Nannar
/ˈnæn.nɑːr/noun
Nannar is the Sumerian moon god, also known as Nanna, who was worshipped especially at Ur.
Did you know?Nannar’s principal temple at Ur, the Nanna Ziggurat, was dedicated to the moon deity and remained one of ancient Mesopotamia’s major religious centers.
Etymological Timeline
Early 3rd millennium BCE
Sumerian
Nanna
“Name of the Sumerian moon god; the exact original meaning of the name is uncertain.”
Early Dynastic Period
Sumerian
Nanna(r)
“Divine name used in texts and royal inscriptions for the moon deity worshipped at Ur.”
Old Babylonian Period
Sumerian
Nanna
“Moon god associated with Ur, lunar timekeeping, fertility, and divine kingship.”
2nd millennium BCE
Akkadian
Nannaru
“A form used in Akkadian-language tradition for the moon god; Akkadian also identified him with Sîn or Su'en.”
1st millennium BCE
Akkadian
Sîn
“The Akkadian and Babylonian name of the moon god who inherited Nannar’s cult and attributes.”
Modern English
English
Nannar
“A scholarly English transliteration of the Sumerian divine name, also written Nanna or Nanna(r).”