Editing Sin (mythology) (section)

==Character==
Sin was understood both as an anthropomorphic deity representing the moon, and as the astral body itself.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=19}} He was responsible for providing light during the night.{{sfn|Gomes de Almeida|Fátima Rosa|2021|p=97}} His luminous character could be highlighted with epithets such as "the luminary of the heavens and earth" (''nannār šamê u erṣeti'') or "the luminary of all creation" (''nannār kullati binīti'').{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=37}} The growth of the moon over the course of the month was reflected in comparing Sin to the growth of fruit (Akkadian ''inbu'', Sumerian ''gurun'') as attested in [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Neo-Assyrian]] and [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Neo-Babylonian]] sources, especially [[wiktionary:hemerology|hemerologies]].{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|pp=54-55}} However, it was not applied consistently as a designation for a specific phase of the moon.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=59}} [[Lunar eclipse]]s were believed to be the result of Sin being surrounded by seven evil ''[[utukku]]'' sent by [[Anu]].{{sfn|Krebernik|1997|p=366}}

Next to his astral aspect, Sin's other main role has been described as that of a pastoral deity.{{sfn|Widell|1999|p=127}} He was associated with cattle and with [[dairy product]]s.{{sfn|Peterson|2011|p=281}} This link is reflected in his secondary names Abkar, "shining cow", and Ablulu, "the one who makes the cows abundant".{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=242}} He could be addressed as a herdsman in astral context, with stars being poetically described as his herd.{{sfn|Groß|2014|p=150}} In addition to cows, he could also be associated with sheep and with wild animals inhabiting steppes, especially ibexes and gazelles.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|pp=247-248}}

Sin was perceived as a benign deity who could be petitioned for help.{{sfn|Black|2006|p=126}} He was responsible for guaranteeing abundance and growth, especially in [[Ur]] and [[Harran]], which most likely reflects the well attested phenomenon of locally assigning such a role to tutelary deities of specific areas.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=236}} It was also believed that he could provide people with offspring, as evidenced by prayer in which he is asked for that by childless worshipers, both men and women.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|pp=238-239}} He was also believed to aid pregnant women, both during the beginning of pregnancy and in labour.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=239}} This aspect of his character is highlighted in the incantation ''Cow of Sîn'', which states that he would send a pair of ''[[lamassu]]'' goddesses to help mothers with difficult births.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=241}} The common epithet of Sin, "father" (''a-a''),{{sfn|Peterson|2011|p=280}} underlined his ability to cause growth and bring abundance.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=236}} However, it also reflected his role as a senior member of his pantheon, as well as his authority over deities regarded as his children or servants.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=230}} It has also been suggested that it metaphorically referred to him as the divine representation of the full moon, with texts instead describing him as a youthful god instead reflecting his role as the new moon.{{sfn|Black|2006|p=126}} Another epithet commonly applied to him was  ''[[lugal]]'' ("king").{{sfn|Peterson|2011|p=280}} Presumably it constituted an implicit reference to his status as the tutelary god of Ur.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=196}} In the first millennium BCE, as the god of Harran he could be called Bēl-Ḫarrān (<sup>d</sup>EN.KASKAL), "lord of Harran".{{sfn|Groß|2014|p=143}} This title appears particularly commonly in [[theophoric name]]s.{{sfn|Holloway|2002|p=405}}

Sin could also function as a divine judge in the [[Ancient Mesopotamian underworld|underworld]],{{sfn|Widell|1999|p=128}} as attested for example in the so-called ''First Elegy of the [[Pushkin Museum]]'', in which a man named Ludingira hopes that he will proclaim a good verdict for his deceased father.{{sfn|Katz|2003|p=188}} This role might have originally developed as a way to explain why the moon is not visible for a part of each month.{{sfn|Widell|1999|p=128}} The composition in mention states that his judgment took place on  the day of the disappearance of the moon (Sumerian ''u<sub>4</sub>-ná'', Akkadian ''ūm bubbuli'').{{sfn|Katz|2003|p=375}} However, Dina Katz argues that in contrast with the frequent assignment of a similar role to [[Shamash]], Sin was usually not associated with judgment of either the living or the dead.{{sfn|Katz|2003|p=189}} References to both of them acting as judges are nonetheless known from [[Old Babylonian Empire|Old Babylonian]] inscriptions.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=192}}

In Mesopotamian medicine [[skin diseases]], especially [[leprosy]] (''saḫaršubbû''), as well as [[epileptic]] symptoms, could be interpreted as a manifestation of Sin's [[Divine retribution|wrath]].{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|pp=270-271}} The former are also mentioned in curse formulas as a punishment he could inflict upon oath breakers.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=270}}

===As the head of the pantheon===
A number of sources attest the existence of a tradition in which Sin was regarded as the sole head of the [[Mesopotamian pantheon]] or a deity equal in rank to the traditional [[King of the gods|kings of the gods]], [[Anu]] and [[Enlil]].{{sfn|Peterson|2019|p=59}} According to [[Wilfred G. Lambert]], most of the evidence for this view postdates the reign of [[Meli-Shipak II]], and indicates it might have been particularly popular in [[Harran]].{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=262}} An [[Old Babylonian Empire|Old Babylonian]] literary composition written in Sumerian describes Sin as the head of the divine assembly (Ubšu’[[ukkin]]),with Anu, Enlil, [[Inanna]], Utu, [[Enki]] and [[Ninhursag]] serving as his advisers.{{sfn|Peterson|2011|pp=279-280}}  Two of his titles known from the god list ''[[An = Anum]]'', <sup>d</sup>''Ukkin'' ("the assembly") and Ukkin-uru ("mighty assembly"), might reflect this portrayal.{{sfn|Peterson|2011|p=280}} Some Old Babylonian [[theophoric name]]s might also be connected to the view that Sin was the head of the pantheon, namely Sîn-bēl-ili ("Sin is the lord of the gods"), Sîn-šar-ili ("Sin is the king of the gods") or Sîn-il-ili ("Sin is god of the gods").{{sfn|Lambert|2013|pp=261-262}} Lambert notes that while similar names invoking other gods, for example [[Shamash]] and [[Adad]], are also known, Sîn-bēl-ili is ultimately the most common.{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=262}}

Examples of texts elevating Sin's rank are known from [[Ur]] from the period of the [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Neo-Assyrian]] governor [[Sîn-balāssu-iqbi]]'s reign.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=348}} The moon god was in this case seemingly reinterpreted as a "local Enlil”, acting as the king of the gods in Ur.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|pp=348-349}} It has been argued that the view that Sin was the supreme god was later particularly enthusiastically supported by the last [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Neo-Babylonian]] ruler, [[Nabonidus]].{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=262}} In one of his inscriptions from Harran Sin is described as the "lord of the gods" who possessed "Enlilship", "Anuship" and "Eaship".{{sfn|Lambert|2013|p=190}} However, Melanie Groß stresses that Nabonidus' devotion should for the most part not be treated as an unusual phenomenon, save for the fact that Harran was not the center of his empire.{{sfn|Groß|2014|pp=150-151}} She notes that the elevation of city deities significant for specific rulers to the top of the pantheon of the respective states is well documented for example in the case of [[Marduk]] and [[Ashur (god)|Ashur]].{{sfn|Groß|2014|p=151}} Aino Hätinen points out that in Harran similar formulas were used to refer to Sin by [[Ashurbanipal]], and are thus not unique to Nabonidus and do not necessarily indicate elevation of this god during his reign.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|p=442}} She suggests both Nabonidus and Ashurbanipal relied on so-called "Theology of the Moon", a concept well attested in explanatory texts from the first millennium BCE according to which Sin possessed divine powers (Sumerian ''ĝarza'', Akkadian ''parṣū'') equal to these of Anu, Enlil and [[Ea (god)|Ea]] during the first half of the lunar month.{{sfn|Hätinen|2021|pp=441-442}}