Mesopotamia was a region in Western Asia that existed until sometime between 620 BC and 539 BC. Those who lived in Mesopotamia spoke Akkadian, Sumerian, and Aramaic.

It was part of the Ancient Near East, which is has been classified as Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq, southeast Turkey, southwest Iran, northeast Syria and Kuwait), ancient Egypt, ancient Iran (previously known as Elam, Media, Parthia, and Persia), Anatolia/Armenian Highlands, the Levant (modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan), Cyprus and the Arabian Peninsula.

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PRIMORDIAL DEITIES

Abzu: known as "the Ocean Below". It is the name for fresh water sources like lakes, springs, wells, etc. It is only depicted as a deity in the Enûma Eliš, a creation text.

Anshar: god of the sky and representation of men.

Kishar: goddess of the earth and representation of women.

Lahamu: first-born daughter of Abzu and Tiamat.

Lahmu: first-born son of Abzu and Tiamat.

Mummu: god of crafts and technical skill.

Tiamat: primordial goddess of the ocean.

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MAJOR DEITIES

Adad (also known as Hadad): god of storms.

Anshur: head of the Assyrian pantheon.

Anu/An: god of heaven and the sky, the lord of constellations, and the father of the gods.

Enki/Ea: god of freshwater Abzu, crafts, water, intelligence, mischief, and creation.

Enlil: god of the wind and the divine ruler of the earth and the mortals.

Ereshkigal: goddess of the Underworld (Irkalla).

Inanna/Ishtar: goddess of love, protection, and war and wife of Ashur.

Marduk: patron deity of Babylon, who eventually became regarded as the head of the Babylonian pantheon.

Nabu: god of wisdom and writing.

Nanshe: goddess of social justice, prophecy, fertility, and fishing.

Nergal: god of plague, war, and the sun.

Ninhursag/Mami/Belet-Ili/Ki/Ninmah/Nintu/Aruru: earth and mother goddess.

Ninlil: goddess of the air.

Ninurta: god of agriculture, champion of gods, and epitome of youthful vigor.

Shamash/Utu: god of the sun, patron of travelers, and arbiter of justice.

Sin/Nanna: god of the moon.

Tammuz/Dumuzi: god of food and vegetation.

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LESSER DEITIES

Abu: god of plants.

Ama-arhus: Akkadian goddess of fertility.

Amasagnul: Akkadian goddess of fertility.

Amathaunta: goddess of the ocean.

Amurru: god of the Amorite people.

An: unidentified goddess.

Asaruludu/Namshub: a protective deity.

Ashnan: goddess of grain.

Aya: a mother goddess.

Azimua: a minor Sumerian goddess.

Bau: dog-headed patron goddess of Lagash.

Belet-Seri: recorder of the dead entering the underworld.

Birdu: an underworld god.

Damgalnuna: mother of Marduk.

Damu: god of vegetation and rebirth.

Druaga: an underworld god.

Emesh: god of vegetation.

Enbilulu: god of rivers, canals, irrigation and farming.

Endursaga: a herald god.

Enkimdu: god of farming, canals and ditches.

Enmesarra: an underworld god of the law.

Ennugi: attendant and throne-bearer of Enlil.

Enshag: a minor deity born to relieve the illness of Enki.

Enten: god of vegetation.

Erra: Akkadian god of mayhem and pestilence.

Gaga: a minor deity featured in the Enûma Eliš.

Gatumdag: a fertility goddess and tutelary mother goddess of Lagash.

Geshtu-E: minor god of intelligence.

Gibil/Gerra: god of fire.

Gugalanna: the Great Bull of Heaven, the constellation Taurus and the first husband of Ereshkigal.

Gunara: a minor god, origin unknown.

Hahanu: a minor god, origin unknown.

Hani: an attendant of the storm god, Adad.

Hayasum: a minor god, origin unknown.

Hegir-Nuna: a daughter of the goddess Bau.

Hendursaga: god of lawIlabrat - attendant and minister of state to AnuIshum - brother of Shamash and attendant of ErraIsimud - two-faced messenger of EnkiIštaran - god of the city of Der (Sumer).

Kabta: god of pickaxes and the shaping of bricks.

Kakka: attendant and minister of state to both Anu and Anshar.

Kingu: consort of Tiamat; killed by Marduk, who used his blood to create mankind.

Kubaba: tutelary goddess of the city of Carchemish.

Kus: god of herdsmen.

Lahar: god of cattle.

Lugal-Irra: possibly a minor variation of Erra.

Lulal: the younger son of Inanna; patron god of Bad-tibira.

Mamitu: goat-headed goddess of destiny, who decreed the fate of the newborns.

Manungal: an underworld goddess.

Mammetun: Sumerian goddess of fate.

Mandanu: god of divine judgment.

Muati: obscure Sumerian god who became syncretized with Nabu.

Mushdamma: god of buildings and foundations.

Nammu: a creation goddess.

Nanaya: goddess personifying voluptuousness and sensuality.

Nazi: a minor deity born to relieve the illness of Enki.

Negun: a minor goddess, origin unknown.

Neti: a minor underworld god; the chief gatekeeper of the netherworld and the servant of Ereshkigal.

Ngeshtin-ana: goddess of wine and cold seasons.

Nibhaz: god of the Avim.

Nidaba: goddess of writing, learning and the harvest.

Namtar: minister of Ereshkigal.

Nin-Ildu: god of carpenters.

Ninazu: god of the underworld and healing.

Nindub: god associated with the city Lagash.

Ninegal: god of smiths.

Ningal: goddess of reeds.

Ningikuga: goddess of reeds and marshes.

Ningilin: god, origin unknown.

Ningirama: god of magic and protector against snakes.

Ningishzida: god of the underworld.

Ninkarnunna: god of barbers.

Ninkasi: goddess of beer.

Ninkurra: minor mother goddess.

Ninmena: Sumerian mother goddess who became syncretized with Ninhursag.

Ninsar: goddess of plants.

Ninshubur: Queen of the East, messenger goddess and second-in-command to Inanna.

Ninsun: "Lady Wild Cow" and mother of Gilgamesh.

Ninsutu: a minor deity born to relieve the illness of Enki.

Nintinugga: Babylonian goddess of healing.

Nintulla: a minor deity born to relieve the illness of Enki.

Nu Mus Da: patron god of the lost city of Kazallu.

Nunbarsegunu: goddess of barley.

Nusku: god of light and fire.

Pabilsaĝ: tutelary god of the city of Isin.

Pap-nigin-gara: Akkadian and Babylonian god of war, syncretized with Ninurta.

Papsukkal: Akkadian messenger god.

Sarpanit: mother goddess.

The Sebitti: a group of minor war gods.

Shakka: patron god of herdsmen.

Shala: goddess of war and grain.

Shara: minor god of war.

Sharra Itu: Sumerian fertility goddess.

Shu-pa-e: astral and fertility god associated with the planet Jupiter.

Shul-utula: personal deity to Entemena, king of the city of Eninnu.

Shullat: minor god and attendant of Shamash.

Shulmanu: god of the underworld, fertility and war.

Shulsaga: astral goddess.

Sirara: goddess of the Persian Gulf.

Siris: goddess of beer.

Sirsir: god of mariners and boatmen.

Sirtir: goddess of sheep.

Sumugan: god of the river plains.

Tashmetum: consort of Nabu.

Tishpak: tutelary god of the city of Eshnunna.

Tutu: tutelary god of the city of Borsippa.

Ua-Ildak: goddess responsible for pastures and poplar trees.

Ukur: a god of the underworld.

Uttu: goddess of weaving and clothing.

Wer: a storm god linked to Adad.

Zaqar: messenger of Sin who relays communication through dreams and nightmares.

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Note: The Assyrians and Babylonians shared the same pantheon and beliefs, so they are combined with Akkadian and Sumerian mythology to form Mesopotamian mythology and folklore. If you're interested in learning about Assyrian Mythology, please check the associated chapter here, for Babylonian Mythology, check here.

DEMIGODS AND HEROES

Adapa: a hero known for unknowingly refusing the gift of immortality.

The Apkallu: seven demigods who were created by Enki to give civilization to mankind.

Enkidu: the hero and companion of Gilgamesh.

Enmerkar: the legendary builder of Uruk, an ancient city of Babylonia.

Gilgamesh: the hero and king of Uruk, and the central character in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Lugalbanda: the second king of Uruk.

SPIRITS AND DEMONS

Asag: a demon who makes fish boil alive in rivers when it appears.

The Edimmu: ghosts of those who didn't receive a proper burial.

Hanbi/Hanpa: the guardian of Cedar Forest, the realm of the gods in Mesopotamian mythology.

Humbaba: a monstrous giant.

Lamashtu: a malevolent being who tormented women during childbirth.

Lama / Lamma / Lamassu: a hybrid of a human, bird, and either a bull or lion, protective deity.

Lilith: a she-demon and the first wife of Adam.

Pazuzu: the king of the demons of the wind, who also represents the southwestern wind and it the bearer of storms and drought.

Rabisu: an evil vampiric spirit.

Zu: a divine storm bird, that is the personification of the southern wind and the thunder clouds.

LEGENDARY BEASTS

Battle Bison beast: known for being slain by Ninurta, the patron god of Lagash.

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