, angering her.  The 
gatekeeper lets him out and he climbs the stairway to heaven.  He hides 
from Namtar in heaven, but is discovered and returns to the underworld 
to marry Ereshkigal.  In some versions, on the way back to the 
Underworld, he seizes control of Namtar's attendant demons and grabs 
Ereshkigal by the hair.  In this position she offers marriage.
  He commands the Sebitti, seven warriors who are also the Pleadies, 
they aid in his killing of noisy, over-populous people and animals.  He 
rallies them when he feels the urge for war, and calls Ishum to light 
the way.  They prefer to be used in war instead of waiting while Erra 
kills by disease.
  He regards Marduk as having become negligent and prepares to attack 
his people in Babylon.  He challenges Marduk in Esagila in 
Shuanna/Babylon.  Marduk responds that he already killed most of the 
people in the flood and would not do so again.  He also states that he 
could not run the flood without getting off of his throne and letting 
control slip.  Erra volunteers to take his seat and control things.  
Marduk takes his vacation and Erra sets about trying to destroy Babylon.  
Ishum intervenes on Babylon's behalf and persuades Erra to stop, but not 
before he promises that the other gods will acknowledge themselves as 
Erra's servants.

    Irra - plague god, underling of Nergal

    Enmesharra - Underworld god

    Lamashtu - a dread female demon also known as 'she who erases'.

    Nabu - god of writing and wisdom.

    Nedu - the guardian of the first gate of the underworld.  

    Ningizzia - a guardian of the gate of heaven; a god of the 
underworld

    Tammuz (Dumuzi, Adonis)  the brother and spouse to Ishtar, or the 
lover of her youth.  He is a vegetation god.  He went into the 
underworld and was recovered through the intervention of Ishtar.  He is 
sometimes the guardian of heaven's gates and sometimes a god of the 
underworld.  He is friends with Ningizzia.  He is exchanged for Ishtar 
in the Underworld.  He guards the Gate of Anu with Gizzida.

    Belili (Geshtinanna) - Tammuz/Dumuzi's sister, 'the one who always 
weeps', the wife of Ningishzida.

    Gizzida (Gishzida) - son of Ninazu, consort of Belili, doorkeeper 
of Anu.

    Nissaba (Nisaba) - cereal grain harvest goddess.  Her breast 
nourishes the fields.  Her womb gives birth to the vegetation and grain.  
She has abundant locks of hair.  She is also a goddess of writing and 
learned knowledge.  She performs the purification ceremony on Ninurta 
after he has slain Anzu and is given his additional names and shrines.

    Dagan (Ugaric for 'grain) - chthonic god of fertility and of the 
Underworld.  He is paired with Anu as one who acknowledges directives 
and courses of action put forth in front of the assembly of the gods.

    Birdu - (means 'pimple') an underworld god.  Ellil used him as a 
messenger to Ninurta

    Sharru - god of submission

    Urshambi - boatman to Utnapishtim

    Ennugi - canal- controller of the Anunnaki.

    Geshtu-e - 'ear', god whose blood and intelligence are used by Mami 
to create man. 

  D. Demigods, heroes, and monsters:

    Adapa (Uan) - the first of the seven antediluvian sages who were 
sent by Ea to deliver the arts of civilization to mankind.  He was from 
Eridu.  He offered food an water to the gods in Eridu.  He went out to 
catch fish for the temple of Ea and was caught in a storm.  He broke the 
South Wind's wing and was called to be punished.  Ea advised him to say 
that he behaved that way on account of Dumuzi's and Gizzida's absence 
from the country.  Those gods, who tended Anu's gate, spoke in his favor 
to Anu.  He was offered the bread and water of eternal life, but Ea 
advised against his taking it, lest he end his life on earth.

    Atrahasis and Ut-napishtim, like the Sumerian Ziusudra (the 
Xisuthros of Berossus) or Noah from the Pentateuch, were the long-lived 
survivors of the great flood which wiped out the rest of humanity.  In 
Atrahasis' case, Ellil had grown tired of the noise that the mass of 
humanity was making, and after a series of disasters failed to eliminate 
the problem, he had Enki release the floodgates to drown them out.  
Since Enki had a hand in creating man, he wanted to preserve his 
creation, warned Atrahasis, and had him build a boat, with which he 
weathered the flood.  He also had kept his ear open to Enki during the 
previous disasters and had been able to listen to Enki's advice on how 
to avoid their full effects by making the appropriate offerings to the 
appropriate deities.  He lived hundreds of years prior to the flood, 
while Utnapishtim lives forever after the flood.
  Utnapishtim of Shuruppak was the son of Ubaratutu.  His flood has no 
reason behind it save the stirrings of the hearts of the Gods.  As with 
Atrahasis, Utnapishtim is warned to build an ark by Ea.  He is also told 
to abandon riches and possessions and seek life  and to tell the city 
elders that he is hated by Enlil and would go to the watery Abyss to 
live with Ea via the ark.  He loads gold, silver, and the seed of all 
living creatures into the ark and all of his craftsmen's children as 
well.  After Ea advises Enlil on better means to control the human 
population, (predators, famine, and plague), Enlil makes Utnapishtim and 
his wife immortal, like the gods.

    Lugalbanda - a warrior-king and, with Ninsun, the progenitor of 
Gilgamesh.  He is worshipped, being Gilgamesh's ancestor, by Gilgamesh 
as a god.  

    Gilgamesh (possibly Bilgamesh) and Enkidu
  The son of the warrior-king Lugalbanda and the wise goddess 
Ninsun, Gilgamesh built the walls of the city Uruk, and the Eanna (house 
of An) temple complex there, dedicated to Ishtar.  He is two-thirds 
divine and one-third human.  He is tall and a peerless warrior.  He is 
the king and shepherd of the people of Uruk, but he was very wild, which 
upset his people, so they called out to Anu.  Anu told Aruru to make a 
peer for Gilgamesh, so that they could fight and be kept occupied, so 
she created the wild-man Enkidu.  Enkidu terrorizes the countryside, and 
a Stalker, advised by his father, informs Gilgamesh.  They bring a love-
priestess to bait Enkidu.  She sleeps with him, and educates him about 
civilization, Gilgamesh and the city.  Gilgamesh dreams about Enkidu and 
is anxious to meet him.  Enkidu comes into the city Gilgamesh is on his 
way to deflower the brides in the city's "bride-house" and the two 
fight.  They are evenly matched and become friends.  
  Gilgamesh decides to strengthen his reputation by taking on 
Humbaba, Enlil's guardian of the forest.  Enkidu accompanies Gilgamesh 
and they spend much time in preparation.  Eventually they find the 
monster and defeat him.  
  Ishtar offers to become Gilgamesh's lover, but Gilgamesh insults 
her, saying that she has had many lovers and has not been faithful to 
them.  Ishtar asks Anu to send the Bull of Heaven to punish Gilgamesh, 
and he does.  Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeat the creature, but Enkidu falls 
ill and dies, presumably because the gods are unhappy that he helped 
kill Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven.  
  Gilgamesh morns Enkidu and decides to visit Utnapishtim, the only 
human who does not die.  He goes to the mountains of Mashu and passes by 
the guardian scorpion-demons into the darkness.  It becomes light as he 
enters the Garden of the Gods and he finds Siduri the Barmaid, to whom 
he relates his quest.  She sends him to cross the waters of death and he 
confronts the boatman, Urshanabi.  They cross and Gilgamesh speaks with 
Utnapishtim.  Utnapishtim recounts the tale of the flood and challenges 
Gilgamesh to remain awake for six days and seven nights.  He fails, but 
Utnapishtim's wife urges him to reveal to Gilgamesh a rejuvinative 
plant.  Gilgamesh takes it, but looses it to a serpent before returning 
to Uruk.  
  Another tablet of the Babylonian Gilgamesh story exists, which is 
similar to the Sumerian version of the tale.  Enkidu volunteers to enter 
the underworld to recover Gilgamesh's pukku and mikku (drum and throwing 
stick).  Gilgamesh warns him of the proper etiquette for the underworld, 
lest Enkidu be kept there.  Enkidu prepares to enter the underworld, and 
is dressed, scented and bade good-bye.  The Earth seizes him and 
Gilgamesh weeps.  He pleads for Enkidu's sake to Enlil, Sin, and finally 
to Ea.  Ea tells Nergal to let Enkidu's ghost escape the underworld and 
tell Gilgamesh about it.  He tells Gilgamesh of the dead which he has 
seen there,  of those who are cared for and those who aren't, indicating 
the sort of judgment and ritual associated with the afterlife and death.  

    Etana - the human taken to the sky by an eagle.  He was the king 
of Kish. Ishtar and the Igigi searched for a king for Kish.  Ellil found 
a throne for Etana and they declared him the king.  He was pious an 
continued to pray to Shamash, yet he had no son.  Shamash told him to 
where to find the eagle with the cut wings, who would find for him the 
plant of birth.  He found the eagle, fed it, and taught it to fly again.  
Not being able to find the plant, the eagle had Etana mount on his back 
and they journeyed to Ishtar, mistress of birth.  On flying up to 
heaven, Etana grew scared at the height and went down.  Then after some 
encouraging dreams tried to ascend to heaven on the eagle again.  They 
succeeded.  Etana had a son, Balih.

    Humbaba (Huwawa) - this monster was appointed by Ellil to guard 
the cedar forest, which is in fact one large tree, the home of the gods, 
and terrify mankind.  'His shout is the storm-flood, his mouth, fire, 
his breath is death.' (Gardner & Maier p. 105)  He has seven cloaks with 
which to arm himself.  There is a gate and a path in the cedar mountain 
for Humbaba to walk on.   Gilgamesh and Enkidu attack.  Humbaba pleads 
for mercy, Enkidu argues against mercy, and Enkidu and Gilgamesh 
decapitate him. 

    The Bull of Heaven - this creature was created by Anu to kill 
Gilgamesh at Ishtar's behest.  At its snorting, a hole opened up and 200 
men fell into it.  When it fights Enkidu and Gilgamesh, it throws 
spittle and excrement at them.  It is killed and set as an offering to 
Shamash.

    Anzu - a demonic being with lion paws and face and eagle talons 
and wings.  It was born on the mountain Hehe.  It's beak is like a saw, 
its hide as eleven coats of mail.  It was very powerful.  Ellil 
appointed him to guard his bath chamber.  He envied the Ellil-power 
inherent in Ellil's Tablet of Destinies and stole it while Ellil was 
bathing.  With the Tablet of Destinies, anything he puts into words 
becomes reality.  He takes advandtage of this by causing Ninurta's 
arrows to never reach their target.  However, once Ea's advice reached 
Ninurta, Anzu was slain by the hero's onslaught.

    aqrabuamelu (girtablilu) - scorpion-man, the guardians of the 
gates of the underworld.  Their "terror is awesome" and their "glance is 
death".  They guard the passage of Shamash.  They appraise Gilgamesh and 
speak with him.

Definitions:
    Anunnaki - gods (mostly of the earth).  The sky Anunnaki set the 
Igigi to digging out the rivers
    Igigi - gods (mostly of the heavens)  They are given the task of 
digging riverbeds by the Anunnaki.  They rebelled against Ellil.
    Sebitti - the seven warrior gods led by Erra; in the sky they are 
the Pleadies.  They were children of Anu and the Earth-mother.  Anu gave 
them fearsome and lethal destinies and put them under Erra's command.  
They prefer to exercise there skills instead of letting Erra stay in the 
cities with his diseases. 
    Utukki - demons
      Muttabriqu - Flashes of Lightning
      Sarabda - Bailiff
      Rabishu - Croucher
      Tirid - Expulsion
      Idiptu - Wind
      Bennu - Fits
      Sidana - Staggers
      Miqit - Stroke
      Bel Uri - Lord of the Roof
      Umma - Feverhot
      Libu - Scab
      gallu-demons - can frequently alter their form.
      umu-demons - fiercely bare their teeth.

IV. What about the Underworld and Heaven and all that?
    For a more general discussion of this, take a look at the 
Underworld and Cosmology sections in the Sumerian FAQ, for the 
particulars, see below. 
    The Igigi and the Anunaki met in heaven in Ubshu-ukkinakku, the 
divine assembly hall.  The Gilgamesh epic has the gods dwelling in the 
cedar mountain.  They had their parakku, throne-bases, there.  It was an 
enormous tree at the cedar forest and was guarded by Humbaba.  There is 
a stairway up to heaven from the underworld.
    As for the underworld Kurnugi (Sumerian for 'land of no return'). 
It is presided over by Ereshkigal and Nergal.  Within the house of 
Irkalla (Nergal), the house of darkness, the house of Ashes, no one ever 
exits.  "They live on dust, their food is mud; their clothes are like 
birds' clothes, a garment of wings, and they see no light, living in 
blackness."  It is full of dust and mighty kings serve others food.  In 
Ereshkigal's court, heroes and priests reside, as well as Sumuqan and 
Belit-tseri.  The scorpion-people guard the gates in the mountain to the 
underworld which Shamash uses to enter and exit.  There are seven gates, 
through which one must pass.  At each gate, an adornment or article of 
clothing must be removed. The gates are named: Nedu, (En)kishar, 
Endashurimma, (E)nuralla, Endukuga/Nerubanda, Endushuba/Eundukuga, and 
Ennugigi.  Beyond the gates are twelve double doors, wherein it is dark.  
Siduri waits there by the waters of death, beyond which, is the Land of 
the Living, where Utnapishtim and his wife dwell.  Shamash and 
Utnapishtim's boatman, Urshanbi, can cross the waters.  Egalginga, the 
everlasting palace, is a place where Ishtar was held. 

V. Hey! I read that Cthulhu is really some Babylonian or Sumerian god, 
how come he's not there under Kutu?

I have yet to find any secondary (or for that matter primary) source 
which lists Kutu as a Mesopotamian deity, or for that matter lists any 
name resembling Cthulhu at all.  However, having been given a pointer by
DanNorder@aol.com, I have confirmed that Kutha or Cutch was the cult 
city of Nergal, the Akkadian god of plagues and the underworld (see
above) and that 'lu' is the Sumerian word for man.  So, Kuthalu
would mean Kutha-man which could conceivably refer to Nergal.  As far
as I can tell it could mean Joe the Butcher or any of his neighbors
who happen to live in Kutha just as easily.  Nergal, of course bears
little resemblance to Lovecraft's Cthulhu beyond the fact that both
can be considered underworld powers.  Those interested in further 
discussion about this contact might wish to contact Dan at the above
address and they may wish to read alt.horror.cthulhu as well.

VI. So, in AD&D, Tiamat is this five-headed evil dragon, but they got her 
from the Enumma Elish, right?  What about her counterpart, Bahamut?

Bahamut, according to Edgerton Sykes' _Who's Who of Non-Classical 
Mythology_, is "The enormous fish on which stands Kujara, the giant 
bull, whose back supports a rock of ruby, on the top of which stands an 
angel on whose shoulders rests the earth, according to Islamic myth.  
Our word Behemoth is of the same origin." (Sykes, p. 28)

Behemoth then, is usually the male counterpart to Leviathan, and is a
great beast that roams on land.  He is sometimes equated with a       
hippopotamus, and is alternately listed as a creature on the side of 
God and as one over whom God has or will triumph over.
                   


VII. Where did you get this info and where can I find out more?

Well this FAQ is primarily derived from the following works:

Barraclough, Geoffrey (ed.) _The Times Consise Atlas of World History_,
  Hammond Inc., Maplewood, New Jersey, 1982.
Dalley, Stephanie _Myths from Mesopotamia_, Oxford University Press, New 
  York, 1991
Gardner, John & Maier, John _Gilgamesh_:Translated from the Sin-Leqi-
  Unninni Version_, Vintage Books, Random House, New York, 1984.
Hooke, S. H., _Babylonian_and_Assyrian_Religion_, University of Oklahoma
  Press, Norman Oklahoma, 1963.
Kinnier Wilson, J. V., _The Rebel Lands : An Investigation into the 
  Origins of Early Mesopotamian Mythology_, Cambridge, Cambridge 
  University Press, 1979.
McCall, Henrietta, _Mesopotamian Myths_, University of Texas Press, 
  Austin, 1990.
_The New American Bible_, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1970.

In addition the following books have occasionally proven helpful:

Carlyon, Richard, _A Guide to the Gods_, Quill, William Morrow, New 
  York, 1981.
Hooke, S. H., _Middle Eastern Mythology_, Viking Penguin Inc., New York, 
  1963.
Jacobsen, Thorkild, _The Treasures of Darkness_, Yale University Press,
  New Haven, 1976.
Pritchard, J. B. (ed), _The_Ancient_Near_Eastern_Texts_Relating_to_the_
  _Old_Testiment_, Princeton, 1969.
Sykes, Edgerton, _Who's Who in Non-Classical Mythology_, Oxford 
  University Press, New York, 1993.

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