ween the rivers was called Babylonia.[150] The
various systems of law which obtained in the different states were
then codified by Hammurabi, who appointed governors in all the cities
which came under his sway to displace the patesis and kings. A new
national pantheon of representative character was also formed, over
which Merodach (Marduk), the city god of Babylon, presided. How this
younger deity was supposed to rise to power is related in the
Babylonian legend of Creation, which is dealt with in the next
chapter.[151] In framing this myth from the fragments of older myths,
divine sanction was given to the supremacy achieved by Merodach's
city. The allegiance of future generations was thus secured, not only
by the strong arm of the law, but also by the combined influence of
the reorganized priesthoods at the various centres of administration.

An interesting problem, which should be referred to here, arises in
connection with the sculptured representations of deities before and
after the rise of Akkad as a great Power. It is found, although the
Sumerians shaved their scalps and faces at the dawn of the historical
age, that they worshipped gods who had long hair and also beards,
which were sometimes square and sometimes pointed.

At what period the Sumerian deities were given human shape it is
impossible to determine. As has been shown (Chapters II and III) all
the chief gods and goddesses had animal forms and composite monster
forms before they became anthropomorphic deities. Ea had evidently a
fish shape ere he was clad in the skin of a fish, as an Egyptian god
was simply a bull before he was depicted in human shape wearing a
bull's skin. The archaic Sumerian animal and composite monster gods of
animistic and totemic origin survived after the anthropomorphic period
as mythical figures, which were used for decorative or magical
purposes and as symbols. A form of divine headdress was a cap enclosed
in horns, between which appeared the soaring lion-headed eagle, which
symbolized Nin-Girsu. This god had also lion and antelope forms, which
probably figured in lost myths--perhaps they were like the animals
loved by Ishtar and referred to in the Gilgamesh epic. Similarly the
winged bull was associated with the moon god Nannar, or Sin, of Ur,
who was "a horned steer". On various cylinder seals appear groups of
composite monsters and rearing wild beasts, which were evidently
representations of gods and demons in conflict.