The cuneiform an sign (or sumerogram AN, in Akkadian consisting of ASH 𒀸 and MAŠ 𒈦), is a common, multi-use sign, a syllabic for an, and an alphabetic sign used for a, or n; it is common in both the Epic of Gilgamesh over hundreds of years, and the 1350 BC Amarna letters, and other cuneiform texts. It is also used for the designation of a "god", and is sometimes represented as a superscript: d, or capitalized: D, for "dingir", English language, "god". The example photo at right shows (2nd list), a list of 14 named gods, all with "an"; the first pair on the list AN-UTU, or DUTU, refers to the "sun-god", using Ud (cuneiform), as the sumerogram, namely UTU (sun Sumerogram).
Cuneiform an can also be found in compound form with another cuneiform sign, an example being DAGAL, . The older version of DAGAL used the 'god symbol' as a star within the sign: ; (older version of DAGAL, incorporating "star": ).
Epic of Gilgamesh usage In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablets I-XII, "an" is used for the following meanings by the following numbers: an-(120) times, ìl-(0) times, d-(593), AN-(27), and DINGIR-(76) times.Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Sign List, pp. 155-165, Sign no. 013, p. 155.
List of Babylonian gods, etc. From Budge's revised book on Babylonian Life and History, a list of many of the major gods from Babylonian history (and Sumerian):Budge. Babylonian Life and History, E. A. Wallis Budge (Barnes & Noble edition), c 2005 (c 1883, revised 1925), 245 pages, Chapter: "Babylonian Religious Beliefs", pp. 80-95, list: pp. 94-95.
Anu, or Anum Bêl (An Be), or Enlil (An En lil), -? Ea (An É a), The "Moon-God": Sin (An-Sin), An
Enzu (An En-zu)
Nannaru (An LUGAL Ki) Shamash (An UTU) The "Wind-God": (see Photo-caption, above) Adad Rammânu The "Great God-of-Babylon": Marduk or Bêl-Marduk Nabû (Nebo) (An ?, or An "pa"), -?, or
Ninurta (Enurta) Nergal Gibil Nusku (An Nus?-ku), Irra Ashshur Tiamat Apsu (Abzu) Lakhmu Lakhamu Anshar Kishar Mummu (An Mu-um-mu), --- Kingu Ishtar Ninlil (An Nin Lil) Damkina (An Dam Ki na), -Dam-
List of gods and associated temples, towns, etc.
Anu, or Anum, the E-anna in Uruk Bêl (An Be) or Enlil (An En lil), E-kur in Nippur Ea (An É a), E-apsu in Eridu; Ibex The "Moon-God": Sin (An-Sin), E-gishshirgal in Ur, E-khulkhul in Harran Enzu (An En-zu) Nannaru (An LUGAL Ki)
Shamash (An UTU) The "Wind-God": Adad Rammânu The "Great God-of-Babylon": Marduk (E-sagila in Babylon, w/"serpent-gryphon", No. "Ten", Jupiter), or, Bêl-Marduk Nabû (Nebo) (An ?, or An "pa"), Shrines at Borsippa, and Calah-(Nimrud)
References
Budge. Babylonian Life and History, Budge, E.A. Wallace (Barnes & Noble edition), c 2005 (c 1883, revised 1925), 245 pages. (softcover, ) Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987, 1992. 393 pages.(softcover, ) Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, Parpola, Simo, Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, c 1997, Tablet I thru Tablet XII, Index of Names, Sign List, and Glossary-(pp. 119–145), 165 pages.(softcover, )-(Volume 1)