Utu (deity)
Utu is a prominent solar deity in Mesopotamian mythology, revered as the god of the sun, light, warmth, and growth. He embodies the triumph of good over evil and is recognized for his role as a divine judge, overseeing justice for both gods and mortals. Utu's influence extended to the justice system, where his symbol, a solar disc, was invoked during legal oaths. As the son of Nanna, the moon god, and the goddess Ningal, he is part of a significant triad of deities alongside his twin sister Inanna. Utu is also known as Shamash in Babylonian and Assyrian traditions.
Worship of Utu was centered in Larsa, where his temple, E-babbar, served as a major sanctuary. His cult spread across various cities, involving priestesses who prayed for community well-being and participated in sacrificial rituals. Utu features in notable myths, such as assisting Inanna during her descent into the underworld and guiding the hero Gilgamesh on his quest for immortality. His legacy is further solidified through the historical association with Hammurabi, who is said to have received his code of laws directly from Utu, thus linking the deity to themes of authority and justice.
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Utu (deity)
Symbols: Solar disk; notched dagger
Country: Mesopotamia
Mother: Ningal
Father: Nanna
Utu was a powerful Mesopotamian solar god. As the god of the sun, Utu represented light, warmth, growth, and the victory of good (light) over evil (darkness). In this way, he also became known as the god of justice, judging both gods and men and punishing the unjust.
As the bringer of light, he was able to see all that occurred during the day and so was the decision maker of the gods. Those searching for assistance over evil or curses prayed to him. At night, when the sun went down, it was said Utu became the judge of the underworld, marking him as a powerful god in the pantheon. In the Mesopotamian justice system, during the course of a trial plaintiffs and defendants had to swear an oath to tell the truth on divine emblems, like the sun disc, which represented Utu in his role as the god of justice.
As he oversaw all, Utu was also considered the administrator of the entire universe. It was said that the famous king Hammurabi received his code of laws from Utu. In this role, Utu was depicted seated on a throne, with the symbols of justice and righteousness (a staff and a ring) in his hands. As the sun god, his symbol was often a solar disc, which at times was shown as a four-pointed star with curved lines emerging from four points in the center. The notched dagger was also associated with Utu.
Utu was also pictured as the heroic god who swept across the heavens on horseback, or in a chariot or boat, conquering the night (death), and so bringing light and life to all on earth. He was shown emerging from the heavenly gate in the east and leaving through the gate in the west.
Utu was the son of the moon god Nanna and the goddess Ningal, and the twin brother of Inanna, the goddess of love and warfare. Along with the Nanna and his sister Inanna, Utu was part of an important triad of Mesopotamian deities. His consort was Aya, goddess of light and the dawn.
Sumerians worshipped the sun god as Utu, while Babylonians and Assyrians called him Shamash.
In Mythology
According to Sumerian mythology, Utu was the son of the moon god Nanna and Ningal, the goddess of reeds. Akkadian myths sometimes said he was the son of the god Enlil.
Utu featured in some popular myths as a helper to those in peril or trouble, such as in the myth of the goddess Inanna’s descent into the underworld. According to the myth, Inanna decided to leave the world above and travel to the underworld. Thinking Inanna was there to usurp her power, Ereshkigal, the goddess of the underworld and Inanna’s sister, killed Inanna when she finally arrived. The other gods intervened and set up a divine tribunal to look into the matter. They decreed that once dead, a person cannot leave the underworld unless a substitute is left behind. Inanna’s search for a substitute takes her to her husband Dumuzi, who she sees taking part in revelry, unaffected by her death. Angry, Inanna names Dumuzi as her substitute. Dumuzi then pleads with Utu to intervene and Utu helps him change shape to escape the underworld demons.
In the famous poem The Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero Gilgamesh was very conscious of his mortality and the fact that he could not escape death. He set out in search of immortality and the Land of the Living, which was situated in a far away and forbidding mountain. His friend and servant Enkidu suggested he plead to Utu for guidance and advice. Utu warned Gilgamesh of the dangers and tried to dissuade him. But Utu eventually capitulated and gave him seven constellations to show the way across the seven mountains Gilgamesh would have to cross to reach his goal.
The Babylonian king Hammurabi is famous for the Code of Hammurabi, considered one of the oldest surviving codes of laws in human history. According to legend, Hammurabi received these laws from Utu himself. A stele from the eighteenth century BCE that has the Code of Hammurabi engraved on it also has a depiction of Utu presenting Hammurabi with the symbols of authority and justice. By saying the laws came from Utu, Hammurabi gave the laws greater authority.
Origins and Cults
Utu’s main sanctuary was at Larsa, and his temple there was called E-babbar (the White House) because of the extensive whitewashing done to reflect the sun’s gleaming rays. E-babbar was in the middle of Larsa city and was in existence during the twenty-sixth century BCE. It was then rebuilt by Ur-Nammu around 2100 BCE, and continued to function and be popular through the seventh century BCE. The temple complex also had a ziggurat and the home of the main priestess of the sun.
The cult of Utu also spread to other cities like Sippar and Eridu, where his sanctuaries received significant patronage. In Anshar, he shared a sanctuary with the moon god Nanna.
His temple in Sippar also had a convent-like system for priestesses who were dedicated to his worship. Women from wealthy families and even royal women were sent there to serve Utu. They contributed to the daily sacrifies, were present at cult services, and were especially made to pray for the well being of their relatives. The women also focused their devotion on Aya, Utu’s consort.
The god played a particularly significant role in sacrificial divination, where diviners ask the gods to write answers to specific questions in the liver of a sacrificial sheep. Often the questions revolved around matters of state. The diviners would then examine the liver and the area surrounding it to read what the god had written. Utu as the god who represented truth and justice was implored to give the right answer.
Bibliography
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