Sin (mythology)

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sin-mythology

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the linguistic designations?Sumerian: Nanna; Akkadian: Sin, Suen; also Dilimbabbar
2. What is the key cultic centers?Ur (primary), Harran (secondary, growing importance)
3. Who was Sin in ancient Mesopotamia?Sin was the moon god who watched over the night sky and helped keep the calendar. He was also seen as a protector of cattle and a judge of the dead.
4. What were some of the names used for Sin?People called him Nanna in Sumerian, Suen or Sin in Akkadian, and sometimes Dilimbabbar. He was also shown with symbols like a crescent moon.

Logogram: A written symbol that represents a word or phrase, used in ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform writing.
Pantheon: All the gods of a particular religion or mythology collectively.
Tutelary Deity: A god or goddess who is the special protector and guardian of a particular place or people.
Anthropomorphic: Describing a god or animal as having human form or human characteristics.