Sumerian | Babylonian | Function |
Abzu | Apsu | Sweet waters under earth, the abyss |
An | Anu | Sky, Firmament, Father of gods |
Dumuzi ("sacred son") | Tammuz | Shepherd, god of grain, beer, dying god (Inanna / Ishtar's husband) |
Enki | Ea | Controller of sweet waters, god of wisdom (trickster) |
Enlil | Enlil or Ellil | Lord of wind and air |
Ereshkigal | Ereshkigal | Queen of Underworld |
Geshtinanna ("Lady
of the Vine") |
Goddess of grapes, wine, "the leafy grapevine," sister of Dumuzi | |
Gugalanna (Bull of Heaven) | Nergal | Ereshkigal's husband |
Imdugud bird ("heavy rain") | Anzu or Zu bird | Thunderbird, later assimilated to Ninurta |
Inanna | Ishtar | Goddess of love, fertility, storehouse, war |
Namtar | Namtar | Fate, death messenger |
Nammu | Tiamat | Primeval ocean-mother |
Nanna | Sin | Moon |
Ninhursag (Nintu) | Mami, Belet-ili, Aruru | Mother goddess (Ki?) |
Ninurta (Ningirsu) | Ninurta | War, thunder god |
Utu | Shamash | Sun, judge, law-giver |
Ziusudra, Atrahasis, | Utnapishtim | names for Flood hero |