emitic derivation, from the root _nibbah,_ "to prophesy." It is his
special function to preside over knowledge and learning. He is called
"the god who possesses intelligence," "he who hears from afar," "he who
teaches," or "he who teaches and instructs." In this point of view, he
of course approximates to Hoa, whose son he is called in some
inscriptions, and to whom he bears a general resemblance. Like Hoa, he
is symbolized by the simple wedge or "arrowhead," the primary and
essential element of cuneiform writing, to mark his joint presidency with
that God over writing and literature. At the same time Nebo has, like so
many of the Chaldaean gods, a number of general titles, implying divine
power, which, if they had belonged to him only, would have seemed to
prove him the supreme deity. He is "the Lord of lords, who has no equal
in power," "the supreme chief," "the sustainer," "the supporter," "the
ever ready," "the guardian over the heavens and the earth," "the lord of
the constellations," "the holder of the sceptre of power," "he who grants
to kings the sceptre of royalty for the governance of their people." It
is chiefly by his omission from many lists, and his humble place when he
is mentioned together with the really great gods, that we know he was
mythologically a deity of no very great eminence.

There is nothing to prove the early--worship of Nebo. His name does not
appear as an element in any royal appellation belonging to the Chaldaean
series. Nor is there any reference to him in the records of the primeval
times. Still, as he is probably of Babylonian rather than Assyrian
origin, and as an Assyrian king is named after him in the twelfth century
B.C., we may assume that he was not unknown to the primitive people of
Chaldaea, though at present their remains have furnished us with no
mention of him. In later ages the chief seat of his worship was
Borsippa, where the great and famous temple, known at present as the
Birs-Nimrud, was dedicated to his honor. He had also a shrine at Calah
(Nimrud), whence were procured the statues representing him which are now
in the British Museum. He was in special favor with the kings of the
great Babylonian empire, who were mostly named after him, and viewed him
as presiding over their house. His symbol has not yet been recognized.

The wife of Nebo, as already observed, was Varamit or Urmit--a word which
perhaps means "exalted," from the root on, "to be lifted up."