FIGURES OF DEITIES. 385 
as one of the genii, or protecting spirits, and not as a principal god. He carries 
the pail or basket to gather the fruit of life and fortune. 

[54] 3 [554] 
56. The Winged Attendant of the Tree of Life: Ue often carries a basket and 
takes a cone from the tree. A simpler and more usual form of No. 55. 
[56] 
57. Ihe God in a Fish-skin: This deity must also be regarded not as a 
principal god, but rather as one of the protecting genii. He occasionally appears 
on the cylinders of the Assyrian period, > 
as also on the bas-reliefs, as an attendant 
of the tree of life. He does not seem to 
be any special fish-god. 
58. The Man-fish: Among the em- 
blems of the gods in the next chapter, , i Py, 
section 35, the man-fish is coupled with [57] [58] 
the goat-fish at the period of Gudea. But in Assyrian art the man-fish is differently 
treated and seems of more importance, as a guardian of the tree of life and the 
source of gushing streams, or even as seized by Bel. (See Chapters xxxvi, XxXXVIII.) 

59. The Human-headed Bull: ‘The bull is treated in various ways in the 
Assyrian art. In No. 45/, we have the winged bull representing the evil spirit 
overcome by Bel. But often it is the human-headed winged bull, as in No. 45¢. 
The wingless human-headed bull frequently appears in a different honorable rdle, 
as supporting the winged disk of Ashur. 





ATTA 
Y (LUNI 
UTS 
CN 
7 CA 

[60a] [bor] [600] 
60. The Gorgon: This grotesque figure is of late appearance and may be 
the origin of the Greek Gorgon or, perhaps, giants who fought the gods. See figs. 
643-646. Also for the bearded representation in c, see fig. 9392. 
25 
