Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Sky, Heaven
Archetype:
Creator, Sky Deity
Group:
Anunnaki
Other Names (a.k.a.):
An, Ana, Anu, Anum
Other Pantheons:
Babylonian = Anu
Elamite = Jabru
Zoroastrean = Ahura Mazda
Greek = Zeus (disputed*)
*It has been proposed that in the Hellenistic period Anu might have been identified with Zeus, though this remains uncertain.
An represented the sky and heavens. He was the sky god.
An symbolized authority and power. He ruled over all other gods. His decisions were final and respected.
He was the father of all of the gods, the Anunnaki which means the offspring of An.
He was also the father of demons and evil spirits, most prominently the demoness Lamashtu.
An decided the roles of gods and humans. However, he was often distant from earthly matters.
Consorts:
Ki – goddess of Primordial Earth
Some accounts ascribe Namma – goddess of Primordial Salt Waters – as his consort instead of Ki.
Children:
Enki – god of Water, Fish, Justice, Wisdom, Magic, Shipmenders, Crafts, Healing, Fertility, Art, Exorcism
Enlil – god of Air, Earth, Storms, Wind, Agriculture
Gatumdug – goddess of Fertility, Healing
Ninhursaga – goddess of Earth, Animals, Wildlife, Birth, Fertility
Nunbarshegunu – goddess of Flood, Justice, Grain, Scribal Arts, Writing, Accounting, Surveying, Wisdom
Depicted as a Bull: An was usually shown in the form of a bull.
Human Form Representation: Unlike Egyptian gods, Sumerian deities like An were represented in human form.
Symbol of Authority: An’s symbol was the star, signifying his heavenly domain.
Horned Headdress: Art often shows An wearing a horned cap, indicating strength and divinity.
Sky God: An represented the sky and was the supreme ruler of the Sumerian pantheon.
Numerology: Number 60 was often associated with An.
Weapons:
None Known
Sacred Animals:
An was linked to the bull.
Symbolism:
An’s symbol was a star.
He wore a horned cap, showing strength.
The number 60 was associated with An.
An had a role in the yearly calendar as a god of kingship.
Celestial Associations:
An was the ruler of the heavens and the sky.
Realms:
An ruled the highest level of heaven.
He was connected with the sky and the universe.
Heaven consisted of the sky and the space above the sky which was called the “great above” where the sky gods lived. An inhabited the highest level of the three-level heaven.
Worship Places:
People worshipped An in the city of Uruk.
Uruk was located in ancient Mesopotamia, which is present-day Iraq. It was one of the world’s first major cities and a significant cultural and economic center in ancient times. Today, the site of Uruk is known as Warka in Iraq.
It is sometimes proposed that the Eanna temple located in Uruk originally belonged to him, rather than Inanna.
Rituals & Divinations:
Rituals for An included offerings and prayers.
People brought gifts to his temple.
Creation: Was mainly associated with the themes of creation.
In the ‘Creation Myth’ An helped create the universe. He divided the heavens and gave roles to gods.
In the ‘The Separation of Heaven and Earth’ His son Enlil separated An and Ki by creating the space between them. Thus, An became the ruler of the heaven and Ki became the earth.
An briefly appeared in the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’, in which his great granddaughter Inanna persuaded him to give her the Bull of Heaven so that she may send it to attack Gilgamesh.
In ‘Adapa Myth’ An summoned Adapa to explain his actions. He offered wisdom but not immortality. An showed kindness but upheld divine order.
Visit All Sumerian Gods & Goddesses
- Arthur Cotterell, Oxford Dictionary of World Mythology (Oxford University Press, 1997)
- Charles Russell Coulter and Patricia Turner, Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities (McFarland & Company, Inc., 2000)
- George Davidson, Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Arcturus Publishing, 2019)
- Gloria Lotha, Anu Mesopotamian god (Britannica.com, Februray 25, 2023) https://www.britannica.com/topic/Anu
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- Joshua J. Mark, Anu (Worldhistory.org, January 20, 2017) https://www.worldhistory.org/Anu/
- Kathryn Stevens, An/Anu (god) (Oracc.Museum.Upenn.Edu, 2013) http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/listofdeities/an/
- Matt Clayton, Sumerian Mythology: Captivating Myths Of Gods, Goddesses, And Legendary Creatures of Ancient Sumer and Their Importance To The Sumerians (Captivating History, 2019)
- Multiple Authors, Anu (Wikipedia.com, December 13, 2023) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anu
- Saugat Adhikari, Top 10 Sumerian Gods and Goddesses (AncientHistoryLists.com, September 2, 2022) https://www.ancienthistorylists.com/mesopotamia-history/top-sumerian-gods-goddesses/in