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Sylvia Rose

Šimige (Shimige) - Hurrian Sun God

Updated: Dec 29, 2023

The radiance of Shimige (Šimige) fills the world with life and joy. A Hurrian god, he's worshipped across multiple pantheons including that of Ugarit, north Syria. His name means 'sun' in Hurrian.


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Young man silhouette jogging across rocks w reflection
Running in the Sun

Every day, Shimige takes a journey through the sky. He drives a golden chariot pulled by four fiery horses. His entourage of servants or minor deities follow his trail, manifesting as sunglow and rays.



His deific solar equivalents include:


  • Mesopotamian: God Shamash

  • Ugaritic: Goddess Shapash

  • Hittite: Sun God of Heaven

  • Luwian: God Tiwaz


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sunshine in the desert
Ruddy Gold Glow and Rays of Sun in the Desert

Šimige's sukkal is Lipparuma or Lipparu. He's identified with the sukkal of Shamash, Brunen, who drives the Sun God's chariot. Šimige is known as a cross-pantheon diety without a specific place to call home. He may be worshipped at temples of other Gods, a common practice, and as a personal tutelary God.


In Sumerian he's dUTU or Utu. Other Sun Gods have also been given the name Utu as it's as old as man's first grunt. In Hurrian, the wife of Shimige is Ayu-Ikalti, or Aya, a Mesopotamian Goddess of the Dawn.


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Aya is the Mesopotamian goddess of the dawn
Aya (Aia), Goddess of the Dawn

Aya is already married to Shamash the Mesopotamian Sun God. They're the Divine Couple in their major center of worship, Sippar, in modern-day Iraq. Aya decides to marry Shimige, the Hurrian Sun God and equivalent manifestation of Shamash.


See: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest


Marriage of Aya to Shimige is for business, political and religious reasons but as he's considered the equivalent of Shamash she welcomes him with love. He's also kind of cute.


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young man hides face and peers out
He's kinda cute


Thus worshippers of both religious aspects are united in life, at least theoretically. Her name Ayu-Ikalti is specially associated with the locales and cult of Shimige.


In Hurrian mythology Shimige is an ally of Teshub, whose father Kumarbi is always trying to kill him. Teshub usurped his throne and Kumarbi wants it back, in an age-old father/son struggle for dominance.


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black and white bull fighting
Two Bulls Compete

Shimige the Sun God features in the Song of Ullikummi, where he is the first to spot the nefarious rock monster. He's able to rush back in time to warn Teshub. Ullikummi the monster is among the creatures created by Kumarbi for the purpose of killing Teshub.


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