nomers saw their dancing customs reflected in the
heavens by the constellations, whose movements were rhythmical. No
doubt, Isaiah had in mind the belief of the Babylonians regarding the
dance of their goat-gods when he foretold: "Their houses shall be full
of doleful creatures; and owls (ghosts) shall dwell there, and _satyrs
shall dance there_".[367] In other words, there would be no people
left to perform religious dances beside the "desolate houses"; the
stars only would be seen dancing round Polaris.

Tammuz, like Anshar, as sentinel of the night heaven, was a goat, as
was also Nin-Girsu of Lagash. A Sumerian reference to "a white kid of
En Mersi (Nin-Girsu)" was translated into Semitic, "a white kid of
Tammuz". The goat was also associated with Merodach. Babylonians,
having prayed to that god to take away their diseases or their sins,
released a goat, which was driven into the desert. The present Polar
Star, which was not, of course, the Polar star of the earliest
astronomers, the world having rocked westward, is called in Arabic
Al-Jedy, "the kid". In India, the goat was connected with Agni and
Varuna; it was slain at funeral ceremonies to inform the gods that a
soul was about to enter heaven. Ea, the Sumerian lord of water, earth,
and heaven, was symbolized as a "goat fish". Thor, the Teutonic
fertility and thunder god, had a chariot drawn by goats. It is of
interest to note that the sacred Sumerian goat bore on its forehead
the same triangular symbol as the Apis bull of Egypt.

Ashur was not a "goat of heaven", but a "bull of heaven", like the
Sumerian Nannar (Sin), the moon god of Ur, Ninip of Saturn, and Bel
Enlil. As the bull, however, he was, like Anshar, the ruling animal of
the heavens; and like Anshar he had associated with him "six
divinities of council".

Other deities who were similarly exalted as "high heads" at various
centres and at various periods, included Anu, Bel Enlil, and Ea,
Merodach, Nergal, and Shamash. A symbol of the first three was a
turban on a seat, or altar, which may have represented the "world
mountain". Ea, as "the world spine", was symbolized as a column, with
ram's head, standing on a throne, beside which crouched a "goat fish".
Merodach's column terminated in a lance head, and the head of a lion
crowned that of Nergal. These columns were probably connected with
pillar worship, and therefore with tree worship, the pillar being the
trunk of the "world tree". The symbol of the