Sharur (mythological weapon)
{{Short description|Enchanted talking mace in Sumerian mythology}}
{{Mesopotamian myth}}
Sharur (Sumerian:𒊹𒃡 šar₂-ur₃), which means "smasher of thousands" is the weapon and symbol of the god Ninurta. Sumerian mythic sources describe it as an enchanted talking mace. It has been suggested as a possible precursor for similar objects in other mythology such as Arthurian lore.
Role and powers in mythology
Sharur plays a prominent role in an incident in which Ninurta is described as using it to defeat Asag, a monstrous demon; Sharur has the power to fly across vast distances without impediment and communicate with its wielder.
This myth receives its most complete treatment in the epic Lugal-e, which in English is rendered as "The Exploits of Ninurta (O Warrior King)".{{cite book|last=Black|first=J.A., G. Cunningham, E. Robson, G. Zolyomi|title=The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature|chapter=Ninurta's exploits: a cir-sud (?) to Ninurta|year=1998|publisher=Oxford|url=http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/|chapter-url=http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=t.1.6.2&charenc=j#}} ([http://www.gatewaystobabylon.com/myths/texts/ninurta/exploitninurta.htm alternate copy]) According to this text, Sharur's role in the battle is not only as a weapon. It provides crucial intelligence to the hero, acting as an emissary between the god Enlil and Ninurta and relating to him the former's will, including a command to slay the architect Kur, a primeval serpent god venerated in Babylon, as well as a strategy to defeat Asag. Kur is associated with mountains and the primordial elements.{{cite web |url=http://www.article90.learningthroughstories.net/ |title=Sharur |publisher=Article90.learningthroughstories.net |date=2011-10-06 |accessdate=2012-07-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716110539/http://www.article90.learningthroughstories.net/ |archivedate=2011-07-16 }}{{Failed verification|date=December 2018|reason=description of Kur doesn't match}}
Powers
Apart from its aforementioned ability to fly and communicate with its wielder, Sharur may also take the form of a winged lion, a common motif in Sumerian and Akkadian lore.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Category:Mesopotamian mythology
Category:Fictional talking objects
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