Anzû

Anzû, also known as dZû and Imdugud (Sumerian: 𒀭𒅎𒂂 dim.dugudmušen), is a demon in several Mesopotamian religions. He was conceived by the cosmic freshwater ocean Abzu and mother Earth Mami, or as son of Siris. In Babylonian myths Anzû was depicted as a massive bird - also as an eagle with lion head - who can breathe fire and water. This narrative seems to refer to much earlier Sumerian myths, in which he appears as a half-human storm bird who stole the tablet of destiny, challenging Enlil's power over his organisation of different gods that provided Mesopotamia with agriculture (cf. the Flood epic Athrahasis).

Stephanie Dalley, in Myths from Mesopotamia, writes that the Epic of Anzu itself "is principally known in two versions: an Old Babylonian version of the early second millennium [BC], giving the hero as Ningirsu; and 'The Standard Babylonian' version, dating to the first millennium BC, which appears to be the most quoted version, with the hero as Ninurta". However, the Anzu character does not appear as often in some other writings, as noted below.

Name

The name of the mythological being usually called Anzû was actually written in the oldest Sumerian cuneiform texts as 𒀭𒉎𒈪𒄷 (an.im.mimušen; in context, the cuneiform sign 𒄷, or mušen, is an ideogram for "bird"). In texts of the Old Babylonian period, the name is more often found as 𒀭𒉎𒂂𒄷 an.im.dugudmušen. In 1961, Landsberger argued that this name should be read as "Anzu", and most researchers have followed suit.