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NABU

Nabu is a Mesopotamian god of wisdom, literacy, and scribal arts. The name Nabu derives from Akkadian nabû, meaning to proclaim or announce, underscoring his role as the divine scribe who records the deeds of the gods and humanity. In Babylonian and Assyrian tradition he is the son of Marduk and Sarpanit and serves as Marduk’s vizier and scribe.

Iconography and functions: Nabu is typically depicted with a stylus and a clay tablet, and he may

Myth and cult: Nabu was venerated across Mesopotamia and appears in temple rites, incantations, and royal inscriptions

Legacy and modern culture: The god’s influence persisted through Mesopotamian history, with continued use of his

wear
a
horned
crown
as
a
divine
figure.
He
embodies
learning,
writing,
and
scholarship,
acting
as
the
scribe
of
the
gods
and
the
recorder
of
royal
and
temple
archives.
His
cult
center
was
the
city
of
Borsippa
near
Babylon,
where
his
temple
Ezida,
meaning
“House
of
Knowledge,”
was
a
principal
sanctuary.
Worship
often
extended
to
scribal
schools
and
state
libraries.
as
a
patron
of
wisdom
and
literacy.
In
the
Hellenistic
period,
he
was
identified
with
Hermes,
a
reflection
of
syncretism
between
Mesopotamian
and
Greek
deities.
His
name
appears
in
royal
onomastics
and
titles,
and
in
examples
such
as
Nebuchadnezzar
II,
where
the
theophoric
element
Nabu
appears
in
the
king’s
name,
reflecting
divine
sponsorship
of
the
ruler.
name
in
inscriptions
and
personal
names.
In
modern
popular
culture,
Nabu
also
appears
as
a
fictional
sorcerer
in
DC
Comics,
who
mentors
Doctor
Fate.