Birtum
| Birtum | |
|---|---|
Deified fetters | |
| Personal information | |
| Siblings | Šarrabu |
| Spouse | Nungal |
Birtum (𒀭𒁉𒅕𒌈, also spelled Birdu
Character
Birtum's name means "
In god lists he appears in the circle of Nergal as one of the gods associated with the underworld.[2]
Associations with other deities
Birtum was the husband of
His sukkal (attendant deity) was the god Eturammi (also spelled Eturame),[4] whose name means "do not slacken."[5] It is assumed that he was one of the sukkals who were simply personification of specific commands of their masters, similar to Id's sukkal Nēr-ē-tagmil ("kill, do not spare") or Nergal's sukkal Ugur ("destroy").[5]
Birtum could be regarded as a twin brother of the god Šarrab(u), though sometimes the latter is instead paired with Šâbu instead.[6] The former tradition is documented in the god list An = Anum.[6] The names of both Birtum and Šarrabu could be written logographically as dKAL.EDIN, which literally meant "youngster of the steppe" or "strong one of the steppe."[1] Šarrabu itself might mean "cheater" or "slanderer," though other possibilities have also been proposed, including a possible association with the Arabic word sārab, "Fata Morgana." [7] In a single source the names of the pair are explained as "Lugal-irra and Meslamta-ea of MAR.KI"[8]
Worship
Mythology
In a late version of the myth of Anzû, Enlil asks his assistant Nuska to summon Birtum.[11] While the fragment in which he explains to Birtum why he needs his help is missing, in the subsequent section of the text he congratulates Ninurta (who he addresses as his lord) on behalf of Enlil and urges him to return the Tablet of Destinies after his defeat of Anzû.[11] Ninurta rebukes him and states that he will keep this item for himself.[12]
References
- ^ a b Krebernik 2011, p. 70.
- ^ a b c d e Cavigneaux & Krebernik 1998, p. 617.
- ^ Sjöberg 1973, p. 21.
- ^ Litke 1998, p. 187.
- ^ a b Wiggermann 1987, p. 22.
- ^ a b Krebernik 2016, p. 352.
- ^ Krebernik 2011, p. 71.
- ^ Krebernik 2011, pp. 70–71.
- ^ Lambert 1980, p. 63.
- ^ Michalowski 1998, p. 576.
- ^ a b Foster 1996, p. 478.
- ^ Foster 1996, p. 479.
Bibliography
- Cavigneaux, Antoine; Krebernik, Manfred (1998), "Nungal", Reallexikon der Assyriologie (in German), retrieved 2022-02-22
- Foster, Benjamin (1996). Before the muses: an anthology of Akkadian literature. Potomac, MD: CDL Press. OCLC 34149948.
- Krebernik, Manfred (2011), "Šarrab(u)", Reallexikon der Assyriologie (in German), retrieved 2022-04-24
- Krebernik, Manfred (2016), "Zwillingsgottheiten", Reallexikon der Assyriologie (in German), retrieved 2022-04-24
- Lambert, Wilfred G. (1980). "The Theology of Death". Death in Mesopotamia. Copenhagen: Akademisk Forlag. OCLC 7124686.
- Litke, Richard L. (1998). A reconstruction of the Assyro-Babylonian god lists, AN:dA-nu-um and AN:Anu šá Ameli (PDF). New Haven: Yale Babylonian Collection. OCLC 470337605.
- Michalowski, Piotr (1998), "Nisaba A. Philological", Reallexikon der Assyriologie, retrieved 2022-02-22
- Sjöberg, Åke W. (1973). "Nungal in the Ekur". Archiv für Orientforschung. 24. Archiv für Orientforschung (AfO)/Institut für Orientalistik: 19–46. JSTOR 41637722. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- Wiggermann, Frans A. M. (1987). "The Staff of Ninšubura: Studies in Babylonian Demonology II". Ex Oriente Lux. 29. Brill.