Anu

Anu was a central figure in the religious systems of ancient Mesopotamia. His name is derived from the Sumerian word for "sky" or "heaven." In the Akkadian language, he was known as Anum. He functioned as the divine personification of the sky and the king of the gods. Many ancient texts place him at the very top of the pantheon. He was believed to be the source of all legitimate power. This power, called anûtu or anuti, was also known as Anuship. This heavenly power allowed him to bestow the right to rule upon both gods and human kings.

Despite his high rank, Anu's role was often described as passive. Many scholars call him a "figurehead" or an "otiose deity." This means he held a high title but did not always take direct action. In practice, other gods often handled the active work of the universe. For example, Enlil was frequently the functional head of the pantheon. Later in Babylonian history, Marduk took on this active role. In Assyria, the god Ashur was the primary active leader. Anu remained a supreme authority, but he was not always the god most people turned to for daily help.

Anu's status changed over many centuries and different locations. In the city of Lagash during the Early Dynastic period, Enlil was considered the head god. However, later offering lists suggest a shift occurred during the reign of the Sargonic dynasty or Gudea. In the city of Uruk, some early rulers referred to Anu as the "king of the lands." Other texts from Shuruppak and Ebla only called him the "king of Uruk." A major change happened in the final centuries of Mesopotamian history. Under Seleucid rule in Uruk, theologians redefined Anu. He was transformed from a passive figure into an active deity who was actively worshipped by the people.

Anu's family connections were vast and complex. He was often called the "father of the great gods." Many deities were considered his descendants. A specific group of prominent gods was known as the Anunna. This name translates to "offspring of Anu." The weather god, Ishkur, was also consistently listed as his son. Anu's family tree is even mentioned in the Babylonian Enûma Eliš. This famous creation myth provides a variant of a family tree that includes his lineage.

Traditions regarding Anu's spouse varied across different time periods. Most of his wives represented the earth, which balanced his role as the sky. One common spouse was the goddess Ki, who represented the earth as a physical element. Another wife was Urash, who may have represented arable land or "tilth." Some traditions equated Ki, Urash, and Antu as the same figure. Antu's name is the Akkadian feminine form of Anu. A fourth, less common tradition identified the goddess Nammu as his wife.

Anu also held a significant place in ancient astronomy. Mesopotamian astronomers divided the sky into three distinct zones or "Ways." The stars near the pole belonged to Enlil, and those near the equator belonged to Ea. The middle zone was the domain of Anu. Astronomers like John G. Rogers suggest these boundaries were at 17 degrees north and 17 degrees south. By the Seleucid era, Anu's role expanded in the minds of observers. He was described as being responsible for the entire firmament. Some circumpolar stars were even called the "Great Anu and Antu of Heaven."

Because Anu was a sky god, he was rarely shown in human form in art. He lacked recognizable anthropomorphic iconography, which means he was not usually drawn as a person. Instead, he was represented by symbols of divine kingship. A Kassite period text explains that his symbol was a horned crown on a pedestal. This emblem appeared on kudurru, or boundary stones, often in the upper half of the decoration. This symbol was similar to those used for Enlil and the Assyrian god Assur.

Anu appears in several important myths that show his interactions with other beings. In the Akkadian Epic of Gilgamesh, his daughter Ishtar asks him for the Bull of Heaven. She wants to use the bull to attack Gilgamesh. In another story, Anu summons the hero Adapa. This happens after Adapa breaks the wing of the south wind. In Hurrian myths, Anu was a former ruler of the gods. He was eventually overthrown by a deity named Kumarbi. Some scholars believe this story might have influenced later Greek myths about the sky god Ouranos.