120 SEAL CYLINDERS OF WESTERN ASIA. 
4. The rare case in which, as in fig. 301, fish without streams are placed by 
the god is in all probability to be assigned to Shamash. 
5. The frequency of the cases in which the inscription “Shamash, Aa’’ occurs 
is a presumptive indication that the seated god usually is Shamash. It is true that 
other gods’ names are occasionally found, even without the name of the owner of 
the seal and with no indication that the owner is a worshiper of a particular god. 
There may be nothing else but the name of one or two gods, taking the place of 
the usual filiary inscription, but this is hardly any evidence that the god so named 
is the same as is figured. It is only the prevalence of a god’s name that suggests 
that he is also figured. 
6. We know that in the Abu-habba stele the rod and ring carried in the hand 
are the symbol of Shamash. When, therefore, we see these objects in the hand of 
the seated god on the cylinders, the presumption is that the god is Shamash. Inas- 
much, however, as a goddess also sometimes carries the same objects we can not 
regard this as a certain indication. 
7. Where the goat-fish, which appears to be a particular symbol of Ea, is 
figured under the god’s seat (fig. 344) or in front of his body (fig. 325), there is 
reason to believe that the god is Ea. 
8. That the seated god may be Sin is proved by the cylinder shown in fig. 1272, 
where we actually see the name of Sin engraved by his figure, as well as the names 
of two other gods also figured. 
g. In the case of a royal cylinder from Ur there is a strong presumption that 
the god is Sin and the presence of the crescent before the god’s head is a support 
to the presumption. Yet too much must not be made of this, as the crescent may 
be meant to be the suggestion of a different god from the one figured, an addi- 
tional protector, just as where both the sun and moon are drawn realistically, and 
perhaps the star of Ishtar also. 
10. The presence of three large dots in connection with the seated god can 
not but suggest that it is the god Thirty or Sin that is figured. 
11. For a similar reason Ningirsu is to be expected in the seated god of the 
period when Lagash (Shirpurla) was flourishing. It is beyond reasonable question 
Ningirsu that is represented on a bas-relief (fig. 348). Except that the god’s face 
is in front view this is only a larger form of the seated god on the cylinders. Heuzey 
compares with this bas-relief of Ningirsu an impression from a cylinder (fig. 421), 
which, however, I suspect is not correctly drawn by the artist, and where the seated 
deity may be really a goddess; certainly the beard on the standing deity is a mistake. 
12. In two of the cylinders figured (figs. 324, 325) a slender-necked, grotesque 
animal lies under the bull or under the seat of the god. This must bear some 
relation to the god and would seem to be one of his emblems. He bears the rod 
and ring, which is also an emblem of Shamash, though not exclusively his. We have 
no other evidence that this animal is emblematic of Shamash, and, indeed, it resem- 
bles the animal which in the kudurrus we find under the seat or spear-head of 
Marduk. But I should hesitate to assign these gods to Marduk, especially as they 
seem to be older than the popular cult of Marduk. Before the god, in fig. 325, is 
the goat-fish that belongs to Ea, and this may be Ea, although we have only this 
evidence that the long-necked animal can be emblematic of Ea. It may belong 
to Marduk’s predecessor, Enlil. 
