Nabû | |
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![]() Colossal statue of the god Nabu, 8th century BC, from Nimrud, on display in the National Museum of Iraq | |
Abode | Borsippa |
Planet | Mercury |
Symbol | Clay tablet and stylus |
Parents | Marduk and Sarpanitum |
Consort | Tashmet |
Equivalents | |
Greek equivalent | Hermes |
Roman equivalent | Mercury |
Egyptian equivalent | Thoth |
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Nabu (Akkadian: cuneiform: 𒀭𒀝 Nabû[1] Syriac: ܢܵܒܼܘܼ\ܢܒܼܘܿ\ܢܵܒܼܘܿ Nāvū or Nvō or Nāvō[2][3]) is the ancient Mesopotamian patron god of literacy, the rational arts, scribes and wisdom.
Etymology and meaning
The Akkadian "nabû" means "to announce, prophesize", derived from the Semitic root N-B.[4] It is cognate with the Syriac ܢܒܝܐ(nvīyā), Arabic نبي (nabiyy), and the Hebrew נביא (naví), all meaning "prophet".[citation needed]
History
Nabu was worshiped by the Babylonians and the Assyrians.[5] Nabu gained prominence among the Babylonians in the 1st millennium BC when he was identified as the son of the god Marduk.[5]
Nabu was worshipped in Babylon's sister city Borsippa, from where his statue was taken to Babylon each New Year so that he could pay his respects to his father.[5] Nabu's symbols included a stylus resting on a tablet as well as a simple wedge shape; King Nabonidus, whose name references Nabu, had a royal sceptre topped with Nabu's wedge.[5][6]: 33–34 Clay tablets with especial calligraphic skill were used as offerings at Nabu's temple. His wife was the Akkadian goddess Tashmet.[5]
Nabu was the patron god of scribes, literacy, and wisdom.[5] He was also the inventor of writing, a divine scribe, the patron god of the rational arts, and a god of vegetation.[6]: 33–34 [7] As the god of writing, Nabu inscribed the fates assigned to men and he was associated with the scribe god Ninurta.[7][8] As an oracle he was associated with the Mesopotamian moon god Sin.[6]: 33–34
Nabu wore a horned cap, and stood with his hands clasped in the ancient gesture of priesthood. He rode on a winged dragon known as Sirrush that originally belonged to his father Marduk. In Babylonian astrology, Nabu was identified with the planet Mercury.[9][10]
Nabu was continuously worshipped until the 2nd century, when cuneiform became a lost art.[5]
Today in Mandaean cosmology, the name for Mercury is ʻNbu (ࡏࡍࡁࡅ), which is derived from the name Nabu.[11]
Outside Mesopotamia
Nabu's cult spread to ancient Egypt.[12] Nabu was one of five non-Egyptian deities worshipped in Elephantine.[citation needed]
In the Bible, Nabu is mentioned as Nebo in Isaiah 46:1 and Jeremiah 48:1.[5][13][14]
In Hellenistic times, Nabu was sometimes identified with the Greek Apollo as a giver of prophesies.[5][6]: 71 As the god of wisdom and a divine messenger associated with the planet Mercury, Nabu was linked with the Greek Hermes, the Roman Mercury, and the Egyptian Thoth.[6]: 71
References
- ^ Lanfranchi, Giovanni B. (1987). The Correspondence of Sargon II. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. p. 92. ISBN 9515700043.
- ^ "Dukhrana Lexicon Lookup". Dukhrana Analytical Lexicon of the Syriac New Testament. Dukhrana Biblical Research. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ "The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon". The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ "Semitic Roots Appendix". The American Heritage Dictionary. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
nbʾ To name, proclaim, summon."
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bertman, Stephen (2005). Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia (Paperback ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 122. ISBN 9780195183641. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
- ^ a b c d e Green, Tamara M. (1992). The City of the Moon God: Religious Traditions of Harran. Leiden: E.J. Brill. ISBN 9004095136. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
- ^ a b "Nabu". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on July 2, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
- ^ Leick, Dr Gwendolyn (2002). A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology. Routledge. p. 127. ISBN 9781134641024. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
- ^ Colligan, L. H. (January 15, 2010). Mercury. Marshall Cavendish. p. 22. ISBN 9780761445517. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
- ^ Lewis, James R. (Mar 1, 2003). The Astrology Book: The Encyclopedia of Heavenly Influences (Second ed.). Visible Ink Press. p. 442. ISBN 9781578593019. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
- ^ Bhayro, Siam (2020-02-10). Cosmology in Mandaean Texts. Brill. pp. 572–579. doi:10.1163/9789004400566_046. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
- ^ Porten, Bezalel (1968). Archives from Elephantine: The Life of an Ancient Jewish Military Colony (First ed.). University of California Press. p. 166. ISBN 9780520010284. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ "Isaiah 46:1 NIV – Gods of Babylon – Bel bows down, Nebo". BibleGateway.com. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
- ^ "Jeremiah 48:1 NIV – A Message About Moab – Concerning Moab". BibleGateway.com. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
External links
- New International Encyclopedia. 1905. .