Šapal tibnim mû illak

Studies Presented to Joaquín Sanmartín on the Occasion

of His 65th Birthday
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 Šapal tibnim mû illak
STUDIES PRESENTED TO JOAQUÍN SANMARTÍN ON THE OCCASION
OF HIS 65TH BIRTHDAY

Edited by

Gregorio del Olmo Lete – Lluís Feliu – Adelina Millet Albà

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Joaquín Sanmartín (Zaragoza, 28.10.1941)
 Concerning the Etymology of Enlil: the An=Anum Approach1
Lluís Feliu – I.P.O.A. Universitat de Barcelona

This article is dedicated to Joaquín Sanmartín, whom I met in 1987 when he started giving the first
classes in Akkadian in the University of Barcelona. It is an honour to take part in this homage to him,
which he fully deserves.
Enlil, the national god of the Sumerians, has an etymology that has not been discussed by scholars for
some time. The traditional etymology of de n - l í l is based on the equation l í l = 2
‘The Lord air/wind,
3
storm’, which is the interpretation that most scholars accept. In recent years, however, some new

1. I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. M. Civil for his suggestions and corrections and to Dr. W.G.E. Watson who
was kind enough to correct my English. I should stress that any faults or errors are my responsibility. The abbreviations follow
those in the Reallexikon der Assyriologie 10 and R. Borger, Handbuch der Keilschriftliteratur 1-2 with the following additions:
AOAT 2572 = T. Richter, Untersuchungen zu den lokalen Panthea Süd- und Mittelbabyloniens in altbabylonischer Zeit (2.,
verbesserte und erweiterte Auflage), Münster 2004; BTT = A. George, Babylonian Topographical Texts, OLA 40, Leuven 1992;
CANE = J.M. Sasson (ed.), Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, New York 1995; CRRAI 43 = Ji í Prosecký (ed.), Intellectual
Life of the Ancient Near East. Papers Presented at the 43rd Rencontre assyriologique internationale, Prague, July 1-5, 1996,
Prague 1998; CRRAI 45 = T. Abusch et al. (eds.), Historiography in the Cuneiform World, Proceedings of the XLVe Rencontre
Assyriologique Internationale 1 Bethesda 2001; Dagan = L. Feliu, The God Dagan in Bronze Age Syria (Leiden/Boston 2003);
ETCSL = J.A. Black – G. Cunningham – J. Ebeling – E. Flückiger-Hawker, – E. Robson – J. Taylor – G. Zólyomi, The Electronic
Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/), Oxford 1998-; Fs. Fronzaroli = Semitic and Assyriological
Studies Presented to Pelio Fronzaroli by Pupils and Colleagues, Wiesbaden 2003; Fs. Sjöberg = H. Behrens – D. Loding – M.T.
Roth (eds.), DUMU-E2-DUB-BA-A. Studies in Honor of Åke W. Sjöberg (Occasional Publications of the Samuel Noah Kramer
Fund 11), Philadelphia 1989; HMH = A. George, House Most High. The Temples of Ancient Mesopotamia, Winona Lake 1993;
LSUr = P. Michalowski, The Lamentation over the Destruction of Sumer and Ur, Winona Lake 1989; Moon-God = M.G. Hall, A
Study of the Sumerian Moon-God, Nanna/Suen (Diss. Univ. of Pennsylvania 1985); MROA 1 = J. Sanmartín, “Mitología y
religión mesopotámicas’, in G. del Olmo Lete (ed.), Mitología y Religión del Oriente Antiguo I, Egipto – Mesopotamia, Sabadell
1993; MVS 9 = M. Such-Gutiérrez, Beiträge zum Pantheon von Nippur im 3. Jahrtausend, Rome 2003; SDB = Supplément au
Dictionnaire de la Bible; TD = T. Jacobsen, The Treasures of Darkness. A History of Mesopotamian Religion, New
Haven/London 1976; Wettergott = D. Schwemer, Die Wettergottgestalten Mesopotamiens und Nordsyriens im Zeitalter der
Keilschriftkulturen, Wiesbaden 2001.
2. Ea A = nâqu IV 8 (MSL 14 p. 355); CT 11 31 III 27 (Á = idu).
3. A. Deimel, Pantheon p. 75; B. Meissner, BuA 2 p. 6; G. Furlani, RBA 1 p. 117; F. Nötscher, Ellil p. 3; RlA 2 p. 382; É.
Dhorme, Religions p. 27; T. Jacobsen, The Intellectual Adventure of Ancient Man, Chicago 1946, p. 140; TD p. 98f.; W.G.
Lambert, BWL p. 4; AHw p. 203 s.v. Ellil; D.O. Edzard, WdM 1/1 p. 59; E. Sollberger – J.-R. Kupper, IRSA p. 301; J.
Sanmartín, MROA 1 p. 276; H. Koch, “Theology and Worship in Elam and Achaemenid Iran”, CANE 3, p. 1961; G. Selz,

Studies Presented to Joaquín Sanmartín

Aula Orientalis-Supplementa 22 (2006) 229-246 229
 LLUÍS FELIU

proposals have appeared that question the traditional etymology of the god. P. Steinkeller has suggested a
non-Sumerian etymology of Enlil. More specifically, he proposed a Semitic etymology of the name Enlil
as *il-il ‘god of (all) the gods’, in view of the equation in the bilingual vocabulary of Ebla (MEE 4 p. 290
line 802: de n - l í l = i-lu-lu).4 Likewise, P. Michalowski proposed a similar approach to the problem and
suggested interpreting the name Enlil as the Sumerianisation, by dissimilation, of the reduplicated Semitic
word l ‘god’ ( l > l l > Enlil5). On the other hand, in his introduction on the Uruk texts, R. K. Englund
criticises the old theory strongly defended by T. Jacobsen: “Jacobsen (...) incidentally analyses the name
Enlil again as ‘Lord Wind’ against current opinion that the name represents a popular Sumerian
etymology of a substrate name Ellil/Illil, whence the Akkadian ellilu, ellil tu, derived”.6 J.J. Glassner has
also joined in this new tendency of ‘de-Sumerianising’ the name of Enlil: “Si l’on en croit la graphie de
son nom, En+líl, il est un dieu tisserand ou vannier. Car le signe líl peut aussi se lire kid, ‘natte de roseau’,
comme il peut se lire é, ‘maison, lieu de résidence d’un groupe social homogène. (...) À vrai dire, Enlil
pourrait être un dieu d’origine sémitique; son nom serait Illilu que les Sumériens auraient adopté sous la
forme Enlil. On serait en présence, avec lui, d’une divinité mixte, ‘Dieu’ (le nom Illilu serait la
réduplication de la racine sémitique il, ‘dieu’) pour les uns, ‘Seigneur-souffle’ pour les autres”.7 G.J. Selz
also argues against the traditional etymology of Enlil and accepts the new proposal of Steinkeller and
Michalowski.8
T. Jacobsen argues against the proposal of P. Steinkeller and attempts to reinforce the arguments in
favour of the traditional etymology of Enlil.9 Jacobsen attempts to find an atmospheric character of Enlil
in order to reinforce his etymological proposal. He bases his arguments on the equation l í l = ru / z q qu
attested in lexical lists. According to Jacobsen, this association is well attested in relation to Enlil because

Untersuchungen zur Götterwelt des altsumerischen Stadtstaates von Lagaš (Occasional Publications of the Samuel Noah Kramer
Fund, 13) Philadelphia 1995, p. 125; P. Mander, “General Considerations on Main Concerns in the Religion of Ancient
Mesopotamia”, in S. Graziani (ed.), Studi sul Vicino Oriente Antico dedicati alla memoria di Luigi Cagni, Naples 2000, pp. 636f.;
A. Green, The Storm-God in the Ancient Near East, Winona Lake 2003, p. 34; B. Groneberg, Die Götter des Zweistromlandes,
Düsseldorf/Zürich 2004, p. 62 (with reference to Ninlil). To some extent, S.N. Kramer argued against this etymology; he accepts
the meaning of l í l as ‘wind, air, spirit’ but rejects the meaning ‘storm’ (S.N. Kramer, JCS 2 [1948] p. 54).
4. P. Steinkeller, “On Rulers, Priests and Sacred Marriage: Tracing the Evolution of Early Sumerian Kingship”, in K.
Watanabe (ed.), Priests and Officials in the Ancient Near East, Heidelberg 1999, p. 114 n. 36.
5. P. Michalowski, “The Unbearable Lightness of Enlil”, CRRAI 43 pp. 241f. On the echo of Semitic il in Ellil/Illil see J.
Sanmartín, MROA 1 p. 276 n. 131: “Más tarde se hizo general en Babilonia, junto a la grafía arcaizante En.líl, la forma asimilada
Enlil o Illil (il-líl) en la que resuena el vocablo semítico il ‘dios’”. On the etymological interpretation of Enlil, see the old theory
of A.T. Clay, who related Hebrew lylym ‘idols’ to Enlil (“Ellil, the God of Nippur” AJSL 23 [1907] p. 277). For a similar
Sumerian form of a Semitic name see, for example, Nišš ku, an epithet of Ea written in the ‘Sumerian style’ dn i n - š i - k ù (see A.
Cavigneaux – M. Krebernik, RlA 9 p. 590).
6. R.K. Englund, “Texts from the Late Uruk Period”, Mesopotamien, Späturuk-Zeit und Frühdynastische Zeit, OBO 160/1,
p. 75 n. 151 see also p. 92: “the earth God Enlil”.
7. J.J. Glassner, “Sumer”, SDB 13 (2002) pp. 320f. See also W.G. Lambert’s doubts concerning the traditional etymology of
Enlil, “Patron Gods of Agriculture in the Sumero-Babylonian Pantheon?”, CRRAI 41 p. 356 n. 6.
8. G.J. Selz, “’Babilismus’ und die Gottheit dNindagar”, in O. Loretz – K.A. Metzler – H. Schaudig (eds.), Ex Mesopotamia
et Syria Lux: Festschrift für Manfried Dietrich zu seinem 65. Geburtstag (AOAT 281), Münster 2002, p. 662, where Selz
discusses many traditional etymologies of Mesopotamian god names. It is surprising to find the two major gods of the strongly
Sumerian city of Nippur with two possible Semitic etymologies: Enlil < il il or il-il and Ninurta as ‘Lord Earth’ < Sum. n i n +
Sem. r / see C. Suter, Gudea’s Temple Building (Cuneiform Monographs 17), Groningen 2000, p. 107 n. 186 and a personal
communication from M. Civil. However, see M.P. Streck, RlA 9 p. 513.
9. T. Jacobsen, “The lil2 of dEn-lil2”, Fs. Sjöberg pp. 267-276.

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 CONCERNING THE ETYMOLOGY OF ENLIL: THE AN=ANUM APPROACH

this deity has a clear connection with wind and storm. A crucial argument presented by Jacobsen10 is a
section of the so-called Nippur Compendium:
d
STT 400 37: DI i m - u18- l u é-a a d d i n g i r - m e š
d
K. 2892+ 1: i m - u18- l u é-a a-bu d i n g i r - m e š
K. 4349W 3’: i m - u18- l u [d ]
d
TIM 9 60 III 2’: i m - u18- l u é-a[…]
d
STT 400 38: DI i m - k u r - r a en-líl e n gim-ri šá-a-ri
d
K. 2892+ 2: [i ] m - k u r - r a en-líl e n gim-ri
K. 4349W 4’: im-kur-ra [d ]
d
TIM 9 60 III 3’: im-kur-ra en-líl e n gi[m-… ]
d
STT 400 39: DI i m - s i - s á nin-líl g a š a n za-qí-qí
d
K. 2892+ 3: [i ] m - s i - s á nin-líl e n za-qí-qí
K. 4349W 5’: im-si-sá [d ]
d
TIM 9 60 III 4’: im-si-sá nin-líl be-[…]
d
STT 400 40 DI i m - m a r - t u a-num a d a n - m e š
d
K. 2892+ 4: [i ] m - m a r - t u a-nu a d a n-e
K. 4349W 6’: [i ] m - m a r - t u [d ]
d
TIM 9 60 III 5’: im-mar-tu a-num a-b[i…]

STT 400 38 provides a strong argument which connects Enlil with an atmospheric character, but the
duplicate K. 2892+ seems to weaken this option. On the other hand, the power of winds in relation to
different deities is not an extraordinary phenomenon in Sumero-Babylonian religion11 and, accordingly, if
Enlil is ‘The Lord of totality’ (b l gimri), in some cases he can also rule as the ‘Lord of all winds’ (b l
gimri š r ). Nevertheless, A. Livingstone interprets šá-a-ri in STT 400: 38 as a gloss on Sumerian š á r , a
Sumerian equivalent of Akkadian gimru, setting aside the relation to ‘wind’.12 On the other hand, Enlil has
a relation to physical features such as mountains or rivers, and therefore his relation to a specific wind is
not surprising.13
Of special importance for the elucidation of the etymology of Enlil is the case of Ninlil b l(et) z q q .
The term z q qu has no clear translation and, according to A. George (BTT 153), z q qu does not refer to
the wind of the storm but to phantoms. The relation between l í l and z q qu is well attested in lexical
lists,14 but the dictionaries do not agree in interpreting the term in context. For example, CAD Z p. 60:
“The only passages in which s i s i g and l í l correspond to me û and š ru are those cited in the lex.
section, and these correspondences are not paralleled in bil. texts”. However, note the partial criticism of

10. Fs. Sjöberg p. 271; see also W.G. Lambert, CRRAI 41 p. 356 n. 6.
11. See the similar texts where the winds are related to various deities: J. Nougayrol, “Les quatre vents”, RA 60 (1966) p. 73
3’-6’: [i ] m - u18- l u ša-a-ri ša i-na ma-har dé-a iz-z[i-zu] / i m - k u r - r a ša-a-ri ša i-na ma-har den-líl iz-zi-zu / i m - s i - s á
ša-a-ri ša i-na ma-har dIM ù dnin-urta iz-zi-zu / i m - m a r - t u ša-a-ri ša i-na ma-har da-nim iz-zi-zu (see also A. Livingstone,
MMEW p. 75). See G. Meier, “Ritual für das Reisen über Land”, AfO 12 (1937-39) p. 143 and pl. X col. II 24-7: mu -ri i m - u18-
l u na-ra-am-ti dé-a / MIN i m - s i - s á na-ra-am-ti d30 / mu- ur i m - k u r - r a na-ra-am-mu da-nim / MIN i m - m a r - t u na-
ra-am-mu dé-a u da-nim (see also A. Livingstone, MMEW p. 75).
12. A. Livingstone, MMEW p. 76; see also W.G. Lambert, CRRAI 41 p. 356 n. 6. On š á r = kiššatum see CAD K 457 s.v.
(lexical section).
13. Cf. RA 60 (1966) p. 73 line 7’; A. Livingstone, MMEW p. 77. In that line see also SBH 4 90: e - l u m i m - g i n7
i m - g i n7 = kab-tu ki-ma šá-a-ri : ina me-he-e : ki-ma šá-a-ri. ‘bison/mighty as wind, as wind: in the storm’.
14. Ea A = nâqu IV 7 (MSL 14 355); CT 11 31 III 29 (Á = idu). The etymology ‘Herr der Erde’ in K.L. Tallqvist (AGE p.
295) is clearly based on a misinterpretation of CT 12 22 rev. 8’, cf. Ea A = naqû IV/4 197 (MSL 14 p. 387).

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 LLUÍS FELIU

W.G. Lambert: “CAD sub voce zaq qu rejects the idea that this word can ever mean ‘Storm wind’, but
since it is derived no doubt from zâqu ‘blow’ and some contexts positively require something with force
(in addition to this passage note Rm 259 obv. 15: za-qí-qu lit-bal), it seems unwise to restrict the meaning
to ‘nothingness’ and ‘ghost’”.15 In fact, W. von Soden translates z q qu as ‘Wind, Hauch’ in some
contexts.16 Accordingly, Ninlil b l(et) z q q could be interpreted as ‘Ninlil, the lady of phantoms’ or as
‘Ninlil, the lady of the wind’.
Jacobsen17 also attempts to relate Enlil and dUD as “(God) Storm” with regard to Aa III/3 10 (MSL 14
p. 332), but in this section UD is also connected with the Weather-god (dIM) and with deities with no
atmospheric character such as the Moon-god (d30) or Ištar.18 On the other hand, UD is related to Enlil in
the Nippur Compendium as ‘day’ ( mu), in parallel with ‘month’ (ar u), which is related to Anum and
‘year’ (šattu) in relation to Ea.19
D.O. Edzard20 also criticises the proposal of Steinkeller and Michalowski. According to Edzard, in
Ebla the sign I- represents [yi-] rather than [ i]21 and accordingly the writing di-li-lu does not represent
* il il but the transposition of the writing de n -É which should be pronounced [Yil(l)il(u)] < *Y / n-lil.22
He accepts the Sumerian interpretation of the name.
The An=Anum list and Proto-An=Anum23 (TCL 15 10) are important sources for the names, epithets,
family and courts of each deity, and are also crucial for understanding the structure of the Babylonian
pantheon. There is a large number of syncretisms between various deities or the specific characters of
some deities that Assyriologists would find hard to explain without the An=Anum list. This list could be a
good foundation in attempting to determine the etymology of Enlil, or, at the very least, to reject some of
the proposals made. The method used here is very simple. First, we will study the sections on two well-
known deities, with stable characters: Sîn, the Moon-god and Šamaš, the Sun-god. Then, we will compare
these sections with the Enlil section in tablet I.24
Sîn
d d
III l. nanna EN.ZU
d d
YBC 2401 IV 167: nanna e š(40)
d
KAV 51 obv. 1: n a n n [a…]
[d] d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 1: nanna EN.ZU

15. W.G. Lambert, “A piece of esoteric Babylonian Learning”, RA 68 (1974) p. 155.

16. AHw p. 1530 s.v. z q qu. Cf. the discussion on l í l in D.O. Edzard, “Enlil, Vater der Götter”, in Fs. Fronzaroli pp.
179ff.; P. Attinger, Eléments de linguistique sumérienne . La construction de du11/e/di "dire", (OBO Sonderband)
Fribourg/Göttingen 1993 p. 709; on zaq qu see also S.A.L. Butler, Mesopotamian Conceptions of Dreams and Dream Rituals,
(AOAT 258) Münster 1998 pp. 78ff.
17. Fs. Sjöberg p. 271 n. 22.
18. On the other hand see also Proto-Aa 151:1-4 (MSL 14 p. 95), where only du t u and dIM are attested.
19. See A. George, BTT p. 152 line 6’: TIM 9 60 III 6’: u4 den-líl; BTT pl. 34 5: [u4]-mu den-líl. See also A. Livingstone,
MMEW pp. 77f..
20. D.O. Edzard, Fs. Fronzaroli pp. 173-184.
21. D.O. Edzard, Fs. Fronzaroli p. 175; see also P. Michalowski, CRRAI 43 p. 242 n. 9.
22. D.O. Edzard, Fs. Fronzaroli pp. 176f.; see also M. Krebernik, RlA 9 p. 459.
23. According to W.G. Lambert, SLT 121 is the earliest fragment of the canonical recension of An=Anum, probably from
the Cassite period (see RlA 3 p. 475 apud S.N. Kramer and M. Civil). However, cf. the assertion of J.J.A. van Dijk, who dates
An=Anum to the OB period (J.J.A. van Dijk, “Inanna raubt den ‘großen Himmel’. Ein Mythos”, in S.M. Maul (ed.), Festschrift
für Rykle Borger zu seinem 65. Geburtstag am 24. Mai 1994 [Cuneiform Monographs M 10] Groningen 1998 p. 9 n. 3).
24. Key to the manuscripts: K.2097 = CT 24 18; K.2124 = CT 25 32; K.4333 = CT 24 2-3, 5-8, 10-11; K.4340+ = CT 24 1-
2, 4-5, 8-9, 11; K.4343 = CT 25 25; K.4349 = CT 24 20ff; K.4349N+ = CT 24 50; YBC 2401 = R.L. Litke An Anum pl. Iff.; 80-
7-19, 131 = CT 25 46.

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 CONCERNING THE ETYMOLOGY OF ENLIL: THE AN=ANUM APPROACH

d
III 2. EN.ZU MIN
d
YBC 2401 IV 168: EN.ZU MIN
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 2: EN.ZU […]
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 2: EN.ZU MIN
d MIN
III 3. 30 MIN
d
YBC 2401 IV 169: MIN-30 MIN
[d]si-en-nu
KAV 51 obv. 3: 30 […]
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 3: 30 MIN
d
III 4. g i š - n u11-g a l MIN ‘The great light’25
d
YBC 2401 IV 170: g i š - n u11-g a l MIN
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 4: g i š - n u11-g a l […]
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 4: g i š - n u11-g a l MIN

d
III 5. bu-nir MIN ?26
d
YBC 2401 IV 171: bu-nir MIN
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 5: bu-nir MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 5: bu-nir MIN

d
III 6. áb-kára MIN ‘The shining cow’27
d
YBC 2401 IV 172: áb-kára MIN
d
KAV 51 obv. 6: áb-tir MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 6: áb-kára MIN

d
III 7. áb-lu-lu MIN ‘Who multiplies the cows’28
d
YBC 2401 IV 173: áb-lu-lu MIN
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 7: áb-lu-lu MIN
d
III 8. m e n - š u - d u7 MIN ‘The perfect tiara’29
d
YBC 2401 IV 174: m e n - š u - d u7 MIN
d
K.4349 IV 1: m e n - š[u - d u 7]
d
KAV 51 obv. 8: m e n - š u - d u7 MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 7: m e n - š u - d u7 MIN

25. See also TCL 15 10:151; CT 25 28 K.2115 II 6´. Cf. Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott p. 125; M.G. Hall, Moon-God pp. 657f.; M.
Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 363. Cf. é - k i š / g i š - n u(11)- g a l, the name of the temple of Sîn at Ur (A. George, HMH 114 no. 653).
26. An=Anum ša am li 33: [db u - n]i r = d30 šá ni-ip- i ‘Bunir is Sîn of rising’.
27. Cf. M. Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 363 ‘der die Kuh rettet(?)’. See also TCL 15 10: 152. An=Anum ša am li 34: [dá b]-k a r =
d
30 šá su-pu-ri ‘Abkar is Sîn of the sheepfold’. See also A. Livingstone, MMEW p. 30 line 2 and p. 45.
28. See é - á b - l u - a ‘The house of numerous cows’, the name of the temple of Sîn at Urum (A. George, HMH p. 64 no.
29). An=Anum ša am li 35: á b - l u - l u = d30 šá i-gi-se-e ‘Ablulu is Sîn of gifts’. Concerning Nanna-Sîn as shepherd cf. M.G.
Hall, Moon-God pp. 623ff.; T. Jacobsen, TD 124; cf. the balbale to Nanna: m e - a u d u á b m e - a l u - l u / š i l a m dEN.ZU
m e - a l u - l u ‘How many there are! How many cows there are! How many cattle of Suen there are!’ (Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott p.
13 lines 1-2, translations from ETCL balbale to Nanna [Nanna A, 4.13.01]; on this composition see. M.G. Hall, Moon-God pp.
464ff.). Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott p. 18 ‘der Gott, der die Kühe zahlreich macht’; M. Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 363 ‘der die Kühe weidet’.
29. See TCL 15 10:153: dm e n - e - d u7. Cf. M. Krebernik, RlA 8 pp. 62f.

233
 LLUÍS FELIU

d
III 9. m e n - d à r a - a n - n a MIN ‘The tiara: “ibex of Heaven”’30
d
YBC 2401 IV 175: men-dàra-an-na MIN
K.4349 IV 1: […]
d
K.2097 I 1: […]
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 8: men-dàra-an-na MIN

d
III 10. m e n - d à r a - d i n g i r - r a MIN ‘The tiara: “ibex of the gods”’31
d
K.4349 IV 2: m e n - d à r a - d i n[g i r - r a]
d
KAV 51 obv. 9: m e n - d à r a - d i n g i r - r a MIN

d
III 11. m e n - z a l a gza-la-ag- b ú r MIN ‘The bright tiara …’32
d
YBC 2401 IV 176: men-zalag-búr MIN
K.4349 IV 2: [...]
d
K.2097 I 2: m e n - z a l a gza[…]
d
KAV 51 obv. 10: men-zálag-búr MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 9: m e n - z á l a gza-la-ag- b u r MIN

d
III 12. g i16- s a - a n - n a MIN ‘Jewel of Heaven’33
d
YBC 2401 IV 177: g i16-s a - a n - n a MIN
d
K.4349 IV 3: g i16-s a - a [n - n ]a
d
K.2097 I 3: g i16- s a - a[n - n a…]
d
KAV 51 obv. 11: g i16- s a - a n - n a!34 MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 10: gi-sa-an-na M[IN]

d
III 13. g i16- s a - a MIN ‘Treasure’35
d
YBC 2401 IV 178: g i16- s a - a MIN
d
K.4349 IV 3: g i16- s a - x[…]
d
K.2097 I 4: g i6- s a - […]
K.2124 1: […]-s[a…]x
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 12: g i16- s a - a MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 11: g i6g[i]- s a - a [M]IN

30. The translation ‘The august tiara of the Heaven’ (see K.L. Tallqvist, AGE p. 443 ‘hohe Götterkrone’ m e n - d à r a -
d i n g i r - r a; M. Krebermik, RlA 8 pp. 58 and 363 ‘erhabene Tiara des Himmels’. Cf. also the equations d à r a = šarru, malku cf.
AHw and CAD s.v. in lexical sections) is also possible, but the equation d à r a = šaqû is only attested in SBH 9 rev. 18-19 // SBH
10 rev. 3-4: á - d à r a g a š a n - u r - s a g - g á š a - ( m u - u n - u 5), i-dan šá-qa-a-tú be-lit d i n g i r - m e š MIN (cf. M.
Cohen, CLAM p. 508 line a+121, who translates á - d à r a as ‘ibex horns’ cf. also p. 518 n. 121 and PSD A/2 p. 109 s.v.; D.
Schwemer, Wettergott p. 63 n. 365 [on da l i m - d à r a in An=Anum III 228]). See the name of Enki’s ship in ‘Enki and the World
Order’ line 107: m á - g u r8- g u10 m e n - d à r a - a b z u. An=Anum ša am li 32: [dm e n - d à ] r a - a n = d30 šá ik-ri-be
‘Mendaran is Sîn of prayer’.
31. A variant of the previous epithet.
32. See M. Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 65. See the other epithets of Nanna-Sîn related to m e n ‘tiara’: a - a dn a n n a u m u n
m e n - d a l l a - n a / abu dn a n n a b lu agê š pû ‘Father Nanna, lord of the shining tiara’ (Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott p. 166 line 7);
m e n - k ù ‘The pure tiara’ (Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott 99 with references in the Gudea inscriptions; see also VS 2 4 rev. 8: n a n n a
m e - e n - z u k u - k u - g [ u ]); m e n u r i5ki- m a (Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott p. 70 lines 3-4 = TCL 15 30; p. 65 line 5 = TCL 16 pl.
152); n u n m e n - n a s a g - í l ‘prince, with(?) the crown lifting his head’ (Å. Sjöberg, “Miscellaneous Sumerian Hymns”, ZA
63 [1973] p. 31 line 8); m e n r i - b a ‘Enormous tiara’ (Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott p. 65 line 3 = TCL 16 pl. 152); Sîn šar agê b l
namrirr ‘Sîn, king of the tiara, lord of radiance’ (RIMA 3 p. 51 line 7); see also M.G. Hall, Moon-God pp. 627ff.
33. See D.O. Edzard – W.G. Lambert, RlA 3 p. 402.
34. For this reading cf. the collation in D.O. Edzard – W.G. Lambert, RlA 3 p. 402.
35. Var. dg i6- s a - a ‘midnight’ see M. Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 363. For s a = mišlu cf. I 177 (MSL 5 p. 22 n. 177 u4- s a -
à m).

234
 CONCERNING THE ETYMOLOGY OF ENLIL: THE AN=ANUM APPROACH

d
III 14. má-gu-la-an-na MIN ‘The great boat of Heaven’36
d
YBC 2401 IV 179: má-gu-la-an-na MIN
d
K.4349 IV 4: má-gu-la-an-na
d
K.2097 I 5: m á - g u - l a - a [n - n a…]
K.2124 2: [dm á ]- g u - l a - a n - n a […]
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 13: má-gu-la-an-na MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 12: má-gul-la-na MIN

d
III 15. dumu-nun-na MIN ‘Princely son’37
d
YBC 2401 IV 180: d u m u - n u n - n a MIN
d
K.4349 IV 4: d u m u - n[u n - n a]
d
K.2097 I 6: d u m u - n u n - [n a…]
[d]
K.2124 3: d u m u - n u n - n a d[…]
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 14: d u m u - n u n - n a MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 13: d u m u - n u n - n a MIN

d
III 16. d u m u - gig i7 MIN ‘The noble son’.38
d gi
YBC 2401 IV 181: d u m u - g i7 MIN
d
K.4349 IV 5: d u m u - g i7
d
K.2097 I 7: d u m u-g[i…]
[d]
K.2124 4: d u m u-gig i7 d
30
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 15: d u m u-gig i7 MIN
d
SpTU 1 126+3 107 14: d u m u -gig i7 MIN

d
III 17. lugal MIN ‘King’39
d
YBC 2401 IV 182: lugal MIN
d
K.4349 IV 5: l [u g a l]
d
K.2097 I 8: l [u g a l]
d d
K.2124 5: lugal 30
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 16: lugal MIN
[d]
SpTU 1 126+3 107 15: lugal MIN

36. For other epithets of Nanna-Sîn related to boats see m á - g u r8 below.

37. See TCL 15 10: 154. This epithet refers to the father-son relationship between Enlil and Nanna-Sîn; see d u m u n u n
é - k u r - r a in this line, referring to dd i l i - í m - b a b b a r (see the attestations in Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott p. 142; M.G. Hall, Moon-
God p. 647), the name of the temple of Sîn at Uruk é - d u m u - n u n - n a, (George, HMH p. 80 no. 214) or the epithet d u m u -
n u n - z i - de n - l í l - l á (RIME 4 p. 17 lines 3-4, see also M.G. Hall, Moon-God p. 646. See also d u m u - s a g - de n - l í l - l á in
M.G. Hall, Moon-God pp. 647f.; for both epithets see M. Such-Gutiérrez, MVS 9/2 p. 448). This filiation is operative in the Ab
al b texts cf. the UD.GAL.NUN-orthography text IAS 114 I 14-16: UDn a n n a a m a a / [U]DKIŠ-NUN / [U]Dn i n - l í l
‘Parents of Nanna: Enlil and Ninlil’ (Cf. M. Krebernik, “Die Texte aus F ra und Tell Ab al b ”, OBO 160/1 p. 322 n. 806;
RlA 8 p. 364. However, cf. J. Klein, “The Genealogy of Nanna-Suen and Its Historical Background”, CRRAI 45/1 pp. 280ff.
[filiation from the reign of Ur-Namma]). An=Anum and Proto-An=Anum did not follow this tradition because they separated the
section of the Moon-god from the Enlil section, in contrast to the Ninurta section which is inside the section of his father (J. Klein,
CRRAI 45/1 p. 291 n. 61).
38. On this epithet of Nanna see P. Michalowski, LSUr p. 87 line 167, see also, M.G. Hall, Moon-God p. 644f. d u m u - g i7
is also related to other deities and kings: Adad (CT 25 16 line 13; D. Schwemer, Wettergott p. 81); Nanše (P. Michalowski, LSUr
line 167); Inana (Å.W. Sjöberg, “Sumerian Texts and Fragments in the University of Pennsylvania Museum Related to Rulers of
Isin”, AOAT 253 p. 351 line 1, d u m u - g i7 é - m a - a; J.S. Cooper, The Curse of Agade, Baltimore/London 1983 p. 52 line
56, d u m u - g i7-g i n7); Gilgameš (ETCSL); Šulgi (G.R. Castellino, Two Šulgi Hymns (BC) p. 30 line 12 [Šulgi B]).
39. For this epithet of Nanna see M.G. Hall, Moon-God pp. 672ff.

235
 LLUÍS FELIU

d
III 18. umun MIN ‘Lord’40
d
YBC 2401 IV 183: umun MIN
d
K.4349 IV 6: umun
d
K.2097 I 9: umun
d d
K.2124 6: umun 30
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 17: umun MIN
SpTU 1 126+3 107 16: [du m u ]n- u d [MIN]
d
III 19. mu-hé-gál-la MIN ‘Years of plenty’41
d
YBC 2401 IV 184: m u - h é - g á l - l [a…]
d
K.4349 IV 6: m u - h é - g á l - […]
d
K.2097 I 10: m u - g á l - l [a]
d d
K.2124 7: mu-gál-la 30
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 18: m u -[g á l]- l a MIN
SpTU 1 126+3 107 17: […]x-g a l - l i [MIN]

d
III 20. i d i mdím- h u š MIN ‘Furious bison’42
d
YBC 2401 IV 185: i d i m -[h u š MIN]
d
K.4349 IV 7: idim-huš
d
K.2097 I 11: i d i mdím- h [u š]
d d
K.2124 8: idim-huš 30
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 19: idim-huš MIN
SpTU 1 126+3 107 18: […dí]m[h ]u š MIN

d
III 21. unken MIN ‘Assembly’
d
YBC 2401 IV 186: [...]
d
K.4349 IV 7: [...]
d un-ke-en
K.2097 I 12: u [n k e n]
K.2124 9:43 d
ukken d
30
d
KAV 51 obv. 20: ukken MIN
SpTU 3 107 I 19: [du k k]e n MIN

d
III 22. u n k e n - u r u16 MIN ‘Powerful assembly’44
d
YBC 2401 IV 187: u n k e n - a [n ...]
d
K.4349 IV 8: u n k e n - u r u16ru
d
K.2097 I 13: u n k e n - a n - ù r uúº-[...]

40. Emesal form.

41. For this epithet related to Nanna-Sîn see M.G. Hall, Moon-God p. 789 line 10 (Šu-Sîn F: 10 ETCSL).
42. The equation idim = kus/šarikku is only attested in lexical texts, see Aa A=nâqu II/3 E: 23’ (MSL 14 p. 278); D. Arnaud,
Emar 6/4 537 line 698’ (688’ according to the new line count of Å. Sjöberg, “Studies in the Emar Sa Vocabulary”, ZA 88 [1998]
p. 276). See also M. Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 363 ‘feuriger Wisent (?)’.
dd d
43. K.2124 10ff. resumes differently: LAMMA-da-kar-ra 30
d
mul-an-na 30
d d
lugal-kalam-ma-ù-tu-ud 30
d d
30 30
d
ud-30 še-la-š-u-ugan d
30
d
[…]-nir 30
d
[…]-nir 30
d
[…]-ga 30
d
[…]x 30
d
[…] 30
d
[…] 30
44. M. Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 363 ‘mächtige Versammlung’.

236
 CONCERNING THE ETYMOLOGY OF ENLIL: THE AN=ANUM APPROACH

d
KAV 51 obv. 21: u n k e n -[a n?]- ú r u!(URUxŠÀ) MIN
SpTU 3 107 I 20: […]-ù r u MIN

d d
III 23. u4- s a k a r nanna-rum45 ‘New-moon’
d
YBC 2401 IV 188: [...]
d
K.4349 IV 8: u4-s a k a r n[a?-…]
d
K.2097 I 14: s a[k a r?]
[d]
KAV 51 obv. 22: u 4- s a k a r na-an-n[a …]
d
SpTU 3 107 I 21: […- s a]k a r n a n n a-rum

d
III 24. má MIN ‘Ship’
d
YBC 2401 V 1: m á[...]
d
K.4349 IV 9: má
d
K.2097 I 15: má
[d] ma
KAV 51 obv. 23: má MIN
SpTU 3 107 I 22: [dm ]á MIN

d
III 25. má-gur8 MIN ‘Barge’46
d
YBC 2401 V 1: [...]
d
K.4349 IV 9: [...]
d
K.2097 I 16: m á - g[u r8]
KAV 51 obv. 24: [dm á]- g u r8 MIN
SpTU 3 107 I 23: […]- g u r8 MIN

d
III 26. d i l i - í mim- b a b b a r d
nam-ra- i-it ‘The unique, the shining one who runs’
= ‘The shining one rises’47

45. This epithet is regularly interpreted as ‘new-moon' (cf. usk ru ‘(Mond-)Sichel’, AHw p. 143) or war u ‘(new) moon;
month’, AHw p. 1466; CAD A/2 p. 259; STC 2 p. 49 line 18: u4- s a k a r : ár- a; M.G. Hall, Moon-God p. 705; M. Krebernik,
RlA 8 p. 360, but An=Anum equates it with nannarum ‘luminary’ (the manuscript K.4349 IV [CT 24 30ff.] does not include the
second column of the text [the MIN column] but in the copy by L.W. King there appear to be some traces of wedges in line 8b,
after du4- s a k a r. These traces could be interpreted as the beginning of nannaru attested syllabically in KAV 51). The reading of
d
u4-s a k a r as nann rum seems to be assured by the syllabic writing in KAV 51. See W. Yuhong, “Two Sumerian names in the
mouths of the Akkadians: the etymology of Nanna and Inanna, ‘the Lord of Heaven’ and ‘the Queen of Heaven’”, CRRAI 48 p.
450.
46. Tablet III lines 14, 24 and 25 refers to the identification of the Moon-god with a vessel or boat. The identification of the
Moon-God with a ship is well attested in Sumero-Babylonian literature, see the balbale of Nanna, where the Moongod is qualified
as: ‘the king, the holy barge which travels across the sky’ (l u g a l m á - g u r 8 k ù a n - n a d i r i - g a, Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott
p. 14 line 41; translation from ETCSL Nanna A 4.13.01: 41). See also the introduction to En ma Anu Enlil in L.W. King, STC 2
pl. 49 line 3: m á - g u r8 dEN.ZU- n a, and the grammatical note in line 17: dm á - g u r8 = dn a n n a-ru RU = e-de-šu. dm á - g u r8
could be interpreted as the new moon (see the Samsu-iluna bilingual inscription: n a m - t i - l a, dn a n n a - g i n7, i t i - i t i - d a
m ú - m ú - d a, / 70-2: [ba-la- ]am ša ki-ma dEN.ZU, wa-a[r- i]-ša-am, ú-t[e-e]d-di-šu, RIME 4 3.7.5: 75-6, 70-2 [p. 382]) or as
the light which shines in the sky (nann ru, see III 23; see also CT 16 21 186-7: u4- s a k a r - g i b i l - g i n7 s a g - b i s u - l i m
g ù r - r u - a / ki-ma na-an-na-ri ed-de-ši-i ina re-ši-šú ša-lum-m[a-ta našû], CAD N/1 s.v. nannaru A, lexical section [p. 260]).
See other attestations of the identification of Nanna-Sîn with a boat in Å. Sjöberg, Mondgott 27; M.G. Hall, Moon-God pp. 675ff.;
see also W.G. Lambert, RlA 7 p. 192 (s.v. Ma).
47. See Proto-An=Anum TCL 15 10: 150; An=Anum ša am li 38: d i l i - < í m > - b a b b a r - r a = d30 šá i-su nam-rat ‘Sîn
of his shining rises’. Cf. the bilingual text CT 16 15 V 19-20: z i dEN.ZU- n a e n dd i l i - í m - b a b b a r - r a - k e4 é - p à d / ni-
iš d30 e n nam-ra ši-it lu ta-ma-tam (see CAD N/1 s.v. namru lexical section [p. 240]). J. Krecher, “Morphemeless Syntax in
Sumerian as Seen on the Background of Word-Composition in Chukchee”, ASJ 9 (1987) p. 74; This epithet is well attested in
Ab - al b texts (M.G. Hall, Moon-God p. 43; M. Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 362). For the reading of the name as d i - l i - b á b b a r -
r a (CT 58 44 4'), d i - i l - i m - b a? - p a - r a, d i l - l i m - b á b b a r - r a see A. Cavigneaux – F.N.H. Al-Rawi, “Textes Magiques
de Tell Haddad (Textes de Tell Haddad II). Troisième partie”, ZA 85 (1995) p. 206; M. Krebernik, RlA 8 p. 363. For Šulgi G (CT

237
 LLUÍS FELIU

d
YBC 2401 V 2: d i l i -[...]
d
K.4349 IV 10: d i l i -[...]
d
K.2097 I 17: d i l i - í mim- b a b b a r […]
d
KAV 51 obv. 25: […]- í m - b a b b a r nam-[…]
SpTU 3 107 I 24: [………]- b a b b a r nam-ra- i-it

Šamaš
d u-tu d
III 91. utu utu48
YBC 2401 V 66: [d... d
]utu
[d] ú-tú d
K.4343 4: utu utu
d d
KAV 172 II 16: utu […]
d u-tu
SpTU 3 107 II 88: utu šu
d am-na
III 92. amna MIN49
YBC 2401 V 67: [d... MI]N
[d] am-na
K.4343 5: amna MIN
d
KAV 172 II 17: amna KI-MIN
d am-na
SpTU 3 107 II 89: amna MIN

d šá-maš
III 93. utu MIN50
YBC 2401 V 68: [d... MI]N
[d] šá-maš
K.4343 6: utu MIN
d
KAV 172 II 18: utu KI-MIN
d šá-maš
SpTU 3 107 II 90: utu MIN

d MIN šu-šá-na-ku
III 94. 20 MIN51
YBC 2401 V 69: [d... MI]N
[d] MIN šu-šá-na-ku
K.4343 7: 20 MIN
d
KAV 172 II 19: 20 KI-MIN
d MIN šu-šá-na-ku
SpTU 3 107 II 91: 20 MIN

III 95. […] MIN

YBC 2401 V 70: [d...] MIN
KAV 172 II 20: […] KI-MIN

d
III 96. g i š - n u11 MIN ‘Light’52
d
YBC 2401 V 71: [...] MIN

36 26 15 da š - í m - b a b b a r) cf. M.G. Hall, Moon-God p. 42; J. Klein, CRRAI 45/1 p. 280 n. 9 and p. 286 n. 38. T. Jacobsen
(TD p. 121) suggests making a distinction between Nanna as the full moon, dEN.ZU as the crescent moon and d i l i - í m -
b a b b a r as the new light.
48. See also TCL 15 10: 171.
49. Cf. Aa A=nâqu II/4 176 (MSL 14 p. 284 = CT 12 3 III 40): DIŠ a m - n a 20 MIN(=gi-gu-ru-u) MIN(=min-na-bi) ši-na;
Aa III/3 119 (MSL 14 p. 335 = CT 12 6: 57): a m - n a UD MIN(=ut-tu-ú) du t u. Cf. also da m - n a in a fragmentary passage of a
Hymn to Nabû (W. von Soden, “Der grosse Hymnus an Nabû”, ZA 61 [1971] p. 56 line 142).
50. See also TCL 15 10: 172.
51. CT 25 27 K.4365 9: d bu-zu-urb ú z u r MIN (=du t u).
52. See also TCL 15 10: 173; du t u (g i š )- n u11- g a l k a l a m š à - t e è (B. Alster, “Incantation to Utu”, ASJ 13
[1991] p. 39 line 9); cf. supra III 4 (dg i š - n u11-g a l) refering to Nanna-Sîn. See also D.O. Edzard, RlA 3 p. 403 on the interesting
equation dd u l - d u l -dg i š - n u11 = m du t u-ú-pa -hír (W.G. Lambert, “Ancestors, Authors, and Canonicity”, JCS 11 [1957] p. 13
line 50).

238
 CONCERNING THE ETYMOLOGY OF ENLIL: THE AN=ANUM APPROACH

d
K.4343 8: g i š - n u11 MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 92: g i š - n u11 MIN

d
III 97. sag-kára MIN ‘The shining head’53
d
YBC 2401 V 72: [...] MIN
d
K.4343 9: s a g -ka-rak á r a MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 93: s a gsa-ag-kark á r a MIN
d
III 98. g i d r i - š u - d u7 MIN ‘Who bears the staff’54
d
YBC 2401 V 73: [...] MIN
d
K.4343 10: g i d r igi6-id-ra- š u - d u7MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 94: m e n - š u - d u7 MIN

d
III 99. n i n - s a -ZA MIN ‘?’55
d
YBC 2401 V 74: [...] MIN
d
K.4343 11: n i nni- s a - ZA!(A) MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 95: n i n - s a - ZA MIN

d
III 100. má-bàn-da-an-na MIN ‘Small boat of Heaven’.56
d
YBC 2401 V 75: m [á....] MIN
d
K.4343 12: má-bàn-da-an-na MIN
d
80-7-19,131 rev. 1’: m [á-…]
d
SpTU 3 107 II 96: ma-bàn-da-an-na MIN

d
III 100a. x-[…] MIN
d
YBC 2401 V 76: x-[...] MIN

d a-lam
III 101. KÚŠ MIN ‘Figure’57
d a-
YBC 2401 V 77: [ … MI]N
d a-lam
K.4343 13: KÚŠ
d a-lam
80-7-19,131 rev. 2’: […]
d a-lam
SpTU 3 107 II 97: KÚŠ MIN

d kaš-še-ba
III 102. ALAN MIN ‘Statue’
d k aš-
YBC 2401 V 78: [ … MI]N
d kaš-še-ba
K.4343 14: ALAN MIN
d mu-še-bi
80-7-19,131 rev. 3’: A[LAN…]
d kaš-še-ba
SpTU 3 107 II 98: ALAN MIN

53. See also TCL 15 10: 174.

54. See also TCL 15 10: 175; cf. D.O. Edzard – W.G. Lambert, RlA 3 p. 356. For the variant dm e n - š u - d u7 see T.
Richter, AOAT 2572 p. 353.
55. A name that is difficult to explain. It is also attested in Proto-An=Anum (TCL 15 10: 176) and in an OB list from Isin
(A. Cavigneaux – M. Krebernik, RlA 9 p. 486; T. Richter, AOAT 2572 p. 353). See also K.L. Tallqvist, AGE 454 (“Herr des
Netzes”). On the connection of this epithet with the goddess Sudag cf. W.G. Lambert, JAOS 103 (1983) p. 65.
56. A name related to d m á - g u - l a - a n - n a, an epithet of the Moon-God. It reflects the subordination of the son (the Sun-
god) to his father (W.G. Lambert, RlA 7 p. 192).
57. Cf. m u l - g e6 = d a-al-meKÚŠ = dSAG.UŠ du t u (CAD s.v. almu lexical section [p. 79]).

239
 LLUÍS FELIU

d
III 103. n i m i nni-min-dud u MIN ‘?’58
d
YBC 2401 V 79: n i[m i n.... MI]N
d
K.4343 15: n i m i nni-min-du-d u MIN
d
80-7-19,131 rev. 4’: n i m i n[…]
d
SpTU 3 107 II 99: n i m i nni-mi-in- t a b - b a MIN

d
III 104. t u -kurk u r4 MIN ‘Important’59
d
YBC 2401 V 80: t [u-… MI]N
d
K.4349 IV 60: [...]
d
K.4343 16: t u -kurk u r4 MIN
d
80-7-19,131 rev. 5’: t u -[…]
d
SpTU 3 107 II 100: t u -kurk u r4 MIN

d
III 105. x-[…]
d
YBC 2401 V 81: x-[...]
K.4349 IV 60: [...]
d
80-7-19,131 rev. 6’: x[…]

d
III 106. si-è MIN ‘Growing horns’
d
YBC 2401 V 82: s [i12…]
d
K.4349 IV 61: s [i12…]
d
K.4343 17: s i - g[u l] MIN
d
80-7-19,131 rev. 7’: x[…]
d
SpTU 3 107 II 101: si-è MIN

d
III 107. šilig-šilig MIN ‘Mightiest One’
d
K.4343 18: […] MIN
d
80-7-19,131 rev. 8’: x[…]
d
SpTU 3 107 II 102: šilig-šilig MIN

d
III l08. nun-sag-mah MIN ‘Prince with august head’60
d
YBC 2401 V 83: n [u n- MIN]
K.4349 IV 61: [...]
d
K.4343 19: n u n - s a g -x MIN
d
80-7-19,131 rev. 9’: […]
d
SpTU 3 107 II 103: nun-sag-mah MIN

d
III 109. m ú lmul-la- l á MIN ‘Who shines’
d
YBC 2401 V 84: m ú l -[...]
d
K.4349 IV 62: m ú lmul-[l á]
d
K.4343 20: m ú lmu-ul-la-l á MIN
d
80-7-19,131 rev. 10’: […]
d
SpTU 3 107 II 104: m ú lmul-la-l á MIN

d
III 110. ùri-gal MIN ‘Standard’
d
YBC 2401 V 85: ù [r i...]
K.4349 IV 62: [...]
d
K.4343 21: ùri-gal MIN

58. A name that is difficult to interpret; see M. Krebernik, RlA 9 p. 319 s.v. Nimindu and the possible confusion with
Nimintaba (cf. the manuscript from Uruk); see K.L. Tallqvist, AGE p. 454: ‘Leiter der Welt’.
59. See CAD K p. 25 (lexical section); see also K. Tallqvist, AGE p. 454.
60. Cf. A. Cavigneaux – M. Krebernik, RlA 9 p. 619.

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 CONCERNING THE ETYMOLOGY OF ENLIL: THE AN=ANUM APPROACH

d
80-7-19,131 rev. 11’: […]
d
SpTU 3 107 II 105: ùri-gal MIN

d
III 111. peš-gal MIN ‘Mighty’61
d
YBC 2401 V 86: [...]
d
K.4349 IV 63: peš-gal
d
K.4343 22: peš-gal MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 106: peš-gal MIN

d
III 112. k ì l iki-li-da-gald a g a l MIN ‘?’62
d
YBC 2401 V 87: [...]
K.4349 IV 63: [...]
K.4349N+U I 1 [... gá]l?
d
K.4343 23: k ì l iki-li-da-gal-d a g a l MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 107: k ì l iki-il-d a g a ldag-la MIN

d
III 113. a n-ki-idk í d MIN ‘?’63
d
YBC 2401 V 88: [...]
d
K.4349 IV 64: e 4e-k í d
d
K.4343 24: an-kíd
d
SpTU 3 107 II 108: a - ki-idk í d MIN

d
III 114. u t uu-è MIN ‘Rising sun’64
d
YBC 2401 V 89: [...]
d
K.4349 IV 64: [...]
K.4349N+U I 2: [...] [è]
[d]
K.4343 25: utu-è
d
SpTU 3 107 II 109: utuu-è MIN

d
III 115. è šeš- m a h MIN ‘August shrine’65
d
YBC 2401 V 90: è š-[…]
d
K.4349 IV 65: èš-mah
K.4343 26: [dè ]š - m a h MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 110: è šeš-m a h MIN

d
III 116. s a g - b a r - š u - d u7 MIN ‘?’66
d
YBC 2401 V 91: s a g-[…]
d
K.4349 IV 65: s [a g...]
K.4349N+U I 3: [...]- d u7
K.4343 27: […]- š u - d u7 MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 111: s a g - b a r - š u - d u7 MIN

d
III 117. u6- d i - g u b - b a MIN ‘Who stands wonderfully’67
d
YBC 2401 V 92: u4- d è -[…]

61. Cf. Akk. mamlum (for this epithet applied to Marduk, Nergal, Ninurta and Zababa see. K.L. Tallqvist, AGE p. 129); for
the equation of mamlum with qur dum see also M. Krebernik, RlA 10 p. 436; CAD M/1 s.v. mamlu lexical section (p. 195).
62. See W.G. Lambert, RlA 5 p. 591.
63. See also CT 25 27 2: d ki-idkíd MIN (= du t u).
64. See also CT 25 27 3.
65. See also CT 25 27 4.
66. See also CT 25 27 5.
67. See also CT 25 27 7: du4- d è - g u b - b a MIN (= du t u). ‘Der auf dem Sturm steht’ see D. Schwemer, Wettergott p. 62.

241
 LLUÍS FELIU

d
K.4349 IV 66: u 4- d è - g u b - b a
K.4343 28: […]-g u b - b a MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 112: u6-d i - g u b - b a MIN

d
III 118. en-idim-an-ki MIN ‘The honoured lord of Heaven and Earth’68
d ?
YBC 2401 V 93: a - i d i m -[…]
d
K.4349 IV 66: a - i d i m-[…]
K.4349N+U I 4 [.... a]n - k i
K.4343 29: […]- a n - k i MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 113: e n - i d i m - a n - k i MIN

(...)
d e
III 128. a -la-gá š u du t u ‘?’69
d e
YBC 2401 V 103: a -l a-[…]
d d
K.4349 IV 72: a-la-gá utu
K.4144 5: [… g ]á š u du t u
d il-ba
SpTU 3 107 II 122: ilba š u du t u

d
III 129. p a p - n u - n u n u z - k à d-MUŠEN šu
d
YBC 2401 V 104: p a p - n u - n u n u z-[…]
d
K.4349 IV 72: p [a p - n]u - n u n u z - k à d-MUŠEN šu
K.4144 6: [… ] šu
d MIN
SpTU 3 107 II 124: p a p - n u n u z-KAD5-GU[R] šu
a-na-pa-ap-nu-nu-uz-ka-ad-gu-ur-nu-kúr-nu-ú

d d
III 130. p a p - n u m u n-KA utu ‘Pre-eminent seed …’
d
YBC 2401 V 105: p a p - n u m u [n-…]
d d
K.4349 IV 73: p a p - n u m u n-KA utu
d nu-mu-un
SpTU 3 107 II 123: pap-numun -KA-{KA} šu

d
III 131. p a p - u n uki- g a MIN ‘Pre-eminent of Uruk’
K.4144 7: […p a]p - u n uki- g a MIN
d
SpTU 3 107 II 125: p a p - u n uki šu

d
III 132. di-nu-ka-mu-un-di
d
K.4349 IV 73: di-nu-ka-mu-un-di
K.4144 8: […]mu-še-nu-ú

Enlil
d d
I 148. en-líl en-líl
YBC 2401 I 118: [de n - l í l] d
en-líl
d
K.4340+ II 38: e nen-lil- l í l [MIN]

d
I 149. e nil-lil-l í l MIN
YBC 2401 I 119: [de n - l i - i ]l? MIN
d
K.4340+ II 39: e nil-lil- l í l [MIN]

68. See also CT 25 27 6.

69. On di l b a in SpTU 3 107 see KAV 46 7-8: i l - b a di l b a pi-sa-an-nu d[šá-maš] / a l - b a da l b a pi-sa-an-nu dšá-m[aš]
and KAV 63 I 41; CT 25 27 16.

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 CONCERNING THE ETYMOLOGY OF ENLIL: THE AN=ANUM APPROACH

d
I 150. 50 MIN
[d]
YBC 2401 I 120: 50 MIN
d MIN
K.4340+ II 40; -50 [MIN]

d
I 151. si MIN
YBC 2401 I 121: [d...]s a n g a MIN
dMIN
K.4340+ II 41: -si [MIN]

d
I 152. báhar MIN ‘Potter’.70
d
YBC 2401 I 122: [ b]á h a r MIN
d
K.4340 II 42: báhar [MIN]

d
I l53. nun-nam-nir MIN ‘?’71
YBC 2401 I 123: […]- n a m - n i r MIN
d
K.4340+ II 43: nun-nam-nir M[IN]

d
I 154. kur-gal MIN ‘Great Mountain’72
YBC 2401 I 124: […]- g a l MIN
d
K.4340+ II 44: kur-gal M[IN]

d
I 155. e-lum MIN ‘Bison’73
YBC 2401 I 125: […]- l u m MIN
[d]
K.4340+ II 45: e-lum M[IN]

I 156. [da ]l i m MIN ‘Bison’

YBC 2401 I 126: [da ]l i m MIN
K.4340+ II 46: [d…]x M[IN]

70. Cf. MSL 14 p. 411 line 133 (Aa A = nâqu V/1): b a a r = DUG.QA.BUR = de n - l í l. This epithet is also attested in
relation to the Mother-goddess (An = Anum II 26) and her son Lil (An = Anum II 64-65; M. Krebernik, RlA 7 pp. 19f.). On this
epithet as related to Enlil see W. Sallaberger, Der babylonische Töpfer und seine Gefässe, (Mesopotamian History and
Environment. Memoirs 3) Ghent 1996 p. 6. This epithet is also related to Ea, Nun-ura (a god specialising in pottery, later
assimilated to Ea, see A. Cavigneaux – M. Krebernik, RlA 8 pp. 620f.) and Lillu, son of the Mother-Goddess (An=Anum II 64; M.
Krebernik, RlA 7 pp. 19f.).
71. See also Proto-An=Anum TCL 15 10 39 (dn u - n a m - n i r). This well-known epithet of Enlil is attested since the Far
period (see the z à - m e hymn OIP 99 p. 46 lines 6-7 and the translation of W.G. Lambert, BSOAS 39 [1976] p. 430 n. 1 ‘Enlil,
the lord, the noble Namnir’) see also M. Such-Gutiérrez, MVS 9/1 p. 31 n. 32 and 9/2 p. 446; A. Cavigneaux – M. Krebernik, RlA
9 p. 614; L. Feliu, Dagan p. 102 n. 237.
72. See also Proto-An=Anum TCL 15 10 40; this epithet is also attested since Ab al b (see the z à - m e hymn OIP 99 p.
46 line 5). On this traditional epithet of Enlil see L. Feliu, Dagan p. 171 n. 610; D.O. Edzard, RlA 6 p. 368; M. Such-Gutiérrez,
MVS 9/1 p. 34 n. 49 and MVS 9/2 p. 442.
73. The identification between e l u m and Enlil is well attested in the Emesal Voc. I 5: de - l u m = da l i m = dBE (Enlil)
(MSL 4 p. 4; see also K.L. Tallqvist, AGE p. 259) but the interpretation of e l u m as kabtum is also attested, cf. e - l u m = a l i m
= kabtu (Emesal Voc. II 23 = MSL 4 p. 14); A. Falkenstein, ‘Sumerische religiöse Texte’, ZA 55 (1962) p. 44; R. Kutscher, Oh
Angry Sea, New Haven/London 1975 p. 154 (‘Dignitary’); M.E. Cohen, Eršemma p. 140 line 20 and passim (e - l u m = kabtu) but
cf. M.A. Powell, ZA 67 (1977) p. 111 (‘aurochs’). On this problem of the free translation of certain Sumerian animal names into
Akkadian see S.M. Maul, “Küchensumerisch oder hohe Kunst der Exegese?” in B. Pongratz-Leisten et al. (eds.), Ana šadî
Labn ni l allik: Beiträge zu altorientalischen und mittelmeerischen Kulturen; Festchrift für Wolfgang Röllig, (AOAT 247)
Kevelaer/Neukirchen-Vluyn 1997 p. 258.

243
 LLUÍS FELIU

[d]
I 157. u5 MIN ‘?’74
[d]
YBC 2401 I 127: u5 MIN
K.4340+ II 47 […] M[IN]

d
I 158. úmbisag MIN ‘Scribe’
YBC 2401 I 128: [d u]m-bi-sagú m b i s a g MIN

[d]
I 159. èš MIN ‘Shrine’75
[d e]š
YBC 2401 I 129: èš MIN
d
K.4349 I 98b: èš

I 160. [dè ]š - m a h MIN ‘August shrine’76

d
YBC 2401 I 130: [ è ]š - m a h MIN
K.4349 I 99: [...]

d
I 161. šìr-sag MIN ‘Dirge singer’77
d
YBC 2401 I 131: [ š ì]r - s a g MIN
d
K.4349 I 99: šìr-sag

d
I 162. balag-di MIN ‘Mourner’78
d
YBC 2401 I 132: [ b a l]a g - d i MIN
K.4349 I 100: [...]

d
I 163. dàra-gal MIN ‘Great Ibex’
YBC 2401 I 133: [dd à]r a - g a l MIN
d
K.4349 I 100: dàra-gal

d
I 164. dàra-dím MIN
YBC 2401 I 134: [dd à]r a - d í m MIN
K.4349 I 101: [...]

d
I 165. dàra-dím-dím MIN
YBC 2401 I 135: [dd à]r a - d í m - d í m MIN
d
K.4349 I 101: dàra-dím-dím

d
I 166. šur MIN
[d]
YBC 2401 I 136: šur MIN
K.4349 I 102: [...]

d
I 167. báhar MIN ‘Potter’79
d
YBC 2401 I 137: [ b á]h a r MIN

74. The precise meaning of this epithet is difficult to determine, the lexical serie Aa A = nâqu II/6 4’ connects u5 with Enlil
(MSL 14 p. 292), but other equations are also possible (kiššatum, ilum, rak bum, šaqûm, šipkum).
75. See Proto-An=Anum TCL 15 10 41; see also M. Such-Gutiérrez, MVS 9/1 p. 35.
76. See above An=Anum III 115 in the Sun-god section.
77. See also Proto-An=Anum TCL 15 10 42. Cf. š ì r - s a g = ir- i reš-ti-i SBH 14 10; M.E. Cohen, CLAM p. 321; CAD
p. 205 s.v. ir u A lexical section, see also Th. Richter, AOAT 2572 p. 57; J. Krecher, SKly. p.162. On Akk. šersagû see CAD
p. 206 s.v. ir ša ir i (OB Lu A 255f. MSL 12 p. 165). On dEZEM.SAG.TUR see M. Such-Gutiérrez, MVS 9/1 p. 328.
78. See Proto-An=Anum TCL 15 10 43. On b a l a g - d i see J. Krecher, SKly. p. 162; A.D. Kilmer, RlA 8 p. 469.
79. See above note on line I 152.

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 CONCERNING THE ETYMOLOGY OF ENLIL: THE AN=ANUM APPROACH

d
K.4349 I 102: báhar

I 168. [d…]u4-d a MIN

YBC 2401 I 138: [d...]u4-d a MIN
K.4349 I 103: [...]

d
I 169. nam-zu MIN ‘Who knows destiny’80
d
YBC 2401 I 139: [ n a m - z]u MIN
d
K.4349 I 103: nam-zu

I 170. [...]x MIN

YBC 2401 I 140 [...]x MIN
K.4349 I 104: [...]

d
I 171. dur-an-ki MIN ‘Bond of heaven and earth’81
YBC 2401 I 141: [...] MIN
d
K.4349 I 104: dur-an-ki

I 172. [dia-ab-n]a MIN e l a m - m aki ‘Yabna = Enlil of Elam’82

YBC 2401 I 142: […] MIN [e]-lam-tu
K.4349 I 105: […-n]a
K.4333 II 4: […] MIN e l a m - m aki

I 172a […] MIN s u - b i r4ki ‘[…] = Enlil of Subartu’83

K.4333 II 5: […] MIN s u - b i r4ki

d
I 173. hé-àm-gi-na [MIN] ‘The true «yes»’84
YBC 2401 I 143: [...]
d
K.4349 I 105: hé-àm-gi-na

I 174. […]
YBC 2401 I 144: [...]
K.4349 I 106a: [...]

80. See F. Nötscher, Enlil p. 13; K.L. Tallqvist, AGE p. 388; M. Krebernik, RlA 9 p. 146. This epithet is clearly related to
the traditional power of Enlil as the lord who determines destiny. This attribute of Enlil is well attested since OAkk. period, see
M. Such-Gutiérrez, MVS 9/2 p. 440 no. 20, p. 442 no. 41 and p. 445 no. 56.
81. The well-known esoteric name of Nippur, well attested since Ab al b (see the z à - m e hymn OIP 99 p. 46 line 4
related to Nippur). See also the bilingual creation text (KAR 4 obv. 24; G. Pettinato, Das altorientalische Menschenbild und die
sumerischen und akkadischen Schöpfungsmythen, Heidelberg 1971 p. 75: u z u - m ú - aki d u r - a n - k i - k e4 = i-na uzu-mú-aki
ri-ki-is a n u k i-[t]i) and the lexical texts (MSL 16 p. 310 II 4 Nabn tu W: d u r - a n - k i = mar-kás a n-e u k i-tim). See also A.
George, Babylonian Topographical Texts, (OLA 40) Leuven 1992 pp. 263f.; W. Horowitz, Mesopotamian Cosmic Geography
Winona Lake 1998 p. 41 n. 35.
82. On this Elamite God, attested only in Babylonian sources, and its restoration in An=Anum list, see W.G. Lambert, RlA
5 p. 229 s.v. Jabnu.
83. It would be possible to restore this line as [Kumarbi] MIN s u - b i r4ki ‘Kumarbi = Enlil of Subartu’. Kumarbi is missing
from the An=Anum list but his equation with Enlil makes this restoration possible (see L. Feliu, Dagan p. 299 n. 152; on the
identification between Kumarbi and Dagan see also A. Archi, “Translation of Gods: Kumarbi, Enlil, Dagan/NISABA, alki”, Or 73
[2004] p. 328ff.).
84. On this epithet of Enlil, only attested in the An=Anum list, see W.G. Lambert, RlA 4 p. 242.

245
 LLUÍS FELIU

d
I 175. dam-gàr [MIN] ‘Merchant’85
d
K.4349 I 106b: dam-gàr

It is quite clear that the epithets of the Moon-god and the Sun-god are directly related to their known
profiles and in relation to the etymologies of their names. Both have clear astral epithets, in relation to
their illumination in the sky. Sîn has numerous epithets related to cattle and cows, a profile that is also
well attested in literary texts. He also has more general epithets such as ‘king’, ‘noble’, etc. The Sun-god
has similar characteristics in An=Anum. On the other hand, Enlil has no specific epithets in An=Anum,
but exhibits general features and a wide range of semantic fields in his epithets, and so is very different
from what we see with the astral gods. The descriptive epithets of Enlil are well attested in literary texts,
hymns and royal inscriptions (dn u - n a m - i r, dk u r - g a l, dd u r - a n - k i, dn a m - z u, dd a m - g à r).
However, the most outstanding characteristic of the Enlil section of An=Anum is the complete absence of
any epithet related to atmospheric phenomena, in contrast to the Storm-God, who is well described in
An=Anum with clear and specific epithets.86
Other texts describing Enlil’s milieu make no explicit connection to storms or indeed any weather
conditions, as in the case of the explanatory list of the names of the Ekur in section 5 of the so-called
Nippur Compendium. In this text, the temple of Enlil in Nippur has no name related to atmospheric
phenomena.87
We can conclude our study of the An=Anum list by stating that Enlil has neither an atmospheric
character nor any connection with storms. His function as head of the pantheon and as a ‘universal’ deity
is well described in his non-specialised epithets.88 On the other hand, the equation of Enlil with other
deities of the neighbouring pantheons (Dagan, Kumarbi and also El) reinforces this profile of a universal
god who controls different spheres and domains, different areas without any defined specialization.

85. On this aspect of Enlil see M. Civil, ‘Enlil, the Merchant: Notes to CT 15 10’, JCS 28 (1976) pp. 72ff.
86. An=Anum III 210-238, see the edition and study of this list in D. Schwemer, Wettergott pp. 16ff.
87. See A. George, BTT p. 148 §5.
88. See in this line P. Steinkeller, “On Rulers, Priests and Sacred Marriage: Tracing the Evolution of Early Sumerian
Kingship”, in K. Watanabe (ed.), Priests and Officials in the Ancient Near East, Heidelberg 1999, p. 114 n. 36.

246