In the Sumerian hymn “Enlil in the E-Kur,” the god Enlil is described as controlling and animating nature: Possessing powers greater than that of humans, many gods were associated with astral phenomena such as the sun, moon, and stars, others with the forces of nature such as winds and fresh and ocean waters, yet others with real animals-lions, bulls, wild oxen-and imagined creatures such as fire-spitting dragons. Except for the goddess Inanna (Ishtar in Akkadian), the principal gods were masculine and had at least one consort.
If a god descended into the Netherworld, he lost his melammu. Melammu is a radiance or aura, a glamour that the god embodied.
Unlike humans, however, they were immortal and, like kings and holy temples, they possessed a splendor called melammu. Their need for food and drink, housing, and care mirrored that of humans. Being similar to humans, they were considered to be unpredictable and oftentimes capricious. They had human or humanlike forms, were male or female, engaged in intercourse, and reacted to stimuli with both reason and emotion. Examination of ancient myths, legends, ritual texts, and images reveals that most gods were conceived in human terms. Unlike some later monotheistic religions, in Mesopotamian mythology there existed no systematic theological tractate on the nature of the deities. During this period, religion was a major factor influencing behavior, political decision making, and material culture. Mesopotamian civilization existed for well over 3,000 years, from the formation of the first cities at the end of the fourth millennium B.C.
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