Apsu
/ˈæp.suː/noun
In Mesopotamian mythology, Apsu was the primordial subterranean freshwater ocean and its divine personification.
Did you know?In the Babylonian creation epic Enūma Eliš, Apsu represents the primeval freshwater beneath the world and is slain by the god Ea after plotting against the younger gods.
Etymological Timeline
3rd Millennium BCE
Sumerian
abzu
“The subterranean freshwater sea; a sacred cosmic source of life and divine wisdom.”
2nd Millennium BCE
Akkadian
apsû
“The underground freshwater ocean and its personification in Mesopotamian mythology.”
18th–7th Century BCE
Babylonian
Apsû
“The primordial freshwater deity and realm described in Babylonian religious texts.”
1st Millennium BCE
Akkadian
apsû
“A mythic cosmic freshwater deep, contrasted with the saltwater sea goddess Tiamat.”
Modern English
English
Apsu
“A proper name used in translations and scholarship concerning ancient Mesopotamian mythology.”