Aya : Goddess of Dawn or Divine Extra Terrestrial ?
Aya: Goddess of Dawn or Divine Extra Terrestrial ? Aya, goddess of light and the dawn, was a divine figure at par with her husband, Shamash,the sun god. Babylonian times refer to her as Serida, while her Akkadian name is Aya. Aya’s name appears in texts from Ur, the Early Dynastic god-lists from Fara and Abu Salabikh. She is the goddess of Dawn and morning light and thus referred to as ‘morning maker’. Aya’s epithet kallatum means bride and daughter-in-law and it may also imply ‘the veiled one’. This description, while conveying mystery and enigma, also conveys the idea of high status which is referred to in her epithet ‘Great Mistress’ (bēltum rabītum). The One of Many Aspects In the first millennium BCE, texts reveal Aya to be invoked for new year rituals and to avoid signs or omens of evil and hard times. She , with her husband Shamash, were called upon to witness important transactions, deeds or events. They were divine witnesses and were also givers of justice. Moreover, Aya’s