Mušḫuššu

The mušḫuššu (𒈲𒍽; formerly also read as sirrušu or sirrush) or mushkhushshu (Akkadian pronunciation: [muʃˈχuʃ.ʃum]) is a creature from ancient Mesopotamian mythology. A mythological hybrid, it is a scaly animal with hind legs resembling the talons of an eagle, lion-like forelimbs, a long neck and tail, two horns on its head, a snake-like tongue, and a crest. The mušḫuššu most famously appears on the Ishtar Gate of the city of Babylon, dating to the sixth century BCE.

Mušḫuššu
𒈲𒍽

Mušḫuššu holding a gate post on a vase of Gudea c. 2100 BCE. Louvre Museum[1]
Creature information
Other name(s)	Sirrush
Grouping	Mythological hybrid
Folklore	Babylonian mythology
Origin
Region	Mesopotamia

Mušḫuššu bas-relief in the Pergamon Museum

The form mušḫuššu is the Akkadian nominative of Sumerian: 𒈲𒍽 MUŠ.ḪUŠ, 'reddish snake', sometimes also translated as 'fierce snake'.^[2] One author,^[3] possibly following others, translates it as 'splendour serpent' (𒈲 MUŠ is the Sumerian term for 'serpent'). The older reading sir-ruššu is due to a mistransliteration of the cuneiform in early Assyriology^[4] and was often used as a placeholder before the actual reading was discovered.^[5]

History

Mušḫuššu already appears in Sumerian religion and art, as in the "Libation vase of Gudea", dedicated to Ningishzida by the Sumerian ruler Gudea (21st century BCE short chronology).^[1][6]

The mušḫuššu was the sacred animal of Marduk and his son Nabu during the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The dragon Mušḫuššu, whom Marduk once vanquished, became his symbolic animal and servant.^[7] It was taken over by Marduk from Tishpak, the local god of Eshnunna.^[8]

The constellation Hydra was known in Babylonian astronomical texts as Bašmu, 'the Serpent' (𒀯𒈲, ^MUL.dMUŠ). It was depicted as having the torso of a fish, the tail of a snake, the forepaws of a lion, the hind legs of an eagle, wings, and a head comparable to the mušḫuššu.^[9][10]

• 
  9th century BCE depiction of the Statue of Marduk, with his servant dragon Mušḫuššu at his feet. This was Marduk's main cult image in Babylon.
• 
  Late Assyrian seal from the 8th century BCE showing a worshipper between Nabu and Marduk, standing on their servant dragon Mušḫuššu.
• 
  Head of dragon dating from the Neo-Babylonian Empire (626 BCE – 539 BCE) from the Louvre Museum's collection

See also

• Asia portal

• Ningishzida
• Set animal