Utu (Sumerian: UTU — "Sun")¶

Sumerian name: UTU

Utu (Sumerian: Utu, "Bright One"; Akkadian: Shamash, "Sun") was the god of the sun and justice in the Mesopotamian pantheon. In Zecharia Sitchin's Anunnaki narrative, Utu was the commander of the Sippar spaceport and the administrator of justice among both gods and humans.

Role in the Anunnaki Hierarchy¶

Attribute	Detail
Father	Nannar (Sin, the Moon God)
Mother	Ningal
Siblings	Inanna (Ishtar)
Grandfather	Enlil
Domain	Sippar, the Sun, justice, the spaceport
Sacred Number	20
Symbol	The solar disk, the saw, the rays

Utu was the son of the moon god Nannar and the brother of Inanna. He was associated with Mount Mashu — the twin-peaked mountain at the edge of the world where the sun rises.

Sitchin's Interpretation¶

The Spaceport Commander¶

Sitchin gave Utu a unique role among the Anunnaki — as the controller of the spaceport at Sippar:

"Utu was not merely the sun god. He was the commander of the spaceport — the one who guided the SHEM (rocketships) as they took off and landed."

Key points:

The Ebabbara Temple — Utu's "Shining House" at Sippar was the control tower for the spaceport
The Sun as Beacon — Utu's association with the sun reflected the use of solar alignment for navigation
The "Bright One" — His name Utu means "the bright one," describing the dazzling appearance of spacecraft
The Guide — Utu was the guide of travelers and the protector of those on journeys, including spacecraft journeys

The God of Justice¶

Utu was also the supreme judge among the gods and the enforcer of justice:

He saw everything from his position in the sky
He was the protector of the oppressed and the orphan
He judged the dead in the underworld
His symbol, the solar disk with rays, represented his all-seeing eye

Utu in the Gilgamesh Epic¶

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utu/Shamash plays a crucial role: - He is the patron of Gilgamesh and Enkidu - He provides guidance and protection - He helps Gilgamesh defeat Humbaba by sending 13 winds - He is the one who judges the Bull of Heaven

Cult and Worship¶

Utu's primary cult center was at Sippar (the Ebabbara temple). Another important temple was at Larsa. His worship in Mesopotamia goes back to the earliest Sumerian periods.

Cuneiform Evidence¶

The name UTU (𒀭𒌓, "Sun") is among the most frequently attested divine names in the cuneiform record. Utu (Akkadian: Shamash) was the sun god and god of justice.

CDLI Corpus: UTU — Browse tablets mentioning Utu/Shamash
Key tablet: The Code of Hammurabi (CDLI P464554) — Though primarily associated with Shamash, this famous stele depicts the sun god handing the law code to Hammurabi and is one of the most iconic Mesopotamian artifacts.
The Code of Hammurabi stele, topped with a relief of Shamash (Utu) handing the law code to the king. (CDLI P464554)

Sources¶

Sitchin, Z. (1976). The 12^th Planet.
Sitchin, Z. (1985). The Wars of Gods and Men.
Sitchin, Z. (1980). The Stairway to Heaven.
Black, J. & Green, A. (1992). Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia.