tiomat

Tiomat, also known as Tiamat, is a significant figure in Mesopotamian mythology, primarily appearing in the Babylonian creation epic, the Enuma Elish. She is depicted as the primordial goddess of the salt sea and a chaotic, monstrous entity representing the untamed forces of nature. In the Enuma Elish, Tiomat is the consort of Apsu, the god of freshwater. Together, they represent the initial duality of the cosmic waters.

The Enuma Elish recounts a conflict between the younger gods and their primordial ancestors, Apsu and Tiomat. After Apsu is killed by his offspring, Tiomat, enraged and seeking revenge, prepares for war against the younger gods. She is often described as a monstrous serpent or dragon, embodying primordial chaos and a terrifying, destructive power. The god Marduk eventually confronts and defeats Tiomat in a great cosmic battle.

Marduk's victory over Tiomat is a central theme of the Enuma Elish. He splits her lifeless body in two, using one half to create the heavens and the other half to form the earth. This act of slaying the chaotic primordial goddess and forming the ordered cosmos from her remains is a foundational myth for Babylonian cosmology and kingship. Tiomat's story reflects ancient Near Eastern ideas about creation arising from the defeat of primal chaos.