Ukkin

Ukkin (UKKIN) is the Sumerian word or symbol for assembly, temple council or Divine council, written ideographically with the cuneiform sign 𒌺 (Borger 2003 nr. 73, encoded by Unicode at code point U+1233A).^[3][4]

The name "Akka" appears in the Stele of Ushumgal, as Ak gal-ukkin, "Ak gal-ukkin (Great Assembly) official". It has been suggested this could refer to Aga of Kish himself.^[1][2]

In Akkadian it is transliterated as Puḫru or Puḫrum and was used in the context of "public assembly", of both Gods and people with the ultimate meaning of a "totality" of living things. A council of the gods specifically is referred to in Akkadian as Puḫru Ilani or Puḫur Ilani.^[5][6] The word was later adopted into Aramaic.^[6] In Hittite language it is transliterated as Pankuš or Tuyila.^[7] In the Hellenistic era the word Kiništu was used and it found an equivalent in the word Qāhāl in other ancient languages.^[5][6]

H. Zimmern noted that the Babylonian New Year feast was also called puhru and connected this with the modern day Jewish holiday of Purim.^[8]