Editing Marduk (section)

=== Original role ===
Since sources pertaining to Marduk in the early periods are sparse, Marduk's original role is unknown. However, since Marduk appeared in the Abu Salabikh list behind three minor deities whose names point to a possible connection with the underworld, Johandi suggests that Marduk may have been a minor god connected to the underworld.{{sfn|Johandi|2018|p=552-553}} Similarly, Oshima recently proposed that Marduk may have originally had a role similar to Nergal, which may even explain why the logogram <sup>d</sup>AMAR.UTU is used in Hittite texts to write the name of the god [[Šanta]],{{sfn|Oshima|2011|p=47}} who was similar in nature to Nergal.{{sfn|Taracha|2009|p=113}} In the earlier forerunners to the Udug Hul where both Marduk and Asalluhi appear together in a passage Marduk, in contrast to Asalluhi, does not help the victim but instead captures him, either because of his powerlessness or because he simply refused to help.{{sfn|Geller|1985|p=15}} Oshima interpreted the passage as supporting the idea that Marduk's original role was illness and death.{{sfn|Oshima|2011|p=45}} Similarly, in [[Sin-iddinam|Sin-iddinam's]] prayer to [[Ninisina]], Asalluhi (here identified with Marduk) imposing an evil spell on Sin-iddinam (the king of Larsa) causing him to become sick{{sfn|Brisch|2007|p=143}} may reflect that Marduk's power to cause illness extended beyond the dominion of Babylon.{{sfn|Oshima|2011|p=46}} However Sommerfield, who previously believed that there was little evidence for Marduk being related to magic,{{sfn|Sommerfield|1982|p=16}} more recently suggested that Marduk was originally a god of incantations before his syncretism with [[Asalluhi]].{{sfn|Sommerfield|1987|p=368}} Jacobsen suggests that Marduk was originally a storm god due to the storm imageries in the Enuma Elish, wielding the four winds and storms as weapons, and assigning to himself the rain and clouds that came from Tiamat's corpse.{{sfn|Jacobsen|1968|p=106}} Abusch, citing Jacobsen, also believes that Marduk was a storm god, and may have been associated with water and vegetation before joining the pantheon of Eridu as it is improbable to suppose that all of Marduk's traits with water as being taken from the circle of Enki.{{sfn|Abusch|1999|p=544}} However, there is no other evidence suggesting that Marduk was originally a local storm god, and the usage of wind and storm as weapons are not limited to storm gods. Schwemer points to [[Ninurta]] (who is not a storm god) as the original model for Marduk using storms, winds and floods as weapons.{{Sfn|Schwemer|2007|p=128}} Schwemer also summarizes that although Marduk has characteristics that overlap with the storm god profile, it does not mean that Marduk or other gods in similar position (such as Ninurta, [[Amurru (god)|Martu]], [[Telepinu]] and [[Tishpak]]) are necessarily storm gods.{{sfn|Schwemer|2016|p=70}} Marduk's symbol, the spade, may point to him originally being a god of agriculture, or more likely as a god of canals and by extension fertility.{{sfn|Oshima|2006|p=80}} Unlike Abusch, Oshima believes that Marduk's association with water came from his association with canals. He is depicted as the supplier of water in Prayer to Marduk no.2, dating to the Kassite period, and was praised as the bringer of water from rivers, seasonal floods and rains to the fields.{{sfn|Oshima|2006|p=81}} Various prayers to Marduk refer to his connection with springs and rivers, and [[Ashurbanipal]] applies the epithet "the canal inspector of the heavens and the earth" to Marduk{{sfn|Oshima|2006|p=82}}{{refn|group=lower-alpha|Similar epithets are also attested for [[Teshub]],{{sfn|Hoffner,_Jr.|1998|p=52}} Adad, and Ninurta{{sfn|Pongratz-Leisten|2015|p=261}}}}.