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In the expansive Hittite pantheon the Sun God of Heaven (Hittite: nepišaš Ištanu) is the second most worshipped deity of the Empire, after the Sun Goddess of Arinna. His equivalent in Hurrian lore is Shimige (Šimige) the Sun God. See also: Divine Light - Sun Goddess of Arinna Sun Goddess of the Earth: Hittite Underworld Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Since the time of Tudḫaliya III in the middle of the 14th century BCE, the Sun God of Heaven is patron protector of the Hittite Empire and its Kings. On royal seals he appears as a golden disc with wings. He's associated with the Eagle, a bird of the sun. Upon his name are sworn important oaths of the Kingdom. Influenced by Mesopotamian Sun god Shamash (Šamaš), the Sun God of Heaven also appropriates an esteemed role as God of Law, Legality, Judgment and Truth. Through his divine judgment he gives Kings the right to rule. See also: Anatolia - Alaca Höyük City of the Sun Asteria - Starry Gems of Myth & Magic Lelwani - Hittite Underworld Goddess Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle A royal Hittite oath proclaims: "The gods, the Sun-God and the Storm-God, have entrusted to me, the king, the land and my household, so that I, the king, should protect my land and my household, for myself." While the benevolent aspects of the Sun Goddess pertain to fertility, light and nurturing warmth, the character of the male Sun God is that of a warrior associated with Fire, and elemental qualities of intensity, conquest and power. See also: Ereshkigal Goddess of Underworld & Night Primeval Deities: Goddess of the Dawn Cult of the Bull - Prehistoric Aurochs The chthonic aspect of the Sun God of Heaven is the Sun God of the Earth. His existence is through rare attestations. He may have taken a step back as the Underworld Goddesses Allani, Lelwani, Ereshkigal rise to power along with the beautiful and haughty Hittite Sun Goddess of the Earth. See also: Bull of Heaven - Inanna vs Gilgamesh Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Gold - Precious Metal of the Sun Back to Top

The mystic stone amber is treasured for beauty, depth and warmth. A fossilized resin, amber can be worn in jewelry, traded for goods or burnt as incense. The first sign of Baltic Amber in the West is a Neolithic bead c. 3400 BCE in Iberia. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books From the exchange of Baltic Amber early trade routes form. Prehistoric fishing, trading or seasonal settlements arise at strategic locations, and eventually return to the earth. Flood deltas and rocky shores create a wild coast and ever-changing land. Early settlers form bridges and wooden walkways to navigate the delta marshes. As time goes by the Amber Roads feed into tin and copper routes. Metal workers turn their attention to the unlimited opportunities of bronze. See also: Amber Trade - Bronze Age on the Baltic Divine Twins: Germanic & Greek Mythology Mythic Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Amber Roads trade routes are followed by merchants, traders, herders, travelers through several countries and many centuries. When the Silk Road appears in the 2nd century BCE, the Amber Road becomes a transition point at the Black Sea. From there one can go north to the Baltic lands, south to the Indus Valley or the kingdoms of Mesopotamia and the ports of the Mediterranean Sea. Around the middle of the 2nd millennium BCE, the Phoenicians emerge as a major merchant marine trading force in the Levant. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Baba Yaga - Slavic Forest Nature Witch Pomegranate - Food of the Ancients Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Amber comes from the resin of ordinary trees such as pine. The translucent liquid hardens on exposure to air. Amber's fossilized form has many uses including fragrance, incense, rituals, jewelry of rank. In traditional Chinese medicine amber brings tranquility to the mind. In Egypt amber is a gem of the Pharaohs, found in Egyptian burial sites. See also: Winter Tales - 4 Novellas Rhinestones: Treasures of the Rhine Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Preserved insects or inclusions in ancient amber fascinate inquiring minds. At the temple of Roman Sun God Apollo, amber is on the list of preferred offerings. In the Baltic, winter storms throw amber to shore. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Herbology & Lore: Rowan (Mountain Ash) Chicken Soup: Chickens in German Folklore Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the 5th century BCE, Athenian scholar Nicias says amber " ... is a liquid produced by the rays of the sun; and that these rays, at the moment of the sun's setting, striking with the greatest force upon the surface of the soil, leave upon it an unctuous sweat, which is carried off by the tides of the Ocean, and thrown up upon the shores of Germany." Roughly, the Amber Road(s) today lead from St. Petersburg on the Baltic to Venezia (Venice) by the Adriatic Sea in the balmy Mediterranean. In its heyday the departure points are the Old Prussian towns Kaup and Truso on the Baltic. The road is not just one route, but a wellspring for others, creating trade networks throughout and beyond Eurasia. See also: Cinnamon - Spice Trade of Ancients Sun God of Heaven - Hittite Solar Deity Figs - Food of the Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Besides amber, other commodities travel the Amber Roads. They include animal fur and skins, exotic fruit such as dates and pomegranate; pottery, oils, honey, wax, carnelian, lapis lazuli and other precious gems. Trade routes establish mobility of metals, fabrics, spices, salt, dyes and local specialties. Use of horses begins about 2000 BCE, especially among the elite and warrior classes. Evolution of the wagon and chariot makes transportation, trade and warfare faster and easier. See also: Striped Hyena - Bronze Age Wild Dragons: German Harvest & Nature Spirits Arcadia - Greek Lands of Ancient Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the Bronze Age tin and copper arrive in the Baltic along the Amber Road. By c. 1500 BCE glass beads and ornaments, brass, gold and non-ferrous metals are introduced into the early Baltic region. A major source of tin in Europe comes from Ehrenfriedersdorf, south of today's Chemnitz, Germany after c. 1300 BCE. Brass has been known since about 3000 BCE, when metallurgists accidentally mix copper and zinc. See also: Bronze Age: Ancient Tribes, Metal & Myth Giant Cinnamon Birds of Arabia Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Countries traversed by the Amber Roads are Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, South France and Spain, and Mongolia. Over the centuries North Sea and Baltic amber travels along the Vistula and Dnieper rivers to Italy, Greece, the Black Sea, Syria and Egypt. Archaeologists find amber beads in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Amber trade travels inland and cross-country. Major European rivers and waterways including the Oder, Elbe, Vistula, Rhine River, Warnow and more. See also: Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Road Gold - Precious Metal of the Sun Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Amber Roads define and expand prehistoric trading routes between northern and southern Europe, Egypt and Mesopotamia. It's thought the goods brought along the Amber Road are among the catalysts in the rise of the Vikings in the 8th century CE. See also: Mythic Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Back to Top

This post is archived. Go HERE for the updated post. Enjoy. The mystic Dragon is among the plentiful Harvest Spirits in Germany. Appearing in various shapes and sizes, harvest spirits can be wild, domestic or mythical animals; people, hybrids and shape-shifters; weather elements such as fire and whirlwinds; and demons. Dragons are found throughout the world. In Asia the dragon is the most auspicious of creatures. The Lindwyrm of German forest folklore is a snake-like type of dragon who may be helpful, or hungry. The dragon Fafnir guards a treasure in the Middle Ages epic Nibelungenlied, and is slain by Siegfried. See also: Chicken Soup: Chickens in German folklore German Myth - Harvest Spirits German Myth - Harvest Spirits 2 Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Sylvia Rose Books Author Website Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Associated with wisdom and prosperity, the Dragon can be a boon or a curse. Unexplained fires in the fields, sheaves, barn or other outbuildings may indicate the presence of a Dragon. These mystic spirits can be small and feisty, big and brash, or appear as rolling waves in the wheat or a cloud of morning fog. They might be heard as a rumble in the ground, or felt as earth tremors. Despite the danger, Dragons are welcome as they portend wealth and abundance. In passing through the fields, deep under ground and high in the sky, Dragons can enrich crops with their auras of magic. This post is archived. Go HERE for the updated post. The Air Dragon appears in the clouds or fog. It's colored in pale hues or white, and is an auspicious sign almost anywhere in the world. Water dragons inhabit lakes, creeks or rivers, and might cause floods or water damage if displeased. An offering of silver on a full moon night can get this recalcitrant creature on your side. The Fire Dragon is formidable even in smaller sizes, as one flame can create mass destruction. A more extroverted type of Dragon, it can also show up in rays of the sun and cause sunburn. See also: Nature Spirits of German Mythology German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Wild Women and Winter Tales Earth Dragons bring the elements together but are rarely seen, as they prefer to move through caverns and underground tunnels. These Dragons can sleep for a long time. A positive turn of fortunes or increased wealth can signify the presence of an Earth Dragon, but it's also wise to look out for sudden pitfalls. Dragon ornaments, artwork, jewelry, tattoos can bring the power of the Dragon into daily life. Dragon qualities include charisma, confidence, attraction of wealth and mystic wisdom. Precise characteristics depend on the type of Dragon. This post is archived. Go HERE for the updated post. While Elemental Dragons aren't true harvest spirits, they can affect the yield and the fortunes of the home owners. Maybe they're just passing by or looking for a quiet place to nap. It's best to treat them all with respect and let sleeping dragons lie. Sometimes the Dragon is really a sorcerer or enchantress on the hunt for riches. They're also not true harvest spirits and if one of these shows up in the fields, it's probably lost. Hide your gold. Dragon is one of the favorite forms for shape-shifters mortal or mystic. See also: Care and Feeding of Your Kobold Part 1 German Myth - Headless Horseman Awesome Art & Artsy Deals This post is archived. Go HERE for the updated post.

The early Mycenean pantheon includes now familiar deities such as Poseidon, who evolves as a god of the underworld, and Demeter and Persephone, goddesses of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Despoina - Goddess of the Mysteries Aruru - Violent Vegetation Goddess Arcadia - Greek Lands of Ancient Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The religion of the Mycenaeans is early ancient Greek. The modern pantheon and myths of the Greek deities are based on divinities of Arcadia and Mycenaean Greece, Crete and regions of Thrace. Poseidon, God of Water, Storms, Earthquakes & Horses Poseidon is originally a chthonic god of earthquakes, groundwater and underwater rivers. Groundwater is a precious resource in lands surrounded by the salt seas and regions susceptible to drought. See also: Nungal (Manungal) Prison Goddess Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Divine Twins: Germanic & Greek Mythology Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle A god of great power, he's worshipped in Arcadia (c. 1600 BCE), a pre-Mycenaean inland region of southern Greece. Other Arcadian gods include Hermes and Pan. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The lands are formed by cataclysmic seismographic events. In Pylos and Thebes, Poseidon has the cult title "earth shaker" (E-ne-si-da-o-ne). Because of the active volcanic nature of the Greek Isles and coast, earth tremors are felt throughout the regions. See also: Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Humbaba: Giant Mountain Forest Man Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Poseidon is associated with horses as the early Hellenes bring his cult to Greece. They introduce horses into Greece by c. 2000. Demeter and Persephone, Mother & Daughter Agriculture Mystery Goddesses Demeter and Persephone are the mother and daughter goddesses of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The cult gains prevalence c. 1500 BCE with an annual festival at the Panhellistic Sanctuary of Eleusis in ancient Greece. See also: Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Kassite Empire: Rise of the Kassites Cyclades Islands: Paradise of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The women are called the two mistresses or two goddesses. A early agricultural goddess, Pe-re-swa develops into Persephone. Demeter is Sito or wheat. A cult of Despoina (the mistress) prevails until classical Greece in the 4th - 5th centuries BCE. In Arcadian myth, Poseidon is an underworld river spirit who takes the form of a horse (Poseidon Hippios) and pursues Demeter. She becomes a mare, and they mate. Demeter gives birth to the divine black-maned horse Arion, who appears in later myths. See also: Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Stone Age Botai - First Horse People Animal Spirits - Horse, Otter, Goose Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Demeter's daughter, Despoina, is depicted either as a mare of a woman with mare's head. Animal-headed statues also appear in Arcadia. In the cult of Despoina at Lycosura, the two goddesses are associated with springs and animals. They're especially connected to Poseidon as well as Artemis, the "mistress of the animals" who is the first nymph. See also: Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Scorpion Men of Babylonia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, Wild Animals, Childbirth, Nature & Vegetation In Arcadia Artemis emerges as a daughter of Demeter. She becomes the most popular Goddess in Greece. Earliest known forms of her name are the Mycenean Greek a-te-mi-to and a-ti-mi-te. Artemis is preceded by the Minoan goddess Britomartis. Evidence of Britomartis includes a representation between two lines on a seal of Minoan origin, and on gold jewelry from Mycenae. Britomartis is a goddess of wild animals and hunting in Crete. See also: Sin (Suen): Moon God of Mesopotamia Ninhursag - Great Mountain Mother Figs - Food of the Ancient World At her temple Artemis-Orthia at Sparta, excavations turn up masks resembling human faces. They're worn by dancers in the vegetation cult of Artemis. She presides in the fertility Cult of the Tree, an ecstatic orgiastic celebration dedicated to her. The Cult of the Tree image also appears on Minoan artifacts. See also: Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Shulpae (Šulpae): Demon Warrior God Figs - Food of the Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Paean, Physician of the Gods Paean is the personification of a magic song believed to heal sufferers. He's a precursor of the Greek divine physician Asclepius. Asclepius is skilled at using medicine to cure illness. He performs surgery, recites incantations and practices medicinal herbology to treat patients. See also: Gula - Medicine Goddess of Mesopotamia Song of the Loreley Victorian Health: Sea Water Hydrotherapy Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The song of healing later becomes a song of victory. Followers of Paean are known as 'seer-doctors'. In ancient times medicine is a combination of natural health, psychology and magic. Chemistry doesn't enter the field of medicine until Paracelsus of the European Renaissance c. 1500 CE. See also: Spiritual Alchemy: Obsidian Volcanic Glass Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Cinnamon - Spice Trade of Ancients Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, War & Handicrafts Athena appears in Knossos, Crete in the late Minoan II civilization (c. 1470-1420 BC). Originally she's a goddess of palaces and palatial processions. She's represented as a warrior goddess in a Mycenaean fresco. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Athena appears with her palladium (Pallas Athena), a cult image ensuring the safety of Troy, which is established c.1750 BCE. The name Pallas comes from the Greek meaning 'youthful one' or 'young lady', an attribute often given to a goddess. See also: Flooding of the Nile - Nature & Myth Tollense Valley Battlefield: Ancient Germania Sekhmet - War Goddess of Ancient Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Later Greeks make up elaborate stories about the origin of Pallus. The statue is stolen by Odysseus and Diomedes in the Illiad (written c. 800 BCE). The symbolism is eventually adopted by the Romans. Dionysos, God of Wine-Making, Fertility, Festivity, Madness & Theater Assumed to have Thracian origins, Dionysos means "son of Zeus". Before the end of the Mycenean Age Dionysos appears in cult centers at Boeotia and Phocis, the latter known for the Delphic Oracle. See also: Ereshkigal & the Mesopotamian Underworld Sacred Scarab: Lucky Bug of Ancient Egypt Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books His cult is centered in Thebes and his orgies are said to be held on Mount Parnassos. He relates to the myths of the Divine Child, abandoned by his mother, who grows up with Nature as his caregiver. In later myths he's born from the thigh of Zeus. Representations of the Minoan Genius Spirits are also common. Later Mycenean deities include Hephaestus the Fire God and Ares the War God. See also: Mythic Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania The Way to Aaru - Egyptian Paradise Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Arcadian deities include Hermes the Herald of the Gods and Pan the Pastoral God, both of whom make their way into the larger sphere of ancient Greek mythology. Eileithyia, Goddess of Childbirth and Midwifery is based on a pre-existing Minoan deity. The Erinya or Eumenides, a group of vengeful goddesses, dwell in Erebus long before the advent of the Olympian Gods. Erebus is the personification of darkness. These women wear black and hate drips from their eyes. In some stories snakes wind through their hair. See also: Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Caspian Tiger: Bronze Age Wild Predators Girsu (Tello): Ancient Sumerian City Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle They hear complaints of mortals, whether of insolence of son to father, host to guests or the city council to supplicants. They also attack those who swear false oaths. Later in myth they are the Furies. Upon these foundations the Myceneans lay groundwork for the shining pantheon of evolved civilization. Mycenae reaches unprecedented heights of power 1600 - 1100 BCE. See also: Jade - Jadeite, Nephrite & Jade Roads Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Nixies - Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The early mythology of Greece eventually comes together in a major pantheon to last for centuries. Legends and history of the Greeks influence the Romans (c. 800 BCE) and other cultures through the ages. See also: Amethyst - Divine Purple Quartz Gemstone Baltic Amber - Gold of the North Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea Back to Top

The Erinyes (Erinys, Eumenides) are goddesses of vengeance in Ancient Greece. They're later called the Furies. They're described dressed in black, eyes dripping with hatred. Sometimes snakes writhe in their hair. See also: Mythology: Gods of Mycenean Greece Despoina - Goddess of the Mysteries Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Erinyes come from the pantheon of the Arcadians, a pastoral people of inland Greece. Already resident when the Mycenaean Greeks move in c. 1600 BCE, they're herders and agricultural settles taking advantage of the fertile valleys of the interior. The Arcadian cosmology includes Poseidon, Demeter, Persephone and others of the later Greek Pantheon. Among them are the Erinyes. See also: Ushumgallu: Dragon Lion Snake Sukkal Lord Rodent (Ninkilim) Sumerian Pest God Ancient Greece - the Mycenean Invasion Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle According to legend the Titan Cronus (Saturn) castrates his father, Uranus, and throws his genitals into the sea. From drops of blood falling to earth are born the Erinyes. At the same time, the fertile earth gives birth to the Giants and the Meliae, nymphs of the ash tree. Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, love and lust, is born from crests of sea foam. See also: Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Heqet, Frog Goddess of Egypt A Viking Christmas Yule Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Erinyes live in Erebus, the personification of darkness. Always dressed in black, they might have wings, or snakes in their hair. According to Greek traveler Pausanias, snakes in their hair is an invention by the famed Greek tragedian Aeschylus (525 - 455 BCE). Blood is a symbol of the Erinyes. They're especially attracted to traumatic events like murders and family disputes. They protect parents and oldest siblings. This is because they were born from the violence of divine family powers. See also: Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Ancient Marsh Muse - Rough Horsetail Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Pausanias goes on to describe a sacred sanctuary in Athens devoted to the Erinyes, and the carved or fresco images found there. Among other gods they depict the Erinyes. " ... on the images, neither of these nor of any of the under-world deities is there anything terrible. There are images of Pluto, Hermes, and Earth, by which sacrifice those who have received an acquittal on the Hill of Ares; sacrifices are also offered on other occasions by both citizens and aliens." See also: Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Edimmu: Evil Demons of Vengeance Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The art above is a mid-19th century genre style showing idealized bodies in portrayal of myth as allegory. Pursued by Erinyes Orestes goes insane after killing his mother. He runs for sanctuary at the Temple of Apollo. Although Apollo incited the murder he is powerless to help and Athena finally steps in. The Erinyes then assume roles of the wise counsellors, Eumenides. See also: Sukkals - Mythic Viziers to the Gods Pagan Solstice Fests: Saturnalia Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books No matter how they're presented, these primal goddesses bring wracking sorrow and misfortune. Agents of vengeance, they can be invoked by mortals who have been wronged. Like a terrible plague, they harass a victim day and night. Misfortune mounts. The mind cannot rest. Sleep does not come as the Erinyes rouse hideous nightmares. They drive a person stark raving mad. See also: Arabian Leopard: Bronze Age Predators Bashmu (Bašmu): Voracious Serpent Dragon German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Their targets are the insolent, the disrespectful, stingy, greedy or cruel. They attack those who don't respect their elders, or who break sworn oaths, legal or moral codes. They turn their wrath upon those of the administration who won't hear pleas from supplicants. Criminals, especially murderers, are also targets. The Erinyes relate to the Greek Poenai, the spirits of punishment and attendants of punishment to goddess Nemesis, deity of divine retribution. Nemesis wreaks vengeance on those mortals guilty of hubris or arrogance before the gods. See also: Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Poenai (plural) can also be singular (Poena). She can be one goddess or a group. Her / their Roman counterpart may be Utio, whose name means 'vengeance'. From their name come the words subpoena and pain. The Erinyes can attack during the day but being creatures of the underworld they're more active in darkness and at night. They can manifest as darkness itself. See also: Butzemann, Witches & Nyx - Scare 'em Good Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Edimmu: Evil Demons of Vengeance Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The poet Statius says she / they are: " ... suffused with venom, her skin distends and swells with corruption; a fiery vapor issues from her evil mouth, bringing upon mankind thirst unquenchable and sickness and famine and universal death. From her shoulders falls a stark and grisly robe, whose dark fastenings meet upon her breast: Atropos and Proserpine herself fashion her this garb anew. Then both her hands are shaken in wrath, the one gleaming with a funeral torch, the other lashing the air with a live water-snake." See also: Kusarikku - Bull Men of Mesopotamia Earth Mother - Goddess of Life Sin (Suen): Moon God of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books They can manifest as young or old. Erinyes are also collectively called "The Venerable Ones" or "The Kindly Ones". They have names which are not spoken for fear of attracting their attention. See also: Dromedary Camel: Animals of Ancient Arabia Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Back to Top

Her home is Arcadia, a pastoral idyllic land of cypress and sunshine. Her father Poseidon, is lord of groundwater, earthquakes and horses. He transforms into a stallion to pursue the agricultural goddess Demeter. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Arcadia - Greek Lands of Ancient Gods Erinyes - Vengeful Women of Ancient Greece Cyclades Islands: Paradise of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In mare form, she mates with Poseidon and gives birth to two horse-children. One is Arion, a black-maned hero horse of legend. The other is Despoina. In some versions Demeter didn't mate willingly thus is given the epithet 'Erinys'. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Despoina is born in equine form. She can manifest as a mare, woman, or woman with mare's head. She's among the early animal-headed deities of Eastern Mediterranean culture. In Arcadia she's a goddess of the Eleusinian Mysteries. See also: Stone Age Botai - First Horse People German Myth - Headless Horseman Animal Spirits - Horse, Otter, Goose Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Her real name isn't Despoina, which translates to "Mistress of the House" or palace, and applies to other goddesses too. Only members of her cult know her real name. With the dissolution of the cult, it remains a mystery today. As in other ancient pantheons the deities arise from nature and natural phenomena. The first indication of active god worship comes from c. 4100 BCE. See also: Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Ancient Arabia - Stone Age to Bronze Ziu - Ancient Sky God of Germania Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The forces of nature evolve into nymphs, who become associated with certain elements, such as the spirits of trees and water nymphs, similar to the Germanic nixies. Gods take hybrid human forms with heads, tails or other features of animals. The later Minotaur identifies with these primal hybrid deities. Some of the early powers prevail into the Greek classical age (5th - 3rd centuries BCE). See also: Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Mythical Pagan German Gods & Spirits Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books They include the pastoral goat god Pan, early Dionysos and the Silenoi, elderdly satyrs in his entourage. The two greatest Arcadian goddesses, Demeter and Despoina relate to springs and animals. They're associated with the goddess Artemis (Potnia Theron: "Mistress of the Animals"), the first nymph. Artemis evolves into goddess of the hunt, wild animals, nature, childbirth and child care. She protects the young. Later, Artemis is equated with the Roman Diana. See also: Early Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Bau - Healing Goddess of Babylonia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Despoina's center of worship is Lycosura, a sanctuary in southern Arcadia. Her father is named as Poseidon Hippios, his horse form. Her mother Demeter, who mated with Poseidon as a mare, is worshipped after Despoina. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The Eleusinian Mysteries is an agrarian cult built around the cycle of life / death / rebirth. It's based on an older, pre-Greek cult. The pre-Greek Eleusis may relate to Elysium and the goddess Eileithyia. Eileithyia is equated with a Minoan goddess and a yet earlier Neolithic entity. See also: Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Inanna (Ishtar) - Goddess of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The sanctuary holds festivities twice a year. Initiates of the Eleusinian Mysteries are chosen in the spring months to enter the Lesser Mysteries. In the autumn months they may be brought into the inner sanctum of the Greater Mysteries. This approximates the time the later Persephone, another daughter of Demeter, spends in the Underworld with the later Hades. The god Hades appears as a prenom in the Iliad (c. 8th century BCE) and in popular literature c. 5th century BCE. See also: Rise of the Phoenicians - Early Years Tin Trade Routes - Ancient Networks Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The myths of Arcadia may go back to the first Greek-speaking people, who arrive from the north during the Bronze Age. Goddesses Demeter and Despoina are linked to fresh water, water sources and springs. See also: German Nature Spirits: Evolution Song of the Loreley Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Back to Top

Tukulti-Ninurta I (r. 1243 - 1207 BCE) rules during the Middle Assyrian Empire. His father Shalmaneser I has subdued the Hurrian Empire and the Hurrian kingdom Mitanni is a rebellious vassal state to Assyria. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Aruru - Violent Vegetation Goddess Apkallu - Seven Sages of Mesopotamia Humbaba: Giant Mountain Forest Man Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Shalmaneser then wages war on the aggressive Hittites, who incite rebellions and strategically ally with the Hurrians. Battling for control of the cities and trade routes, he quells uprisings and destroys the city of Arinnu, bringing its dust back to Assur, the Assyrian capital, in northern Mesopotamia. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The patron god of the Assyrians, Ashur (Ashshur, Ašur, Aššur) remains in public worship for millennia, coexisting with powerful deities such as Inanna and Shamash. He eventually fades away with the rise of Christianity in the early centuries CE. See also: Kassite Empire: Rise of the Kassites Bronze Age Trade of Mesopotamia Lahar: Flock & Sheep Pastoral Goddess Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The ascent of King Tukuli-Ninurta in 1243 BCE places him right at the center of power. His name means 'My trust is in [the god] Ninurta'. In Anatolia the end of the Bronze Age approaches. Anatolian metal workers first produce steel in c. 1800, six hundred years before the beginning of the Iron Age in c. 1200 BCE. See also: Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Nungal (Manungal) Prison Goddess Ninurta (Ninĝirsu) - God of the People Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Tukuli-Ninurta has a mighty reputation to live up to, and he rises to the forefront of power with confidence and charismatic leadership. He's the first known person to call himself the King of Kings. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure His other titles include King of Assyria, King of Sumer & Akkad (an epithet taken by the first ruler of Ur), King of the Four Corners of the World and King of All Peoples. Highly ambitious, he brings the Assyrian Empire to its widest range of power. See also: Aruru - Violent Vegetation Goddess Zababa - Bronze Age War God of Kish Weapons & Warfare of Bronze Age Europe 2 Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The triumphant King Tukuli-Ninurta gains control east of the Euphrates River. His empire stretches across the Tigris River, north of Babylonia, into Asia Minor and to the Levant and the coast of Arabia. Tukuli-Ninurta makes offerings and prayers to Shamash, the Sun God. He fights the Hittites for the remains of the Hurrian lands, Mitanni. Bloody skirmishes lead up the decisive Battle of Nihriya in 1237 BCE, won by the Assyrians. See also: Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Lord Rodent (Ninkilim) Sumerian Pest God Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books According to his victory texts Tukiuli-Ninurta single-handedly captures the Hittite king, "trod with my feet upon his lordly neck as though it were a footstool" and sends him in chains to Assyria. He then smites the walls of Babylon into rubble. Assyrian soldiers raze and pillage Babylon. Tukuli-Ninurta battles his way through the Babylonian chaos to the Esagila temple. He ransacks the temple and makes off with the statue of the God Marduk. See also: Mušḫuššu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk Lelwani - Hittite Underworld Goddess Divine Twins: Germanic & Greek Mythology Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books He goes too far. The temples of Babylon are sacred and to destroy them is a sacrilege, even to the Assyrians. The King incurs the disapproval of the priesthood of the state god Ashur. When the Elamites to the southeast try to move on in the ruins of Babylon, Tukuli-Ninurta attacks and drives them back. He later writes an epic poem about his battles with Babylon and the Elamites. See also: Ushumgallu: Dragon Lion Snake Sukkal Gatumdug: Sumerian Goddess of Lagash Scorpion Men of Babylonia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books He proceeds to the Arab lands and captures Dilmun and Meluhha, prosperous cities with prolific trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley Civilization. In the area of today's Pakistan, the Indus Valley is also one of the world's oldest civilizations. With the priests of Ashur turning against him, Tukuli-Ninurta founds a new cult center and capital city, Kar-Tukuli-Ninurta (Kar meaning Port). It's built on the eastern bank of the Tigris River about 3 km (1.8 mi) north of Assur. See also: What is a Ziggurat? Shamash (Utu) Sun God of Mesopotamia Abzu - Primal Waters of Creation Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle There he erects a magnificent ziggurat, a temple to Ashur. He builds an opulent royal palace. The site of the metropolis covers up to 260 hectares (642 acres). The glamor and presige don't last long. In 1207 BCE his sons rebel against him and besiege the new city. While Kar-Tukuli-Ninurta is under siege, Tukuli-Ninurta is murdered. See also: Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Caspian Tiger: Bronze Age Wild Predators Lisin - Medicine Goddess of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Shortly after his death, Tukuli-Ninurta is succeeded by his son Ashur-nadin-apli in 1206 BCE. Abandoned, the royal city of Kar-Tukuli-Ninurta falls into ruin. See also: Gibil - Fire God of Mesopotamia Ninazu: Healing, Death, Snakes & War Carnelian - Gems of the Ancient World Back to Top

December 25 marks the Feast of Frau Holle or Hulda in Germany. She's also celebrated at the Winter Solstice as a goddess of Light. Her festival runs until Jan 5-6. This cosmic deity dwells among the clouds, and as a warrior she's known to lead the Wild Hunt. Lora Ley - Book Six - Winter Tales The Many Faces of Frau Holle Brunhilde: Tragic Germanic Warrior Queen Sylvia Rose Books When Frau Holle shakes out feather pillows and bedding, snow falls to the earth. An ancient pagan goddess, her southern counterpart is Perchta, who dwells in a well. They're patrons of spinning and weaving. Perchta taught humans to spin flax. Known as goddesses of the home or domestic deities, Holle and Perchta are both numbered among the leaders of the   Wild Hunt (German: Wilde Jagd ), giving insight into their powerful warrior roles. They may be considered two aspects of the same deity. Edelweiss: Alpine Flower of True Love German Traditions - the Linden Tree Nature Spirits of German Mythology Sylvia Rose Books Read The Wild Hunt , a novella in the Lora Ley anthology Winter Tales . A supernatural phenomenon across many parts of Europe, the Wild Hunt is led by deities such as Perchta, Hulda, Odin, his wife Frigg, or Diana the Huntress. Heroes and historical figures leading the Hunt include Siegfried of Xanten . Leaders may also be Gwyn ap Nudd of Welsh lore or Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths. Later, the Hunt may be led by biblical personalities from Gabriel to Cain and Mephistopheles. Pagan Christmas Yule Fests: Frau Holle Cult of the Bull: Divine Sacrifice Frau Holle - A German Fairy Tale Sylvia Rose Books Among those who partake in the Hunt are witches and warlocks, satyrs, demi-gods, horses of six or eight legs, dragons, centaurs, warriors, dwarfs and other creatures of legend. The object of pursuit is not always clear. In the south, the Wild Hunt is often called the Wütendes Heer  (Raging Host or Army). Participants gather and thunder through the skies with fearsome shrieks and hollers. Anyone who encounters this frenzy should lie in the middle of the road and let the host pass overhead, or be swept into the supernatural storm. German Myth - Werewolves German Myth - Headless Horseman German Myth - Harvest Spirits Sylvia Rose Books Back home in her role as domestic goddess and patron of spinning and weaving, Perchta is the one who taught mortals how to spin linen from flax. She has a swan foot, which happens in spinners as treadle pressure spreads the bones of bare feet. Women who develop a swan foot consider it a special honor from hardworking Perchta. The Wild Hunt is one of the novellas in the Lora Ley anthology Winter Tales Perchta is also seen as  an instrument of punishment. She checks households to be sure the children and young servants have done their allotted spinning for the year and otherwise behaved well. It's also forbidden to spin or weave during the Feast Days of Frau Holle and Perchta. German House Spirits: Beer Donkey (Bieresel) German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root German Harvest Spirits - Dragons Sylvia Rose Books Usually Perchta appears to households on her Feast Days, January 5-6. She gives silver coins to the good and obedient workers, but rips out innards of the lazy to stuff the bodies with straw. Perchta in her punishment aspect is also an example of Kinderschreck or "child fright", one of many monsters and stories told to children and superstitious young servants to frighten them into good behavior and away from dangerous places like wells or forests. German Myth: Lindwyrm, Mare & Pig Demons Kusarikku - Bull Men of Mesopotamia German Myth & Folklore: Moss People Kinderschrecken include evil witches, deceitful water nixies , the Butzemann or German Bogeyman, demons, harvest spirits and plenty more. In the Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction series Lora is half nixie or Nyx. Sylvia Rose Books Non-Fiction Books: World of Alchemy: Spiritual Alchemy World of Alchemy: A Little History Fiction Books: READ: Lora Ley Adventures  - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series READ: Reiker For Hire  - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Back to Top

Babylonia comes under control of the Kassite Empire in the aftermath of the 1531 BCE sack of Babylon by the Hittites to the north. The Kassites are a formidable force in the ancient near East, reigning almost 400 years to 1155 BCE. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Gula - Medicine Goddess of Mesopotamia Lahar: Flock & Sheep Pastoral Goddess Apkallu - Seven Sages of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books It's believed the Kassites originate in the Zargos Mountains in today's southeastern Iran. Evidence of military correspondence with the kings of Babylon show the Kassites are in the Babylonian area at least 150 years before they make their move. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure They speak and write Kassite, as well as the language of trade and commerce, Akkadian. At first the Kassites occupy Babylon. They bring their gods into the Mesopotamian pantheon and appropriate Marduk from the Babylonians. As their wealth grows, toward the end of the 15th century BCE, the ruler Kurigalzu I decides to shift their power base. See also: Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Gatumdug: Sumerian Goddess of Lagash Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle He shows his might by founding a city. He relocates the capital to Dur-Kurigalzu, about a day's ride west of Baghdad in southern Mesopotamia.  In Dur-Kurigalzu, meaning “Fortress of Kurigalzu", he builds a monumental palace and great temples. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The Kassite deities are the god Shuqamuna and goddess Shumaliya. Called "Gods of the King," they are the personal deities and tutelary protectors of the royal family. See also: Lagash: Vibrant Bronze Age City State Ninlil - Sumerian Matriarch Goddess Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Apart from these the Kassites have no pantheon, strange in a center of civilizations with thousands of gods. As time goes on, they adopt a few more. Pre-existing cities occupied by the Kassites include Sippar, Babylon, Kish, Nippur, Isin, Girsu, Uruk and Ur. All are important centers of trade, communication and worship, busy with workers, merchants, tradespeople, travelers, river traffic or seagoing vessels. See also: Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Shamash (Utu) Sun God of Mesopotamia Abzu - Primal Waters of Creation Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books At the height of power the Kassites control Mesopotamia. They continue to develop a strained relationship with the warlike Hittites to the north. They correspond with the also warlike Assyrians. It's a time of distrust, big weapons and big egos, and a collaborations of aggressive tribes. Nonetheless, in 1258 BCE the Hittite King Ḫattušili III signs the world's first peace treaty with Ramesses II of Egypt ... with a little help from their Queens. See also: Puduhepa - Queen of the Hittites Nefertari Queen of Peace Ancient Egypt Scorpion Men of Babylonia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books King Kadashman-Enlil II, meaning 'he who believes in Enlil', assumes the Kassite throne as a boy king. He's advised by a vizier "whom the gods have caused to live far too long and [from] whose mouth unfavorable words never cease”, according to the Hittite King. Still, Hattushili maintains diplomatic and trade relations with the Kassites. One resource the Kassites have in abundance is skilled labor. Doctors, artisans, carpenters, metalworkers, scribes and other specialists are exchanged on loan. Occasionally someone is enticed to stay, as happens with doctors from Babylonia, prompting a royal investigation. See also: Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Lapis Lazuli: Vibrant Blue Gem of Ancients Dromedary Camel: Animals of Ancient Arabia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Overall the Kassites maintain a precarious balance. They ingratiate themselves with the people by rebuilding temples and public sites in Nippur and elsewhere, such as the Temple of Gula in Isin. They lay down patterns of administration still used today. They adopt gods such as Marduk and Enlil from the pre-existing pantheons, as well as others such as Ishara, goddess of Death and Desire. Then from the southeast comes a new threat. See also: Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Ninurta (Ninĝirsu) - God of the People Girsu (Tello): Ancient Sumerian City Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In 1157 BCE, the Elamites sack the major cities of Babylonia. In 1155, the Elamite king takes the statue of Marduk from Babylon to Elam. This marks the end of Kassite domination in Babylonia. See also: Figs - Food of the Ancient World Nanshe - Nature Goddess of Justice Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Back to Top

Lahar is a pastoral goddess of sheep, flocks and wool in ancient Mesopotamia. Throughout the year various deities are invoked to keep livestock safe from disease or attack, or guard the grain from pestilence. See also: Lord Rodent (Ninkilim) Sumerian Pest God Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Others include the shepherd god Shumugan (Šumugan) and Ninkilim, Lord Rodent. These two gods are also patrons of wild animals and can be called upon as protection from creatures destructive to the harvest, or predators attacking the flocks. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure In Akkadian her name means 'ewe' or female sheep. Sheep are first domesticated in c. 8800 BCE. They're a source of milk, mutton, cheese, butter and yogurt, as well as fleeces. Despite early domestication of sheep, people don't wear wool garments until c. 4000 BCE. See also: Apkallu - Seven Sages of Mesopotamia Gatumdug: Sumerian Goddess of Lagash Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Wool fabric makes its appearance after a period of animal husbandry, during which sheep are selectively bred to produce wool long enough for spinning. Prior to wool, long fibers of flax are hand-processed, spun and woven into linen, the most ancient of all fabrics. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Lahar is another god/dess whose gender changes depending on when and where she's invoked. She bears the title "Lord Wool", a name also attributed to the god Ninsig. See also: Kusarikku - Bull Men of Mesopotamia Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Mountain Gazelle: Wild Ancient World Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Lahar is considered to originate in the Abzu (Apzu), underground waters of creation. Similarly from the Apzu arises Ashnan, a goddess or personification of grain or wheat. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure In the myth of the Debate Between Ewe and Wheat, Lahar represents the ewe. The original text comes from the Udug Hul incantation series. Udug Hul means Evil Udug, a class of underworld wind demons. See also: Demons - Evil Udug of Mesopotamia Ushumgallu: Dragon Lion Snake Sukkal Lagash: Vibrant Bronze Age City State Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books One day the two deities are sitting around drinking beer, a beverage much beloved by the ancient Mesopotamians. Thinking of the humans at work far below, the women get into an argument. Grain goddess Ashnan insists she's more important to humans. From grains they can make cereal, bread, cakes and beer. Lahar the flock goddess says she's the most important. The humans get dairy products and fleece from her generosity. See also: Abzu - Primal Waters of Creation Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Figs - Food of the Ancient World Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Their yelling wakes up the God Enlil. They demand a divine judgment. On the advice of Enki (Ea), Enlil chooses the grain goddess Ashnan, and goes back to sleep. In another myth, Lahar is a god. He's the son of Shumugan, a shepherd god especially associated with donkeys and mules. His mother is the personified sea. From their mythical union steps forth Lahar. See also: Death Cruise - Vacation Gone Bad Lisin - Medicine Goddess of Ancients Kur - Underworld of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Lahar kills his father and marries his mother the sea. With her he has a son of unknown name, who may or may not be a divine shepherd called Gayu. Regardless of gender, Lahar is not known to have a consort. See also: Sphinx - Mythical Monster of Ancients Egyptian Blue Lotus: Visionary Beauty Asray: Ugaritic Underworld Goddess Back to Top

Lagash (Lagaš) would be a modern wonder in the ancient world, a brilliant hub of trade, commerce and the meeting of minds. Inhabited before c. 3000 BCE, Lagash arises at a prolific time in Mesopotamia, when the heightened activity of the Bronze Age opens new paths to prosperity. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Ishum: Night Watchman & Fire God Girsu (Tello): Ancient Sumerian City Bau - Healing Goddess of Babylonia Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle By c. 2500 BCE, Lagash covers an area of about 500 ha (1236 acres). With some variations, temperature ranges between 10 °C (50 °F) in winter to 32 °C (90 °F) in summer, enough for noticeable fluctuations in seasons. At its height, the city state is home to over 100,000 people. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure In the southeast of today's Iraq, Lagash is on the fertile flood plains between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The rivers fan out into deltas of silt, as fresh waters mingle with the salt of the sea. See also: Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea Abzu - Primal Waters of Creation Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books This, to the early Mesopotamians, is the meeting of Tiamat, Queen of Chaos, the Primal Sea, with her consort Abzu, embodied by fresh water or groundwater. Here, in the reed marshes and flatlands of the Persian Gulf, is the beginning of all life. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The founding of Lagash some time later brings together sea trade and cross-country trade, different cultures and civilizations. In the nearby sister city Girsu (Tello), a religious center, worshippers of all creed flood the streets. See also: Shamash (Utu) Sun God of Mesopotamia Lisin - Medicine Goddess of Ancients Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Along the trade routes, goods incoming and outgoing include metals like copper and tin, exotic fruit and spices such as cinnamon. Fabric and fabric dyes are popular. Precious stones such as lapiz lazuli, carnelian and turquoise and innovations like Egyptian blue faience and early glass found its way along the paths of trade. Routes are by water or land, inland or down to the coast where the Indus Valley culture (roughly today's Pakistan) can be easily reached by sea. With luck and timing, one could also ride the trade winds to the lands of Arabia and Egypt and the Land of Punt. All roads are possible. See also: Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Taurus Mountains: Bronze Age Bounty Ninlil - Sumerian Matriarch Goddess Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The silver vase above is dedicated to Ningirsu (Ninurta): "For Ningirsu, the foremost warrior of Enlil. Entemena, the ensi of Lagash, whom Nanshe had chosen in her heart, the great ensi of Ningirsu, the son of Enannatum, the ensi of Lagash, made for Ningirsu, the king who loved him, a vase of pure silver and stone (?), out of which Ningirsu drinks, and brought it to the Ningirsu of the Eninnu, for his life. At that time, Dudu was the sanga of Ningirsu." See also: Ninurta (Ninĝirsu) - God of the People Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Taurus Mountains: Bronze Age Bounty Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Lagash is a major center of civilization in the ancient years during the Early Dynastic Era, Sargonic Empire and Ur III (c. 2900 - 2004 BCE), nearly nine hundred years. Life is prosperous but never really peaceful, as rebellions and border battles mark the Elamite period. Throughout these times the river delta expands. Over centuries, the coast advances, so coastal cities like Ur are inland by a hundred miles (160 km) or more. Although Lagash weathers this change better than some, the trade networks die away. Several towns built on the Tigris Euphrates trade route wither into the ground. Lagash declines in importance. See also: Kish: Glory Days in Ancient Babylonia Scorpion Men of Babylonia Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the ancient world the tutelary deity of Lagash is the Sumerian Goddess Gatumdug, a popular local divinity. She's already worshipped in Lagash by 2900 BCE. Later, King Gudea (above) builds a temple to her in Girsu. She's considered the divine founder of Lagash. Her name translates to holy, lustrous, sacred or shining. See also: Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Sin (Suen): Moon God of Mesopotamia Ninhursag - Great Mountain Mother Back to Top

In ancient Mesopotamian myth the Igigi have their own duties and class. Servants of the gods, they do their jobs but are dissatisfied with the status quo. They're too independent to spend eternity under the thumbs of demanding masters. And so, they rebel. See also: Nabu (Nabû) - Ancient God of Scribes Asherah: Goddess of Childbirth & Fertility Warrior Portal Gods Lugal-irra & Meslamta-ea Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the early days of creation, nothing exists but the seething primordial waters. From the great depths, from waves and foam, come forth the stars and the cosmos. After the creation of the universe the first Gods take form. The Gods create the first humans from clay, but before that, they make the Igigi. One main purpose of the Igigi is to build a watercourse, for the Gods find the work too exhausting. See also: Šassūrātu (Sassuratu): Deific Midwives Sukkals - Mythic Viziers to the Gods Chaoskampf: Order & Chaos Battle Out Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Igigi observe, When the gods, man-like, Bore the labour, carried the load, The gods' load was great, The toil grievous, the trouble excessive. The great Anunnaku, the Seven, Were making the Igigu undertake the toil. See also: Kothar (Kothar-wa-Khasis) Artisan God Ishara - Goddess of Death & Desire Ebla - Shining Jewel of the Bronze Age Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books A similar text comes from the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Babylonian flood story: "When the gods like men bore the work and suffered the toil, the toil of the gods was great, the work was heavy, the distress was much" "The Seven great Anunnaki were making the Igigu suffer the work" See also: Ornithomancy - Prophecy by the Birds Lapis Lazuli: Vibrant Blue Gem of Ancients Allani - Hurrian Underworld Goddess Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Anunnaki, known as the seven gods who decree, are the Old Gods of Mesopotamia. As generations go by, new old gods appear. Versions can vary across cultures and times. In some tellings they're replaced with more contemporary gods or form a group of nine, eight or ten instead of seven. See also: Ugarit - Trade Hub of Bronze Age Syria Urnfield Culture: Bronze & Iron Age Europe Egyptian Blue Lotus: Visionary Beauty Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The "seven gods who decree" are: An (Anu) - sky and creator God Enlil - god of wind, air, earth and storms Enki - knowledge, crafts, creation Ninhursag - mother goddess of the mountains Nanna (Suen/Sin) - god of the moon Utu - god of the sun Inanna (Ishtar) - queen of the gods See also: Spiritual Magic - Numbers Three & Nine Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Road Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The first written mention of the Igigi comes from ancient Babylonian texts of the 19th century BCE. They're indicated in Akkadian, Assyrian and Sumerian writings, but no description is found. Because of the rebellion of the Igigi against the work of the Gods, the deities decide to cut them loose and create non-immortal beings to act as their servants and workers instead. Made from clay, the humans at first are ugly and clumsy, and it takes some practice to get them right. See also: Mot - Death & the Ugarit Underworld Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Road Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In Mesopotamian origin myths humans are created to serve the Gods. They're put onto Earth to build temples and keep the Gods supplied with libations, feasts, clothes and anything else they might want. The only member of the Igigi known for sure is the god hero Marduk. The gods elevate him above his rank as Igigi and he's known for epic adventures. See also: Demons - Evil Udug of Mesopotamia Shapshu: Sun Goddess of Canaanites Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods In the most famous of his feats he slays the Sea Serpent Woman of Chaos, Tiamat, to create the world. Tiamet battles Marduk for twelve days, hence the annual festival commemorating the Twelve Days of Zagmuk. With the end of cuneiform text in 75 CE, the Igigi fade from active mythology. See also: Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Ptah: God of Creators & Creation Egypt Anzû - Mesopotamian Monster of Mayhem Back to Top