In Inanna’s Bargain, ancient ceremonial objects exhibit magical powers associated with their divine originals. This excerpt from Chapter 21 describes Kianu’s encounter with such an object. As I prayed to the warrior god, my attention was captured by a large battle-mace displayed to one side of the cult statue, on a high shelf above theContinue reading “The Talking Mace”
Tag Archives: anzu
Sharur
Sharur (Car-ur) was the magical battle-mace of Ninurta, the Mesopotamian warrior god of winds and storms. As an animated mythological weapon, Sharur served as a fierce protector as well as a trusted advisor, messenger and spy. The battle-mace played an important role in the late third millennium BCE Sumerian Exploits of Ninurta, gathering military intelligence,Continue reading “Sharur”
Judgment of the Bird-Man
Akkadian cylinder seals depicting the Judgment of the Bird-Man have often been viewed in light of later texts, such as the Neo-Sumerian Ninurta’s Pride and Punishment and the Akkadian OB/SB Epic of Anzu. These mythological narratives portrayed the Anzu/bird-man as a divine thief, conquered by the warrior god Ninurta—though the stories differed on whether heContinue reading “Judgment of the Bird-Man”
The Entrance Gate
In my historical fantasy world, stories about the Anzu’s theft were already well known during the Sargonic period. Representations of lion-headed eagles adorned temples dedicated to Ninurta as well as Enlil. In the holy city of Nippur, the E-Kur Temple itself displayed images of the Anzu, as described in Inanna’s Bargain: The entrance gate featuredContinue reading “The Entrance Gate”
The Anzu’s Theft?
Hybrid creatures have appeared in the stories and artworks of many cultures, often with intriguing correlations between texts and images. In ancient Mesopotamia, the lion-headed eagle known as the Anzu became notorious for stealing the Tablet of Destinies from Enlil. The story about the Anzu’s theft and his dramatic defeat by the Sumerian storm godContinue reading “The Anzu’s Theft?”
CLAIRE SULOS 