the Second Dynasty of Isin mentions Anu Rabû as the last god in a long sequence of deities, immediately after Ishara. is still attested in Der during the reign of Esarhaddon, and he most likely continued to be worshiped there until the city was deserted in either the Seleucid or Parthian period. While in the past it was assumed that no theophoric names invoking him are known from later than the Kassite period, more recent research shows that scribes from Der still bore such names in the late first millennium BCE. Mythology A fragmentary text known Abu Salabikh and Ebla mentions a group consisting of Shamash, Ištaran, the river god dÍD and Nammu. Like Ištaran and Shamash, dÍD was a divine judge, and Nammu's presence might be the result of association between him and this goddess attested elsewhere. The composition Hymn to Nanshe mentions Ištaran in his role of a divine judge, possibly in association with Ningishzida. Ištaran is also mentioned in the Epic of Erra, where he forsakes the inhabitants of Der after they start acting violently. He is also the only deity to resist Erra's destructive rampage. A neo-Assyrian copy of a lament originally dealing only with the death of Damu contains the names of nine deities who met this fate, including Ištaran. References Bibliography External links Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses: Ištaran (god) Mesopotamian gods Justice gods Snake gods