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Zaraqu or Zariqu。As the root of this name means 〃to sprinkle；〃 he was probably also a god of irrigation； and may have presided over ceremonial purification。 He is mentioned in names as the 〃giver of seed〃 and 〃giver of a name〃 （i。e。 offspring）。
These are only a small proportion of the names found in the inscriptions； but short as the list necessarily is； the nature； if not the full composition； of the Babylonian pantheon will easily be estimated therefrom。
It will be seen that besides the identifications of the deities of all the local pantheons with each other； each divinity had almost as many names as attributes and titles； hence their exceeding multiplicity。 In such an extensive pantheon； many of the gods composing it necessarily overlap； and identification of each other； to which the faith； in its primitive form； was a stranger； were inevitable。 The tendency to monotheism which this caused will be referred to later on。
The gods and the heavenly bodies。
It has already been pointed out that； from the evidence of the Babylonian syllabary； the deities of the Babylonians were not astral in their origin； the only gods certainly originating in heavenly bodies being the sun and the moon。 This leads to the supposition that the Babylonians； bearing these two deities in mind； may have asked themselves why； if these two were represented by heavenly bodies； the others should not be so represented also。 Be this as it may； the other deities of the pantheon were so represented； and the full planetary scheme； as given by a bilingual list in the British Museum； was as follows：
Aku Sin the moon Sin Bi？ebi ？ama？ the sun ？ama？ Dapinu Umun…sig…êa Jupiter Merodach Zib＇*＇ Dele…bat Venus I？tar Lu…lim Lu…bat…sag…u？ Saturn Nirig （acc。 to Jensen） Bibbu Lubat…gud Mercury Nebo Simutu Mu？tabarru Mars Nergal m？tanu
All the above names of planets have the prefix of divinity； but in other inscriptions the determinative prefix is that for 〃star；〃 /kakkabu/。
＇*＇ This is apparently a Sumerian dialectic form； the original word having seemingly been Zig。
Moon and Sun。
Unfortunately； all the above identifications of the planets with the deities in the fourth column are not certain； namely； those corresponding with Saturn； Mercury； and Mars。 With regard to the others； however； there is no doubt whatever。 The reason why the moon is placed before the sun is that the sun； as already explained； was regarded as his son。 It was noteworthy also that the moon was accredited with two other offspring； namely； Ma？u and Ma？tuson and daughter respectively。 As /ma？u/ means 〃twin；〃 these names must symbolise the two halves； or； as we say； 〃quarters〃 of the moon； who were thus regarded； in Babylonian mythology； as his 〃twin children。〃
Jupiter and Saturn。
Concerning Jupiter； who is in the above called Dapinu （Semitic）； and Umun…sig…êa （Sumerian）； it has already been noted that he was called Nibiruaccording to Jensen； Merodach as he who went about among the stars 〃pasturing〃 them like sheep； as stated in the Babylonian story of the Creation （or Bel and the Dragon）。 This is explained by him as being due to the comparatively rapid and extensive path of Jupiter on the ecliptic； and it would seem probable that the names of Saturn； /Kaawanu/ and /Sag…u？/ （the former； which is Semitic Babylonian； meaning 〃steadfast；〃 or something similar； and the latter； in Sumerian； 〃head…firm〃 or 〃steadfast〃〃phlegmatic〃）； to all appearance indicate in like manner the deliberation of his movements compared with those of the planet dedicated to the king of the gods。
Venus at sunrise and sunset。
A fragment of a tablet published in 1870 gives some interesting particulars concerning the planet Venus； probably explaining some as yet unknown mythological story concerning her。 According to this； she was a female at sunset； and a male at sunrise； I？tar of Agadé （Akad or Akkad） at sunrise； and I？tar of Erech at sunset： I？tar of the stars at sunrise； and the lady of the gods at sunset。
And in the various months。
I？tar was identified with Nin…si…anna in the first month of the year （Nisan = March…April）； with the star of the bow in Ab （August… September）； etc。 In Sebat （January…February） she was the star of the water…channel； Ik？； which was Merodach's star in Sivan （May…June）； and in Marcheswan her star was Rabbu； which also belonged to Merodach in the same month。 It will thus be seen； that Babylonian astronomy is far from being as clear as would be desired； but doubtless many difficulties will disappear when further inscriptions are available。
Stars identified with Merodach。
The same fragment gives the celestial names of Merodach for every month of the year； from which it would appear； that the astrologers called him Umun…sig…êa in Nisan （March…April）； Dapinu in Tammuz （June… July）； Nibiru in Tisri （September…October）； ？arru （the star Regulus）； in Tebet （December…January）； etc。 The first three are names by which the planet Jupiter was known。
As for the planets and stars； so also for the constellations； which are identified with many gods and divine beings； and probably contain references； in their names and descriptions； to many legends。 In the sixth tablet of the Creation…series； it is related of Merodach that； after creating the heavens and the stations for Anu； Bêl； and Ae；
〃He built firmly the stations of the great gods Stars their likenesshe set up the /Lumali/； He designated the year； he outlined the （heavenly） forms。 He set for the twelve months three stars each； From the day when the year begins； 。 。 。 for signs。〃
As pointed out by Mr。 Robert Brown； jr。； who has made a study of these things； the 〃three stars〃 for each month occur on one of the remains of planispheres in the British Museum； and are completed by a tablet which gives them in list…form； in one case with explanations。 Until these are properly identified； however； it will be impossible to estimate their real value。 The signs of the Zodiac； which are given by another tablet； are of greater interest； as they are the originals of those which are in use at the present time：
Month Sign Equivalent
Nisan （Mar。…Apr。） The Labourer The Ram Iyyar （Apr。…May） /Mulmula/ and the Bull of heaven The Bull Sivan （May…June） /Sib…zi…anna/ and the great Twins The Twins Tammuz （June…July） /Allul/ or /Nagar/ The Crab Ab （July。…Aug。） The Lion （or dog） The Lion Elul （Aug。…Sep。） The Ear of corn（？） The ear of Corn （Virgo） Tisri （Sep。…Oct。） The Scales The Scales Marcheswan （Oct。…Nov。） The Scorpion The Scorpion Chisleu （Nov。…Dec。） /Pa…bil…sag/ The Archer Tebet （Dec。…Jan。） /Sahar…ma？/； the Fish…kid The Goat Sebat （Jan。…Feb。） /Gula/ The Water…bearer Adar （Feb。…Mar。） The Water Channel and the Tails The Fishes
Parallels in Babylonian legends。
The 〃bull of heaven〃 probably refers to some legend such as that of the story of Gilgame？ in his conflict with the goddess I？tar when the divine bull was killed； /Sib…zi…anna/； 〃the faithful shepherd of heaven；〃 suggests that this constellation may refer to Tammuz； the divine shepherd； whilst 〃the scorpion〃 reminds us of the scorpion…men who guarded the gate of the sun （？ama？）； when Gilgame？ was journeying to gain information concerning his friend Enki…du； who had departed to the place of the dead。 Sir Henry Rawlinson many years ago pointed out that the story of the Flood occupied the eleventh tablet of the Gilgame？ series； corresponding with the eleventh sign of the Zodiac； Aquarius； or the Water…bearer。
Other star…names。
Other names of stars or constellations include 〃the weapon of Merodach's hand；〃 probably that with which he slew the dragon of Chaos； 〃the Horse；〃 which is described as 〃the god Z？；〃 Rimmon's storm…birdPegasus； 〃the Serpent；〃 explained as Ere？…ki…gal； the queen of Hades； who would therefore seem to have been conceived in that form； 〃the Scorpion；〃 which is given as /I？hara tantim/； 〃I？hara of the sea；〃 a description difficult to explain； unless it refer to her as the goddess of the Ph？nician coast。 Many other identifications； exceedingly interesting； await solution。
How the gods were represented。 On cylinder…seals。
Many representations of the gods occur； both on bas…reliefs； boundary… stones； and cylindrical and ordinary seals。 Unfortunately； their identification generally presents more or less difficulty； on account of the absence of indications of their identity。 On a small cylinder… seal in the possession of the Rev。 Dr。 W。 Hayes Ward； Merodach is shown striding along the serpentine body of Tiawath； who turns her head to attack him；