Themušḫuššu (𒈲𒍽; formerly also read assirrušu orsirrush) ormushkhushshu (Akkadian pronunciation:[muʃˈχuʃ.ʃum]) is a creature fromancient Mesopotamian mythology. Amythological hybrid, it is a scaly animal with hind legs resembling the talons of aneagle,lion-like forelimbs, a long neck and tail, two horns on its head, a snake-like tongue, and a crest. Themušḫuššu most famously appears on theIshtar Gate of the city ofBabylon, dating to the sixth century BCE.
The formmušḫuššu is theAkkadian nominative ofSumerian: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 readingsir-ruššu is due to amistransliteration of the cuneiform in earlyAssyriology[4] and was often used as a placeholder before the actual reading was discovered.[5]
Theconstellation Hydra was known in Babylonian astronomical texts asBašmu, '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 themušḫuššu.[9][10]
9th century BCE depiction of theStatue of Marduk, with his servant dragon Mušḫuššu at his feet. This was Marduk's maincult image in Babylon.
Late Assyrian seal from the 8th century BCE showing a worshipper betweenNabu andMarduk, standing on their servant dragon Mušḫuššu.
^Ceram, C. W. (1967).Gods, Graves, and Scholars: The Story of Archaeology. Translated by Garside, E. B.; Wilkins, Sophie (2nd ed.). New York:Alfred A. Knopf. p. 294.
^Wiggerman, F. A. M. (1 January 1997)."Transtigridian Snake Gods". In Finkel, I. L.; Geller, M. J. (eds.).Sumerian Gods and their Representations. Cuneiform Monographs. Vol. 7. Groningen, Netherlands: Styx Publications. pp. 34–35.ISBN978-90-56-93005-9.
^E. Weidner, Gestirn-Darstellungen auf Babylonischen Tontafeln (1967) Plates IX–X.
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