18 Mitanni, land grants, vassals

A notable aspect of Mesopotamian art depicts certain bizarre, fish and birdman hybrids that are seen engaging in religious ceremonies. Large-scale relief carvings of these supernatural entities were used to embellish the palace's wall of the Assyrian rulers. These strange beings have also left behind a ton of clay figures and cylinder seal impressions that have been found. Who were they, though? And why did the royal architecture give them such a prominent place? The hybrid fishmen who had come to Babylon in pre-Diluvian periods and served as the advisors to the Ten Kings who ruled before the flood were referred to in the cuneiform inscriptions as Apkallu, which means sage or wise. The Seven Sages was another name for the seven Apkallu. One by one, they had risen from the Erythraean Sea, Indian Ocean, and disseminated to the populace all the laws of civilization. The Chaldean astrologer Berassus, a priest at the Temple of Bel and a contemporary of Alexander, wrote about the Apkallu in a piece of literature called Babyloniaca, circa 281 BCE. According to him, the first of the Apkallu to arrive in prehistoric times was known as Oana, Akkadian, or Oans, Greek. Alulam, the very first king on the Sumerian king list, began his reign in the first year. Let's read a piece from the literature called Babyloniaca. There made its appearance, from a part of the Erythraean Sea which bordered upon Babylonia, an animal endowed with reason, who was called Oans. The whole body of the animal was like that of a fish, and had under a fish's head another head, and also feet below, similar to those of a man, subjoined to the fish's tail. His voice too, and language, was articulate and human, and a representation of him is preserved even to this day. This being in the daytime used to converse with men, but took no food at that season, and he gave them an insight into letters and sciences, and every kind of art. He taught them to construct houses, to found temples, to compile laws, and explained to them the principles of geometrical knowledge. He made them distinguish the seeds of the earth, and showed them how to collect fruits. In short, he instructed them in everything which could tend to soften manners and humanize mankind. From that time, so universal were his instructions, nothing material has been added by way of improvement. When the sun set, it was the custom of this being to plunge again into the sea, and abide all night in the deep, for he was amphibious. After this there appeared other animals like Oans, of which Barassus promises to give an account when he comes to the history of the kings. It is plainly evident from reading this incredible account by Barassus that Apkallu were more than just priests wearing cloaks made of fish skin, they were aquatic beings who possessed traits shared by both humans and fish. They were referred to as creatures of the Apsu, in the cuneiform literature, where Apsu denoted the sea of freshwater, beneath the earth or the underground aquifers. They were seen coming from the Erythraean sea, suggesting that there are tubes and passages connecting the aquifers with seas, rivers, and oceans. The god Ea, Enki, the king of the Apsu and the guardian of humanity, sent the Apkallu. The god Ea was associated with knowledge, culture, water, fertility, arts, and magic. The following verses concerning the Apkallu are taken from the Old Babylonian Epic of Era. Where are the seven Apkallu of the Apsu, the pure Paradu fishes, who are perfect in lofty wisdom like Ea's, their lord, who can make my body holy, poem of era, tablet 2, line 162. The names of the seven Apkallu are listed within one of the bit-missary incantations. They are praised for their power to manage the schemes and plans made for heaven and earth, and are jointly referred to as the pure parade fishes of the sea. Uanna, who accomplishes the plans of heaven and earth, Uandugga, who is endowed with comprehensive understanding, Enmudugga, for whom a good destiny has been decreed, Enmegalama, who was born in a house, Enmebulugga, who grew up in pasture land, and Enlilda, the conjurer of the city of Eridu, Utwabazu, who ascended to heaven, the pure Paradu fishes, the Paradu fishes of the sea, the seven of them, the seven sages, who have originated in the river, who control the plans of heaven and earth. The nickname Enlilda, the conjurer of the city of Eridu, which refers to the Apkallu, indicates that they were also excellent architects. The establishment of seven ancient Sumerian towns of Eridu, Ur, Nippur, Kulub, Kesh, Lagash, and Shurupuk is credited to the seven sages. The seven sages had also outlined Uruk's strategy, in accordance with the Gilgamesh epic. Is this a true account of our distant past, or has it been embellished by a creative imagination? Could it be that, in the middle of the underground aquifers, a subterranean realm inhabited by strange beings exists beneath the surface of the earth? What do we know about the aquifers' ecology? Probably nothing. We have enormous freshwater reservoirs beneath us that go down 30,000 feet. These aquifers hold close to 30% of the planet's entire freshwater supply, with the remaining 40% frozen in glaciers. The underground aquifers mirror the many levels of the underworld, that so many prehistoric societies spoke of because they have numerous vertical levels divided by layers of permeable rock. There is a watery, tear-like underworld of mythology, in fact. How can we discount these ancient reports as myths without searching the aquifers and, extra broadly, the subsurface topography of our globe for indications of life? Ancient myths describe a land below the earth's surface that is always lovely and inhabited by superhuman beings. According to legend, this otherworldly dimension can be reached through caves hidden beneath mountains, rivers, and seas that are carefully concealed and guarded to keep out trespassers. Seven gates guard the underworld according to Mesopotamian mythology. In the Gilgamesh epic, Gilgamesh enters a tunnel at the base of Mount Mashu's Twin Peaks to go to the underworld. Before arriving in the Gardens of the Divine Beings, a paradise full of jewel-laden trees, he walks for 12 hours in total darkness. Native American tribes including the Hopi, Navajo, Iroquois, and Sioux, among others, think that their forebears left a subterranean world and came to the surface via caverns and tunnels. Some of the upright Hopi were transferred to safe places in the underground realm whenever the Hopi supreme creator Sotunang demolished the planet. In Irish mythology, portals concealed under mounds or tumuli allowed access to the underworld Anwen, which was home to fairies and demons. Greeks created temples in caves because they thought certain caverns had entrances to the underworld. The Mayans believed that caverns and cenotes were entrances to their nine-level underwater underworld. There are seven underground locales in Indian mythology, collectively known as Patala or Naga Loka. These are the worlds of the heavenly-human-serpent hybrids known as Nagas, as well as other paranormal creatures including Rakshashas, Giants, Yakshas, Dwarves, and various hybrid creatures that are all offspring of the seven sages of Vedic lore. The Nagas are reported to reside in lovely subterranean regions with trees, lakes, rivers, and dazzling mansions embellished with priceless gems. Although the sun and moon are not visible there, the jewels adorning the hoods and bodies of the Nagas give out an effulgence that brightens the area. This effulgence may be a reference to bio-luminescence. Exploring underground aquifers for evidence of life using various sorts of remotely controlled underwater vehicles may be the need of the hour, ROV. We should have an open mind and allow the ancient people to speak for themselves till that time comes so that we can understand the truth of what they are attempting to communicate to us. Now, in addition to the human-fish hybrid sculptures, the walls of Assyrian palaces are decorated with numerous bird-headed figures, winged human figures, and cylinder seals. What do these beings represent is the question. In the first millennium BCE, the Assyrians practiced apotropaic rituals to prevent the arrival of evil, especially in the form of contagious diseases, into a person's home. The bird-headed beings were also referred to as the Seven Sages and Creatures of the Apsu in the incantations, Wigerman writes in Mesopotamian Protective Spirits, the ritual texts. The family members were required to create a group of clay figurines of the seven-fish Apkallu, the seven-bird Apkallu, as well as other gods and monsters. These sets of figurines were buried under the floor of the in various locations after the rituals, which included ritualistic cleansing and incantations, were finished in order to drive out evil and stop it from entering the dwelling. Maybe the Apkallu were shapeshifters and, when necessary, could take on the form of a human-bird hybrid? Vasistha and Vishwamitra, two members of the Seven Sages, are said to have engaged in a protracted battle after changing into birds, according to an Indian tale. This could be a possible explanation for the bird-headed Apkallu because the idea of shapeshifting was extremely widespread in the body of ancient legends. According to the Epic of Era, the storm deity Marduk had exiled the Apkallu to the Apsu following the flood. Umanus, human sages, were afterward tasked with purifying Marduk's sanctuary. Umanus, who succeeded the Apkallu after the flood, is represented by the winged human beings. Given that the Umanus have wings and a horned crown, which was a symbol of divinity in ancient Mesopotamia, it is most likely that they were demigods who were created when the gods and humans united. The Apkallu are typically depicted holding a bandadu, or, ritual bucket, in their left hand. The Apkallu sprinkle holy water from this bucket with a mululu, a pine cone, which they carry in their right hand. This is a purifying ritual that may have been carried out to promote fertility, drive out demons, treat illnesses, etc. What holy water actually is and how it could have such power may be questions that people have. We are aware that it takes a long time for water to gradually reach the aquifer's lowest levels. As a result, this water not only gets rid of contaminants but also picks up a lot of minerals as it descends, giving it a lot of potentials. It may be even more powerful because the ritual scriptures state that the Apkallu sprinkling the water did so while speaking sacred incantations. Scientific studies have demonstrated that sound waves can speed up chemical interactions between liquid and air by boosting the concentrations of dissolved gases like oxygen. Research by Japanese scientist and healer Masahiro Emoto has revealed that sound waves and music can change the crystalline structure of ice. Interestingly, the ritual bucket theme is depicted on a monolithic, T-shaped pillar at the ancient excavation of Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, in which the earliest stratum of the monument has been dated to circa 9000 BCE, a few decades after the end of the last ice age. One of the T-shaped columns features a row of buckets with their tops carved out in relief that resembles the buckets the Apkallu is holding. The sculpture of a vulture grasping a circular item is located directly behind the buckets. This could be a bird Apkallu using a pine cone to sprinkle holy water on the land to make it fertile. There is a possibility that the people who constructed Göbekli Tepe saw the Apkallu while they went about their cleansing rituals circa 9000 BCE. The learning of the Apkallu appears to have stretched into the Antediluvian era, which is precisely what the Sumerian stories tell us, as Göbekli Tepe was constructed a few decades after the end of the Younger Dryas period, during which a global flood may have been caused by comet impacts. These artifacts demonstrate the Apkallu's functions as royal priests and sages to the monarchs. Evidently, many religions still practice the forms of worship that the Apkallu established at the very beginning of civilization. For instance, Christians, Buddhists, and Hindus still utilize rosary beads as tools for meditation. While Hindus sprinkle Amrita, or Shanti Jal, holy water, on the audience for blessings and purification, church priests sprinkle holy water during baptism. According to some experts, the mitre, a tall cap with such a front and a rear half sewed at the sides, worn by Catholic priests may represent the fish head above the Apkallu's head. The Apkallu had conveyed to the Babylonians the entire body of understanding and every area of knowledge they knew, as Barassus had said. Due to the Apkallu's globe travels, while on a mission to spread the laws of civilization, this knowledge and ritual practices have spread throughout the planet. The Dogon tribe of Mali in West Africa claims that the Nomo, amphibious fishmen from the Sirius star system, visited them thousands of years ago and taught them numerous talents. Like the Apkallu, the Nomo possessed a human-like upper torso and a fish-like lower body. They came on a vessel, followed by fire and thunder, from the skies. The Nomo needed a watery habitat to survive, so when they first arrived on our planet, they excavated a water reservoir and dove in. The Dogons addressed them as their According to oral legend, the seven gigantic Migis entities came out of the sea while the Anishinaabe people from North America lived along the Atlantic Ocean coast. The Wabanaki peoples were taught the Mead way of life by them. Six of the seven great Migis creatures persisted and created the Odudmen, clans, for the Eastern peoples. The Wanjinas are mighty spirit creatures that the Aboriginal Australians of the Kimberley region of Northwest Australia believe brought their people's laws, culture, and language when they descended from They made the earth and everything that lives there. The Wanjinas visited a close-to-water hole after imparting all the knowledge necessary to the Aboriginals. The water source connected to the rock paintings is said to contain them at its bottom. As mighty rainmakers' spirits, they have control over the clouds and rains and use floods, lightning, and cyclones to punish lawbreakers. It's interesting to note that the phrase Wanjinas incorporates the word genes, which is connected to the terms Jin, Jin, or Genie, and denotes the mysterious spirits that have the power to influence people. When the winged living things sages of Assyrian art, the Umanis, were originally found, researchers really referred to them as winged genies. The seven sages are most frequently mentioned in India, outside of Mesopotamia. The seven sages were collectively referred to as the Saptarishis in the Vedic tradition. Sapta equals seven, rishis equals sages. They were referred to as the lords of creation, and the mind-born sons of Brahma, Manusputra, and Prajapatis. They are typically listed as Marisi, Atri, Angiras, Palastia, Palaha, Kratu, and Vasistha in the scriptures. According to the epic narrative, the Saptarishis served as Iksvaku's tutors and priests as well as those of his successors during the Golden Ages' solar kingdom. Human lineages were founded by the divine Saptarishis, who succeeded in assuming the role of Saptarishis from earlier generations. As a result, the Vedic tradition is similar to that of Mesopotamia, where divinely derived antediluvian Apkallus was succeeded by a human Umanis in the post-diluvian era. According to the Rig Veda, the seven godlike rishis were skilled in ritual, hymns, and laws. Vasistha is referred to as the knower of both earth and heaven, in a Vedic song. The four ancient forefathers and the seven great sages were born from my intellect and got my strength. Said Krishna in Bhadvad Gita, all of the creatures in this world descended from them. The seven enlightened sages are referred to in the Mahabharata as the seven bright-crested ones. By their unified opinion they came into being what is considered the highest sastra. In addition, they were teachers of the knowledge of moksha, liberation, and the first to know the Veda, who have been created as educators of the Veda. In essence, the seven sages were responsible for compiling and disseminating the entirety of the Vedic knowledge that the ancient Indians possessed in fields like yoga, medicine, astrology, armament, architecture, music, language, and grammar, among others. However, the Vedic texts make it clear that the seven sages were not of this earth. They were associated by Vedic astronomers with the seven bright stars of the great bear asterism, Ursa Major constellation. They were recognized as follows. Alcade, Atri Megrez, Angiris Alia, Palastia Fecta, Palaha Marath, Kratu Dubee, and Vasistha Maizar all starred with Marisi as their leading lady. According to legend, the Saptarishis arrive on earth during the Satya Yuga, Golden Age, and continue to live there for a while until the Treta Yuga, Silver Age, during which time they re-promulgate the Vedas and create lineages. The tradition is continued by their human offspring till the conclusion of the Dwapara Yuga, Bronze Age. The Vedic knowledge and Rishi heritage are gradually lost during the Kali Yuga, Iron Age, which is the current era of ignorance and violence. After the Kali Yuga will be over, seven sages return to earth to create Dharma and re-promulgate the Vedas. These narratives make it clear that our predecessors believed the seven sages, who were portrayed as human-fish or human-bird hybrids, were extraterrestrial beings who had visited our planet. There is no debate that these were extraterrestrial beings, regardless of whether their precise origin was the Sirius star system, the great bear constellations, or some other stellar system in the Milky Way. Simply put, they were aliens, which is why they appeared so strange. They could have come with the intention of making sure that our planetary functions as a successful school for the development of consciousness. Ancient wisdom teachings claim that souls reincarnate on earth multiple times and gradually rid their minds of egoic ideas, goals, and routines until they become conscious of their divine essence. It's possible that the Apkallu created their abode in the freshwater aquifers beneath the earth because that environment suited their foreign physiology. According to recent scientific findings, underground life might be the most prevalent type of life in other worlds, in the known universe, and beyond. Geological proof of a planet-wide groundwater system on Mars was discovered in 2019 by scientists. Pluto and Europa, the fourth biggest of Jupiter's 67 known moons, both have an underlying ocean beneath their thick, icy shells. Oceanic life on Europa is more likely to exist because of the movement of chemicals and energy between the ocean's surface and its interior. According to Richard Greenberg of the University of Arizona in Tucson, there could potentially be at least 3 million tons of fish-like animals that could survive and thrive on Europa. If alien fish can live in the subterranean oceans of other planets, then why not the fish-man hybrids like the Apkallu? Wouldn't such beings from that other planet or stellar systems like to construct their residence in a setting resembling their home galaxy, planet, or star if they were to come on earth, which in this instance would be the earth's underground water reserves? Coming here by comets would be the simplest route from some other planetary or star system. The Apkallu may have discovered how to manipulate comets' trajectories and use them for interstellar travel because they possessed supernatural knowledge and abilities. Al-Mu'mua, the first interstellar space rock, rocketed away from the sun like a comet in 2017 as it passed the solar system in a hyperbolic orbit. Evidently, nothing in the archaeological evidence and the oral traditions of the seven sages is improbable when we examine them from a logical standpoint, taking into consideration our current understanding of the universe. While we are currently living in the dark period of Kali, ancient accounts also tell that these supernatural beings stay away from contact with people. But every now and then, we hear tales of people who have experienced weird encounters with enigmatic beings, which might suggest that the underground creatures the seven sages birthed are slowly awakening after millennia of hibernation. We might be living in a time when some of history's most puzzling secrets, which have been consigned to mythology, emerge from hiding and come to light. Subscribe for more interesting content.