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Created an article about a concept from Mesopotamian mythology, including an extensive list of deities regarded as sukkal in Mesopotamian and Hurro-Hittite culture.. Sources used include Reallexikon, F. Wiggermann's extensive studies of the nature of sukkal, and more.
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Sukkal was a concept prominent in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology. It was also adopted into Hurrian beliefs.[1]

Meaning and importance

The term itself can be translated as “vizier," and referred to human officials in addition to gods.[2] In religious context it refers to a class of servant deities, serving the major gods as viziers, messengers, doorkeepers and in other similar functions.[3] In prayers sukkals were believed to intercede with the god they served on behalf of a human petitioner.[4][5]

The title “sukkalmah” (used for example by an Elamite dynasty) shared its etymology with “sukkal” and can be translated as “great vizier.” A few sukkals were referred to as sukkalmah, notably Nusku[6] and Nanna's sukkal Alammuš.[7] The symbol of a sukkal's office was a staff, presumably given to them by their master, and it's possible to identify deities of this class in art by this attribute.[8]

Ninshubur

Further information: Ninshubur

The most prominent sukkal was Ninshubur,[9] described both as sukkal of not only individual deities (Anu and Inanna) but also the entire divine assembly, and as a mistress of the lamma goddesses, another class of divine attendants.[10] Various texts attest that Ninshubur was viewed as very close to Inanna.[11]

List of Mesopotamian sukkals

Deity Corresponding sukkal Notes
Anu Ninshubur; Ilabrat; Papsukkal; Kaka Anu's sukkal doubled as sukkal of the divine assembly. All of the listed figures were conflated or confused with each other.[12][13]
Bau Lammašaga[14] Her name means “Good Guardian Lamma."
Damkina Geštugani[15] The name means "her ear."
Enki (Ea) Usmu (Isimud)[16] Known in Hurro-Hittite sources as Izzumi.[17][18] Depicted with two faces.
Enlil Nusku[19] Equated with Girra and Gibil. Sometimes regarded as the son of Enlil's distant ancestors, sometimes as son of Nanna, Anu or Enlil.
Ereshkigal Namtar[20] Namtar is also occasionally attested as Nergal's sukkal. A single source calls Enlil his father and Ereshkigal his mother.
Gibil Nablum[21] Defied flame.
Gula Nin-girzida[22] The name means "lady of the right knife," presumably "scalpel" in this context
Inanna (Ishtar) Ninshubur[23] Ninshubur is also attested as the sukkal or wife of Nergal.[24]
Ishkur (Adad) Nim-gir[25][26] Deified lightning.
Ishtaran Nirah[27] Confused with Irhan, a representation of a branch of Euphrates.
Manzat Sililitum[28] Also the name of a month in the Elamite calendar and of a bird.
Marduk Nabu[29] Later regarded as Marduk's firstborn son rather than servant.
Nanaya Kanisurra[30]
Nanna (Sin) Alammuš[31] Possibly a minor underworld god.
Nergal Ukur, later Ishum (Hendursanga)[32] Ukur's name is likely the imperative form of the verb "destroy" and some researchers view him as a deified sword.[33] Ishum was a son of Shamash in some texts.[34]
Ninegal Diqum[35] Minor judge deity.
Ningishzida Alla[36]
Ninlil Bizila[37] Sometimes equated with Nanaya.
Ninurta Inimmanizi[38] His name means "His word is true." Originally a common Sumerian given name.
Nungal Gišgu and 6 other servants[39] Multiple servants of Nungal are listed in a hymn to Nungal.
Sarpanit "Daughters of Esagila" (Katunna and Silluš-tab[40]) Described as Sarpanit's hairdressers.[41]
Tishpak Bashmu[42][43] Tishpak was depicted as a monster-slaying god and it's possible his sukkal represented a beast he pacified.
Urash Ipte-bit(am)[44] His name means "he opened the temple."
Utu (Shamash) Bunene[45] (charioteer); Nigzida and Nigsisa ("law" and "justice")[46]
Zababa Papsukkal[47] Later also a sukkal of Anu.

List of Hurro-Hittite sukkals

Caption text
God Corresponding sukkal Notes
Allani (Sun goddess of the Earth) A vizier is mentioned in the text CTH 371[48] Piotr Taracha doesn't list the name of the vizier (sukkal).
Aruna Impaluriref>G. Frantz-Szabó, Impaluri [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 5, 1980, p. 74</ref>[49] Ally of Kumarbi in myths.
Hebat Takiti[50] She was tasked with finding out if Teshub is alive in the Ullikummi myth.
Ḫešui Ḫupuštukar[51] Ḫešui[52] was a Hurro-Hittite war god, similar to Zababa.
Kumarbi Mukišānu[53] Named after Mukish.[54]
Pirengir Ninshubur or perhaps Ilabrat[55] Likely via syncretism with Inanna.
Šauška Ninatta and Kulitta[56][57] Later incorporated into the entourage of Ishtar in her temple the city of Ashur under the Akkadian names dNi-ni-tum and dKu-li-it-tum
Šimige Lipparuma[58][59] Equated with Bunene.[60]
Tarhunna Wasezzili and "storm god of the countryside"[61] Wasezzili was described as “hero of the gods" in Hittite texts.
Teshub Tashmishu (Šuwaliyat)[62] Equated with Ninurta. Teshub's older brother according to the Kumarbi cycle.

Notes

  1. ^ A. Archi, The West Hurrian Pantheon and Its Background [in:] B. J. Collins, P. Michalowski, Beyond Hatti. A tribute to Gary Beckman, 2013, p. 6
  2. ^ F. Wiggermann, The Staff of Ninsubura, JEOL 29, p. 8; 15
  3. ^ F. Wiggermann, The Staff of Ninsubura, JEOL 29, p. 18
  4. ^ F. Wiggerman, Nin-subur [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 9, 1998, p. 496-498
  5. ^ F. Wiggermann, The Staff of Ninsubura, JEOL 29, p. 19-20
  6. ^ M. P. Streck, Nusku [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 9, 1998, p. 630-631
  7. ^ F. Simons, The God Alammuš dLÀL / d.mùšLÀL, NABU 1, 2016, p. 9
  8. ^ F. Wiggermann, The Staff of Ninsubura, JEOL 29, p. 8-13
  9. ^ F. Wiggerman, Nin-subur [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 9, 1998, p. 497
  10. ^ J. Peterson, UET 6/1, 74, the Hymnic Introduction of a Sumerian Letter-Prayer to Ninšubur, Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie vol. 106, 2016, p. 38
  11. ^ F. Wiggerman, An Unrecognized Synonym of Sumerian sukkal, "vizier," Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie vol. 78, 1988, p. 228-229
  12. ^ J. M. Asher-Greve, J. G. Westenholz, ''Goddesses in Context: On Divine Powers, Roles, Relationships and Gender in Mesopotamian Textual and Visual Sources, 2013, p. 132
  13. ^ F. Wiggerman, Nin-subur [in:] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 9, 1998, p. 491
  14. ^ J. M. Asher-Greve, J. G. Westenholz, ''Goddesses in Context: On Divine Powers, Roles, Relationships and Gender in Mesopotamian Textual and Visual Sources, 2013, p. 53-54; 77
  15. ^ D. O. Edzard, Geštugani [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 3, 1971, p. 301
  16. ^ W. G. Lambert, Isimu A. Philologisch · Isimu A. Philological [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 5, 1980, p. 179
  17. ^ P. Taracha, Religions of Second Millennium Anatolia, 2009, p. 126
  18. ^ A. Archi, The West Hurrian Pantheon and Its Background [in:] B. J. Collins, P. Michalowski, Beyond Hatti. A tribute to Gary Beckman, 2013, p. 10
  19. ^ M. P. Streck, Nusku [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 9, 1998, p. 630-631
  20. ^ J. Klein, Namtar [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 9, 1998, p. 143
  21. ^ F. Wiggermann, The Staff of Ninsubura, JEOL 29, p. 22
  22. ^ A. Cavigneaux, M. Krebernik, Nin-ĝirzida [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 9, 1998, p. 367
  23. ^ F. Wiggerman, Nin-subur [in:] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 9, 1998, p. 490
  24. ^ F. Wiggerman, Nergal A. philologisch [in:] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 9, 1998, p. 220
  25. ^ M. Krebernik, Nim-ĝir [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 9, 1998, p. 319
  26. ^ F. Wiggermann, The Staff of Ninsubura, JEOL 29, p. 22
  27. ^ F. Wiggermann, Niraḫ, Irḫan [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 9, 1998, p. 572
  28. ^ W. G. Lambert, Manziʾat/Mazziʾat/Mazzât/Mazzêt [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 5, 1980, p. 345
  29. ^ F. Pomponio, Nabû A. Philologisch · Nabû A. Philological [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 9, 1998, p. 17
  30. ^ D. O. Edzard, Kanisurra [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 5, 1980, p. 389
  31. ^ F. Simons, The God Alammuš dLÀL / d.mùšLÀL, NABU 1, 2016, p. 9
  32. ^ F. Wiggerman, Nergal A. philologisch [in:] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 9, 1998, p. 220
  33. ^ M. Krebernik, dU.GUR [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 14, 2014, p. 297
  34. ^ A. R. George, The Gods Išum and Ḫendursanga: Night Watchmen and Street-lighting in Babylonia, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 1(74), 2015, p. 7
  35. ^ E. Ebeling, Diqum [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 2, 1938, p. 228
  36. ^ F. Wiggermann, The Staff of Ninsubura, JEOL 29, p. 8
  37. ^ J. M. Asher-Greve, J. G. Westenholz, ''Goddesses in Context: On Divine Powers, Roles, Relationships and Gender in Mesopotamian Textual and Visual Sources, 2013, p. 112
  38. ^ W. G. Lambert, Inimmanizi [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 5, 1980, p. 104
  39. ^ D. O. Edzard, Gišgu [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 3, 1971, p. 403
  40. ^ W. G. Lambert, Katunna [in:] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 5, 1980, p. 488
  41. ^ J. M. Asher-Greve, J. G. Westenholz, ''Goddesses in Context: On Divine Powers, Roles, Relationships and Gender in Mesopotamian Textual and Visual Sources, 2013, p. 113
  42. ^ M. Stol, Tišpak [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 14, 2014, p. 66
  43. ^ F. Wiggermann, Transtigridian Snake Gods [in:] I. L. Finkel, M. J. Geller (eds.), Sumerian Gods and their Representations, 1997, p. 39
  44. ^ W. G. Lambert, Ipte-bīt(am) [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 5, 1980, p. 151
  45. ^ J. M. Asher-Greve, J. G. Westenholz, ''Goddesses in Context: On Divine Powers, Roles, Relationships and Gender in Mesopotamian Textual and Visual Sources, 2013, p. 265
  46. ^ A. Cavigneaux, M. Krebernik,, Niĝzida und Niĝsisa · Niĝzida and Niĝsisa [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 9, 1998, p. 313
  47. ^ J. M. Asher-Greve, J. G. Westenholz, ''Goddesses in Context: On Divine Powers, Roles, Relationships and Gender in Mesopotamian Textual and Visual Sources, 2013, p. 93-94
  48. ^ P. Taracha, Religions of Second Millennium Anatolia, 2009, p. 109
  49. ^ H. A. Hoffner, Hittite myths (2nd ed.), 1998, p. 41
  50. ^ G. Wilhelm, Takitu [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 13, 2011, p. 417
  51. ^ V. Haas, Ḫupuštukar [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 4, 1975, p. 501
  52. ^ A. Kammenhauber, Ḫešui, Ḫišue [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 4, 1975, p. 369-370
  53. ^ G. Wilhelm, Mukišānu [in] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 8, 1993, p. 412-413
  54. ^ A. Archi, The West Hurrian Pantheon and Its Background [in:] B. J. Collins, P. Michalowski, Beyond Hatti. A tribute to Gary Beckman, 2013, p. 12
  55. ^ P. Taracha, Pirengir [in:] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 10, 2005, p. 571
  56. ^ G. Frantz-Szabó, Kulitta, Ninatta und [in:] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol. 6, 1983, p. 303-304
  57. ^ G. Wilhelm, The Hurrians, 1989, p. 52
  58. ^ G. Frantz-Szabó, Lipparuma [in:] Reallexikon der Assyriologie und vorderasiatischen Archäologie vol 7, 1990, p. 30
  59. ^ A. Archi, The West Hurrian Pantheon and Its Background [in:] B. J. Collins, P. Michalowski, Beyond Hatti. A tribute to Gary Beckman, 2013, p. 11
  60. ^ P. Taracha, Religions of Second Millennium Anatolia, 2009, p. 127
  61. ^ P. Taracha, Religions of Second Millennium Anatolia, 2009, p. 55
  62. ^ P. Taracha, Religions of Second Millennium Anatolia, 2009, p. 55
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