Most linguists
and historians are in agreement that the language which constituted
higher learning was originally that of Sumer. Additionally, there
is little doubt that the old "gods" were Sumer's gods
since there is no other record or genealogy of "gods"
older than those. The number of these gods is in the hundreds.
In this list,
we find a veritable pantheon of deities governed and ruled by
its own assembly. Each god had certain powers and responsibilities,
some in "heaven" and some on earth.
The Sumerians
believed that their gods came from the heavens and research shows
that the names they attributed to their gods - Tiamat, Kishar,
Anshar - were actually the names they gave to the heavenly bodies
or planets. There were also gods of earth who oversaw the running
of the various earthly activities. In between these two sets of
gods, they acknowledged the "ancient gods" and it is
this set of which the famous myths and legends are made. These
gods expressed human emotions, ate and drank like humans and existed
long before mankind was in existence. In fact, they are credited
with the genetic intervention that caused man to exist in its
present state.
The Sumerians
called the head of this family of gods of heaven and earth AN.
He was also known as Anu in the Babylonian and Assyrian texts
and we see him referred to as Anu more often than not. Anu ruled
the heavens and his symbol was a star. That symbol came to be
known as the symbol of the gods and preceded the names of gods
indicating their origin as a god of heaven.
There are
numerous texts that describe the home of Anu in the heavens and
the seat of his divine kingship. Other gods of heaven and earth
went to this place of assembly to request advice, make major decisions
or settle disputes. The portals of Anu's palace were guarded by
a god of the Tree of Truth and a god of the Tree of Life.
>From time
to time, mortals were taken to this divine refuge. We are witness
to these accounts in the Old Testament tales of Enoch and the
prophet Elijah who ascended in to the heavens to receive information
from "God". And now and then, Anu would descend to earth
at times of great crisis or on a ceremonial visit accompanied
by his spouse, ANTU.
The temple
of Anu on earth was called E.ANNA ("house of An") erected
at Uruk (the biblical Erech) and was considered the most pure
of sanctuaries. The texts tell us that it was fashioned by the
great gods themselves and was "the House for descending from
Heaven". Great feasts were held there and many servants and
caretakers were responsible for the comfort of Anu, his wife and
family. During these ceremonial occasions, the designated priest/astronomer
was to go to the "topmost stage of the tower of the main
temple" and observe the skies. He was charged with watching
for the planet named Great Anu of Heavens and was to recite the
prayers called "To the one who grows bright, the heavenly
planet of the Lord Anu" and "The Creator's image has
risen". This planet was known by the Sumerians as Nibiru,
sometimes called Marduk.
Although archeologists
have uncovered thousands of pictures, carvings and statutes of
the ancient gods, there appear to be none of the Father of the
Family, Anu. And yet, he passed his kingship down through a long
line of pharaohs, priests and kings as the King of Kings, the
King of the Gods. Even today, we anoint, crown and empower our
rulers through the passing of the crown and the staff, other symbols
of Anu. Though we would probably find these artifacts being used
in the world of religion more than by the civil authorities, we
still recognize the crown and scepter as the symbols of royalty,
the power of the king.
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