A Mesopotamian god, Abu is classed as a minor deity. Like many vegetation divinities Abu is also a god of snakes or serpents, associated with the Underworld.
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In ancient times the symbolic meaning of snakes is a dual one. The snake is associated with medicine, healing, wisdom, mysticism, sensuality, prosperity and fertility. It can also represent poison, treachery and primal fears.
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Snakes are powerful fertility entities. They dwell in caves and tunnels, earth and rocks, hidden in trees and water. Young snakes emerge from their hidden hatching places in seeming elemental birth. With bellies on the ground, snakes or serpents attune to the rhythm of the earth. Shed snakeskins attribute the ability of rebirth for the snake and land.
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They flick forked tongues to scent the air around them, analyzing different smells from subtle changes in vibrations. Their abilities seem like ancient Earth magic. It's no surprise serpents come to be associated with mystic powers.
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As told in countless myths, the snake or serpent is a primary agent of evil and chaos. In Egypt the chaos serpent Apep attacks Ra every night in Duat, the Underworld. The Hurrian snake sea monster Hedammu almost eats everything in the world until Shauska (in some tales Inanna) puts her best features forward.
The snake is a common antagonist in creation myths of almost all cultures. Superstition says a snake can hypnotize its victim. That's not true but it is a fact snakes can 'see' in pitch dark, and also through walls.
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For the first, they rely on sonar signals to create an auditory map of their surroundings. For the second, although they can't literally see through walls, they have infrared vision and can see the heat of a body on the other side of a wall. The snake knows if it's a large animal like a dog or a prey animal like a mouse.
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Elementally, snakes are primal dragons. Like dragons they're linked to prosperity. In the German Lindwyrm myths, the snake-dragon monster multiplies the treasure it sleeps upon.
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The Lindwyrm can manifest as a large snake or a serpent dragon with wings and little forelegs. Rarely does it have back legs.
The Lindwyrm can also put its tail in is mouth like an ouroboros and roll to catch its human prey. The two types of Lindwyrm are 1. benevolent, and 2. hungry. The first will grant a wish, a favor or give wise advice. The other will eat the person. It might depend on the serpent's mood.
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Because snakes are linked to the Underworld they also represent the fertility of the earth. They appear in the company of vegetation deities, many of whom live beneath the earth. As plants and herbs provide medicine the snake starts to represent healing.
Snake venom can work to heal in small amounts in medical preparations, but a large armount can be deadly. Serpent gods, shamans and animal spirit workers know how to get medicine from the snake and take advantage of its restorative powers. Serpent gods of healing may be invoked to prevent or treat snakebite.
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The Greek god of medicine, Asclepius, is also associated with snakes. The Rod of Asclepius or the Staff of Asclepius is a staff with one snake twining round it. It's known as a symbol of medicine. It may be mistaken for the caduceus of Mercury, with two snakes, relating to commerce.
As a minor God, Abu has less representation on god lists and in documentation than the big ones like Marduk and Ea. He isn't the only vegetation deity. The Mesopotamian / Canaanite vegetation god Dumuzi has a major role in the pantheon. However Abu is the consort of medicine goddess Gula, which pulls him some rank.
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Vegetation god Dumuzi lives in Kur, the Mesopotamian Underworld, for six months because he angered Inanna. Even in Mesopotamia winter brings cold and snow. He's then replaced by his sister Geshtinanna and goes back to the Overworld for six months.
As a fertility symbol the snake is associated with nutrient rich earth, such as volcanic earth. From the ruins of Pompeii comes a fanciful fresco featuring Bacchus. The large snake is shown on the ground below the volcano, attributing to the fecund earth. Unfortunately it all blew up in 79 AD.
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The God Abu is associated with pains of the scalp. He also relates to dying gods, making him part of the eternal birth/death/rebirth cycle. Creations myths often begin with the death of one or more gods or divine beings.
In the Babylonian creation myth, the death of chaos goddess / sea serpent Tiamat by Ninurta or another hero god figure leads to the creation of heavens and earth.
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In the Proto-Indo-European concept, divine entity Manu makes the earth and humans from the body of his sacrificed twin brother Yemo. With help from the primal gods he brings forth the classes of priests, warriors and the people from different parts of Yemo's body. By sacrificing of the primordial cow, he creates all the animals of the world.
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