Isimud

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Isimud is a Mesopotamian god who serves as the divine attendant (sukkal) of the god Enki (Ea). He is famously depicted with two faces.

Names and meaning
- Isimud is also known as Usmû in Akkadian and Izzummi in Hurrian. The name is linked to the idea of being two-faced.

Worship and where he was honored
- Uruk and Babylon are the main places where ritual texts show Isimud was worshiped, though there were no well‑established temples dedicated to him.
- He became part of Hurrian and Hittite religious practices as well.
- In later times, a cella (small shrine room) dedicated to him may have existed in the Bīt Rēš temple of Anu and Antu, and he is sometimes described as a temple guardian alongside other deities.

Roles and imagery
- Isimud’s role is to act as Enki’s advisor, messenger, and doorkeeper. He is not tied to a specific field of influence the way some other sukkals are.
- In art, he is the two-faced figure, sometimes shown with his master or on his own. He often lacks the staff that many sukkals carry, but his two faces are the key symbol, earning him comparisons to the Roman god Janus.
- He appears in inscriptions and is attested from the Early Dynastic through the Late Assyrian periods, with depictions also found in Syria and the Hittite Empire.

In myths
- Isimud is Enki’s servant in many stories. He informs Enki and Inanna in the tale Inanna and Enki, acts as a messenger, and helps navigate events in other myths such as Enki and Ninhursag, Enūma Eliš, Atraḫasīs, and The Heron and the Turtle.
- In Hurrian stories, he appears in the Song of LAMMA, where Ea sends him to bring messages to other deities.

Summary
Isimud represents Enki’s trusted assistant who carries messages, opens doors, and helps Enki manage the divine realm. His two-faced image and wide reach—from Mesopotamia to Hurrian and Hittite contexts—show how important Enki’s attendants were across ancient cultures.