Editing Shamash (section)

===Court===
Multiple deities who could be regarded as the [[sukkal]] (attendant deity) of Utu are known, and more than one could appear in this role at a time.{{sfn|Krebernik|2011|p=603}} [[Bunene]], also known under the name Papnunna,{{sfn|Wiggermann|1987|p=9}} was considered his chariot driver.{{sfn|Harris|1975|p=148}} Frans Wiggermann notes that his name and character (as well as these of other well attested sukkals of major city gods:  [[Ninshubur]], [[Alammush]], [[Nuska]] and [[Isimud]]) do not appear to show direct connection with these of his master, which means that he cannot be considered the personification of the effect of the corresponding major deity's actions (unlike such deities as Nabium, deified flame and sukkal of the fire god [[Girra]] or Nimgir, deified lightning and sukkal of the weather god [[Ishkur]]) or a divine personifications of specific commands (unlike such deities as Eturammi, "do not slacken," the sukkal of [[Birtum]]).{{sfn|Wiggermann|1987|p=22}} Ninpirig was referred to as Utu's sukkalmah ("great sukkal").{{sfn|Wiggermann|1987|p=16}} It has been proposed that his name might hint at a connection with light.{{sfn|Wiggermann|1987|p=22}} He is attested in multiple theophoric names, chiefly from Sippar.{{sfn|Cavigneaux|Krebernik|1998|p=481}} Some researchers, including Antoine Cavigneaux and Manfred Krebernik, consider the reading of the second element of his name to be uncertain due to variable orthography, and transcribe it as Nin-PIRIG.{{sfn|Cavigneaux|Krebernik|1998|pp=481-482}} The pair Nigzida and Nigsisa, whose names  mean "law" and "order," respectively,{{sfn|Wiggermann|1987|p=23}} are identified as the "vizier of the left" and "vizier of the right" in the god list ''An = Anum''.{{sfn|Krebernik|2011|p=603}} Nigsisa alone is mentioned by [[Ninsun]] as Shamash's sukkal in the ''[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]''.{{sfn|George|2003|p=461}} Nigzida could be equated with Niggina, another goddess regarded as the sun god's sukkal, though the latter deity's role varies between that of a servant and oldest daughter in known copies of the god list ''An = Anum''.{{sfn|Klein|1998|p=311}} Her Akkadian counterpart was Kittum, whose name has the same meaning, "truth."{{sfn|Klein|1998|p=311}} In ''An = Anum'' Kittum is instead male and a brother of Niggina.{{sfn|Klein|1998|p=311}} She had a sukkal of her own, [[Iqbi-damiq]].{{sfn|Klein|1998|p=311}}{{sfn|Krebernik|2011|p=602}}

None of Utu's sukkals known from other sources are present in documents from the archive of the [[First Sealand dynasty]].{{sfn|Boivin|2018|p=220}} Odette Boivin proposes that in local tradition, this role was instead fulfilled by the deities Lugal-namtarra and <sup>d</sup>SUKKAL, who frequently appear alongside the sun god, and that the former functioned as his sukkal during his nightly journey through the underworld, while the latter fulfilled the same role during the day.{{sfn|Boivin|2018|pp=220-221}} Lugal-namtarra is otherwise sparsely attested and might be analogous to [[Namtar]].{{sfn|Boivin|2018|p=220}} Boivin speculates that <sup>d</sup>SUKKAL developed from the male version of Ninshubur, and assumes it is plausible a connection between the latter and the sun god developed during the reign of [[Rim-Sîn I]], a king of Larsa well known for his devotion to Ninshubur.{{sfn|Boivin|2018|p=220}}

Many deities belonging to the court of Utu were regarded as divine judges.{{sfn|Krebernik|2008|p=354}} They could be grouped together, and collective labels such as "Eleven Standing Gods of Ebabbar" or "Six Judges of Shamash" are known from various sources.{{sfn|Krebernik|2008|p=358}} One well known example of such a deity is [[Ishmekarab]],{{sfn|Krebernik|2008|p=358}} who could also be associated with [[Inshushinak]] and [[Lagamal]].{{sfn|Lambert|1980|p=196}}

[[Kusarikku]] (bull-men, or, as argued by Frans Wiggermann, [[bison]]-men{{sfn|Wiggermann|1992|p=177}}) were frequently associated with Utu, and especially through the second millennium BCE were commonly depicted as members of his court, for example as standard bearers.{{sfn|Woods|2004|p=55}} Similarly, the human-headed bull (''alima'') could accompany the solar disc in art,{{sfn|Wiggermann|1992|p=160}} and a reference to its head serving as an emblem of Utu is known.{{sfn|Wiggermann|1992|p=176}} It is possible that the association between bison-like mythical beings and the sun god was based on their shared connection to eastern mountains.{{sfn|Wiggermann|1992|p=152}} A further type of apotropaic creature associated with Utu was the [[scorpion man|girtablullu]] ("scorpion man").{{sfn|Wiggermann|1992|p=180}} In the Standard Babylonian ''Epic of Gilgamesh'', a scorpion man and a scorpion woman guard the mountain of sunrise.{{sfn|George|2003|pp=492-493}}

According to Christopher Woods, it is possible that in a single case the minor serpentine god [[Nirah]] is attested as a member of the court of Shamash.{{sfn|Woods|2004|p=67}} He proposes that it was a result of the well attested association between the sun god and [[Ishtaran]], whose servant Nirah usually was.{{sfn|Woods|2004|pp=72-74}}