Forgotten gods: Girru

[rfunk]

According to Anne S. Baumgartner in A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Gods, Girru is the Sumerian messenger of the gods, as well as the god of fire and light, and the patron of civilization.

This is useful information when naming a mail server, and all the rest of the server names start with the letter G.

Comments

[chronarchy]

I've always found it very useful to check the sources on dictionaries of deity :)

sources

[rfunk]

Sure, but in this case I only care that there's a reference, not that it's an accurate reference.

In a quick Google search I found similar mentions, but with Sumerian replaced by Akkadian or Babylonion. Or the messenger part omitted.

It is a fun book, even if it has questionable accuracy.

Re: sources

[chronarchy]

Most of the time they are :) The only real issue with books like that is that books like that usually have the author scurrying around for references, and once they have one reference, they move on. In such a dictionary, it's almost certainly too much to ask 'em to check out their sources thouroughly, though.

Of course, then you get things like the Miranda Green's Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend which has some really, really good stuff, followed by some really outlandish claims. It's most amusing when they cite sources and then come to completely different conclusions :)

[braider]

*Mary facepalms*

By the way, have you read American Gods, or Small Gods, for that matter?

Small American Gods

[rfunk]

Yes, I own and have read both, and recommend them.
I'll have to read American Gods again sometime.

Re: Small American Gods

[braider]

I just (a few days ago) finished reading AG for the first time. I'm thinking I have to do some more reading of folk tales. I'm sadly undereducated.

[nontacitare]

So you own this book? Have you had it for a while or did you just buy it to have a handy reference for naming computers? ;-)

By the way, cool name. (I'll admit it's better than Gonzo.)

owned

[rfunk]

I've had it for a few years now.

The computer-naming usage came along after I bought it, but still a while back.