Summary page for Nanna, the Sumerian god of moon, calendars, fertility, and cattle.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Moon, Calendars, Fertility, Cattle
Archetype:
Moon God: His identity was primarily tied to the moon’s cycles.
Sage: He embodied wisdom, foretelling, and guidance.
Protector: He safeguarded prosperity and abundance.
Fertility Deity: He ensured agricultural growth and animal productivity.
Group:
Anunnaki: Nanna was part of this powerful group of gods.
Astral Triad: He was associated with Utu (sun god) and Inanna (goddess of Venus).
Other Names (a.k.a.):
A, Aa, Ashimbabbar, Ash-im-babbar, Asimbabbar, As-im-babbar, Babbar, Enzu, En-zu, Lord of Calendar, Sin, Suen, Zuen, Zu-en, Zu-ena, Zuib
Other Pantheons:
Arabian Worship: Nanna (Sin) influenced lunar worship in ancient Arabia.
Harran and Assyrian Influence: His cult extended to Harran, and he had a strong influence in the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian periods.
Lunar Deity and Timekeeper: Nanna governed the moon’s phases and set the calendar’s rhythm. He was called the “Lord of the Calendar.”
Fertility and Agricultural Prosperity: He often represented growth and renewal. He blessed herds, land, and farmers, ensuring abundance. He filled rivers, made grains grow, and increased animals.
Protector of Ur: Nanna protected the city of Ur, where his grand temple stood.
Divination and Destiny: He revealed omens and determined destinies through lunar cycles. He decided on fates and had secret plans.
A figure of Wisdom and Judgment: Seen as wise and fair, he judged fates, including in the underworld. He was a figure of wisdom, guiding laws and destiny.
Patriarchal Role in Pantheon: He was the father to Inanna (Ishtar) and Utu (Shamash), key astral deities.
Patron of High-Priestesses and Kings: He supported royal daughters as high priestesses, including the famed poet Enheduanna.
Consorts:
Ningal – goddess of Moon and Reeds
Children:
Ereshkigal – goddess of the Underworld as Queen of The Dead
Inanna – goddess of Fertility, Love, War, Procreation
Utu – god of the Sun, Justice
Numushda – god of Flooding
Ishkur – god of Storm, Wind
Crescent Moon Symbol: His main symbol was the crescent moon, often seen on his headdress.
Mature, Bearded Figure: Artists depicted Nanna as an older man with a flowing beard.
Headdress with Crescent Moon: He wore a horned headdress crowned by the crescent moon.
Bull Symbolism: The crescent moon’s shape connected him to the bull, symbolizing strength.
Barge Imagery: A barge represented his nightly journey across the sky.
Banquet Scenes with Ningal: He appeared with his consort, Ningal, in scenes symbolizing their union.
Rising Between Two Mountains: Like his son Utu, he was shown rising from between mountains, symbolizing celestial ascent.
Weapons:
No Weapons Associated: He was not linked with specific weapons, unlike warrior deities.
Sacred Animals:
Bull: The bull symbolized Nanna’s strength and fertility, mirroring the crescent moon’s shape.
Cattle: He protected cowherds and ensured the prosperity of cattle, linking him to dairy production.
Symbolism:
Crescent Moon: His primary symbol, representing his rule over the moon and lunar cycles.
Lord of the Calendar: He governed time, setting rhythms for days and months.
“Lord of the Cowherders”: This title emphasized his role in safeguarding livestock and agriculture.
Number 30: The number 30 represented the lunar month, symbolizing his association with the moon’s cycle.
Boat: A boat symbolized his nightly journey across the sky, illuminating the night.
Tripod or Candelabrum: This mysterious object, sometimes topped with a crescent, possibly symbolized celestial light.
Titles of Fertility and Wisdom: Titles like “father” highlighted his nurturing and wise roles in the pantheon.
Celestial Associations:
Moon God: Nanna primarily represented the moon, embodying its cycles and phases.
Astral Triad: He was part of a triad with Utu/Shamash (sun) and Inanna (Venus).
Lunar Cycle Symbolism: The number 30 symbolized him, representing days in a lunar month.
Celestial Boat: He traveled across the night sky in a boat, symbolizing his nightly journey.
Radiant Epithets: He was called the “luminary of the heavens,” emphasizing his role in illuminating the night.
Realms:
Heavenly Realm: Nanna ruled the celestial realm, overseeing the moon’s path across the sky.
Underworld Realm (Kur): He served as an underworld judge overseeing the fates of the dead.
City of Ur: Nanna was the protector and ruler of Ur, his main worship center.
Nippur: He made an annual journey to Nippur, reinforcing its sacred role during festivals.
Worship Places:
Nanna’s worship spanned major Mesopotamian cities, with primary temples in Ur and Harran and notable sites in Babylon, Nippur, Tutub, and Borsippa, highlighting his widespread reverence as a central lunar deity.
Ekišnugal in Ur: Primary temple, “House of the Great Light,” in Ur, Nanna’s leading worship site.
Elugalgalgasisa in Ur: Another ziggurat in Ur, “House of the King Who Lets Counsel Flourish.”
Ehulhul in Harran: “House of Rejoicing,” Nanna’s main temple in Harran, was especially significant later in the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian periods.
Temple in Nippur: Associated with his annual visit to Enlil, celebrated through ritual journeys.
Temple in Tutub: Early cult center in the Diyala region, dating back to the Jemdat Nasr period.
Ekišnugal in Babylon: Another temple named Ekišnugal was dedicated to Nanna.
Enitendu in Babylon: “House of (Pleasant) Rest,” a second temple for Nanna in eastern Babylon.
Dilimbabbar Temple in Urum: Located in modern Tell Uqair, honoring Nanna under the title Dilimbabbar.
Edimanna in Borsippa: “House, Bond of Heaven,” part of the Ezida complex dedicated to Nanna.
Eidimanna in Sippar: Nanna’s temple in Sippar, noted in the Old Babylonian period.
Ehulhul-dirirra in Assur: A double temple for Nanna and Shamash, called “House of Surpassing Joys.”
Rituals & Divinations:
Annual Journey to Nippur: Spring ritual reenacting Nanna’s journey to visit Enlil with dairy offerings.
King’s Daughter as High Priestess: Royal daughters served as high priestesses for Nanna, strengthening his divine favor on the ruling family and playing a vital role in temple rituals.
First Fruits Offerings: Offerings of cattle, sheep, and crops, symbolizing prosperity and respect for Enlil.
New Moon Offerings: Rituals and offerings at the start of each lunar month, honoring Nanna’s role.
Birth Incantations: Nanna was invoked for easy childbirth with a prayer connecting to the moon god’s cow.
Divination by Lunar Phases: Nanna’s phases were observed for omens and used to predict future events.
Divinatory Texts: The series šumma Sin ina tāmartišu interpreted the moon’s appearance for omens.
Festivals:
Annual Spring Journey to Nippur: Nanna’s followers traveled from Ur to Nippur each spring, offering the season’s first dairy products to honor his visit to Enlil.
New Moon Rituals: Worshipers held rituals at the start of each lunar month, celebrating Nanna’s role in marking time.
Akitu Festival in Harran: During the Neo-Assyrian period, the Akitu festival in Harran honored Nanna, with King Ashurbanipal likely participating in royal ceremonies.
Biblical References:
Abraham’s Connection to Ur and Harran: The Bible mentions Abraham’s origin in Ur and his journey through Harran, both cities devoted to Nanna’s worship.
Mount Sinai’s Possible Link to Sin: Some scholars suggest Mount Sinai’s name may be connected etymologically to Sin (Nanna), reflecting ancient lunar worship traditions.
Mythology Themes
Fertility and Abundance: He was connected to growth and prosperity, providing early floods, crops, and animal life to ensure abundance.
Agricultural Renewal: His actions, like bringing “first fruits” to Enlil, symbolized life-giving cycles and agricultural blessings.
Heroic Pilgrimage: Nanna’s journey to Nippur to honor Enlil represented themes of pilgrimage and divine respect.
Romantic Courtship: In his courtship with Ningal, Nanna had to demonstrate his power to bring fertility and prosperity.
Descent and Divine Family Ties: His role as a patriarch appeared in Inanna’s Descent. However, he refused to intervene, showing limits to his influence in the underworld.
Celestial Events: Themes of lunar eclipses appear, as in the Labbu Myth, when Nanna obscured his face, symbolizing a cosmic phenomenon.
Mythology Stories With Mentions of Nanna
Nanna-Suen’s Journey to Nippur: This story described Nanna’s journey from Ur to Nippur, bringing offerings to Enlil, symbolizing respect, and ensuring prosperity for his city.
Wooing of Ningal: He courted Ningal by bringing abundance to the land, ultimately winning her acceptance.
Labbu Myth: In this tale, Nanna cloaked his face upon seeing the monster Labbu, symbolizing a lunar eclipse.
Inanna’s Descent: In this myth, Nanna’s daughter, Inanna, was trapped in the underworld, and although he was petitioned for help, Nanna chose not to intervene.
Visit All Sumerian Gods & Goddesses
- Adam Stone, ‘Nanna/Suen/Sin (god)’, Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses (Oracc and the UK Higher Education Academy, 2019)
- Arthur Cotterell, Oxford Dictionary of World Mythology (Oxford University Press, 1997)
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- 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, Sin (Wikipedia.com, December 14, 2023)
- The Editors of Encyclopedia, Sin Mesopotamian God (Britannica Encyclopedia, November 09, 2023)