58 SEAL CYLINDERS OF WESTERN ASIA. 
Berlin Museum from a source not above suspicion. Another such is shown in fig. 
140a, with its superabundant rays, and where we see even the flounced goddess 
carrying a war-club. The same doubt attaches to several other cylinders published 
in connection with it and apparently obtained from the same source. But if the 
superabundant rays about the legs of the god are suspicious, we must equally 
suspect Berlin VA 686, and for other reasons perhaps VA 560, with its crowded 
inscription. 
It has been customary to interpret these cylinders as depicting a human sacri- 
fice. I can not so understand them. It is clear to me, not only from the headdress 
of the attacking figure, but also from the rays that sometimes surround him, that 
he is a god. Indeed, when the design was conventionalized at a later period, and 
we see in Chapter xxvitt the foot of the god resting on the body of the diminutive vic- 
tim, there can be no doubt what is meant. I can not therefore agree with Ménant, 
Sayce, and a number of other scholars, 
but must interpret this as representing 
the victory of some Sun-god over an 
enemy on the mountains. This enemy 
seems to be the cloud or mist that 
covers the mountains in the morning 
and is driven away as the sun rises 
above them. I then identify the god 
with Nergal and not with Shamash. 
Nergal was not only a secondary god 
of the lower world, Allatu being its 
primary deity, but was especially the 
god of the noonday summer heat. As 
such he was regarded as a terrible 
warrior and destroyer, and it is suitable that he should be represented as on the 
one hand capturing Allatu in the cave of the underworld, and on the other as 
fighting the cloud giants that obscure the mountains. In fig. 140) the god with 
rays holds out his mace toward his kneeling foe, or suppliant god, whose own mace 
has perhaps dropt from his hand. The figures look much like Nergal and Allatu, 
but the standing figure seems to be bearded. Another scene shows the bifrons 
before the seated god Shamash with streams. It is very surprising to see the bifrons 
not leading in any worshiper with a goat for offering. We seem to have a relief 
which gives us the figure of this god in fig. 140c, or of a similar Elamite god. This 
drawing is taken from a squeeze of the rock, and looks somewhat untrue. ‘The god 
has his foot on his enemy, but he carries the scimitar of Marduk, although he has 
not Marduk’s long garment. 
Shamash and Nergal were both Sun-gods and might easily have been confused; 
and, indeed, either might engage in the same scene. We need not then be surprised 
to find the god attacking an enemy, usually wearing the short garment which 
properly belongs to Nergal, but sometimes wearing the long garment of Shamash. 
Of course, the latter god also drives away the mists and clouds of sunrise. 










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