Anu
/ˈɑːnuː/noun
Anu is the ancient Mesopotamian god of the sky and a supreme deity in Sumerian and Akkadian religion.
Did you know?Anu’s authority was associated with the heavenly realm and the divine decrees called the mes, linking cosmic order with earthly kingship.
Etymological Timeline
3rd Millennium BCE
Sumerian
An
“The sky or heaven; also the name of the supreme sky god.”
3rd Millennium BCE
Sumerian
Anu
“A later form of the divine name An, used especially in Akkadian-influenced Mesopotamian traditions.”
2nd Millennium BCE
Akkadian
Anu
“The sky god and father of major Mesopotamian deities in Akkadian religious texts.”
1st Millennium BCE
Greek/Latin scholarship
Anu
“The conventional transliteration of the Mesopotamian deity’s name.”
Modern English
English
Anu
“A proper name used in translations and academic discussions of Mesopotamian mythology.”