FIGURES OF DEITIES. 373 
or chaos, and was conquered (according to the earlier cosmogony) by Ea or Bel, 
and later by Marduk. It seems, in the — 
early art, to be related to both Bel and 
Belit, as shown in the preceding figures. 
We see it in a more threatening attitude, 
however, on the earlier thick hematite 
cylinders, as in fig. 453. When he is thus 
trying to swallow a man he may represent 
Nergal. (See Chapter xx1x.) 




4. The Man-boat: A very archaic design shows a deity with a human or animal 
head and a long serpent-like body, bent to form a boat, in Gd p06 oes 
wnich figures of gods are seated. Whether this represents ag a4) ef 
the primordial abyss, Apsu, or some form of Tiamat we do \ 
not know. (See Chapter vt.) A 
5. The God Attacking an Enemy (probably Nergal): 
This represents a hostile and destructive Sun-god, and therefore probably Nergal. 
He appeats in very early art, contemporary with the early appearance of Shamash 
rising over the eastern mountains. But the eae ae 
representation 1s quite different. The Sun-god 
pushes, against the mountains, his enemy, who 
is therefore to be regarded as the cloud or mist 
that covers the mountains in the early morning, 
but is dispersed by the heat of the sun. (See 
Chapter 1x.) Just as in the case of Shamash, 
the design became conventionalized, so that the mountain became a mere footstool, 
and this god lost his mountains and in the middle period simply held his weapon in 
one hand, while his foot rested on the body of his foe. (See Chapter xxix.) 
6. The God Rising above a Mountain: ‘This god may certainly be recognized 
as Shamash. In the fullest form of the design fe comes out of the gates “fi the 
morning, opened to him by a porter, and rises over the eastern mountains, either 
lifting himself by his hands (0), or stepping upon them (a). He may be surrounded 
” 



a b c 
by rays, and he carries a notched sword, representing a very early wooden weapon 
armed with flint flakes. In the middle period he is quite conventionalized, and 
merely lifts his foot on a low stool (d,e), which represents the mountain of the 
earlier art, and so passes into No. 31. For fuller representations see Chapter XIII. 
7. The Water-god Ea: We have but a single example (a) from the earlier 
period of the Water-god inclosed in streams and guarded by the duplicated figure 
