Wars of Gods and Men - Zecharia Sitchin-pages

Page 198 of 368

Page 198 of 368
Wars of Gods and Men - Zecharia Sitchin-pages

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195 of Anu; an abode appropriately named E.ANNA—"House of Anu." Before they left Earth back for the Home Planet, Anu and Antu his spouse paid an overnight visit to their Earthly temple; it was an occasion marked by pomp and circumstance. As the divine couple reached the new town—later to be known as Uruk (the biblical Erech)—the gods accompanied them in a procession to the tem- ple's courtyard. While a sumptuous evening meal was prepared. Anu, seated on a throne, chatted with the male gods; Antu, accom- panied by the female goddesses, changed her clothes in the tem- ple's section called "House of the Golden Bed." Priests and other temple attendants served "wine and good oil" and slaughtered in sacrifice "a bull and a ram for Anu, Antu and all the gods." But the banquet was delayed until it was dark enough to see the planets: "Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Mars and the Moon—as soon as they shall appear." With this, and after a cere- monial washing of the hands, the first part of the meal was served: "Bull meat, ram meat, fowl . . . as well as prime beer and pressed wine." A pause was then made for the highlight of the evening. While one group of priests began to chant the hymn "Kakkab Anu etellu shamame, " "The Planet of Anu Rises in the Skies," a priest went up to the "topmost stage of the tower of the temple" to watch the skies for the appearance of the Planet of Anu, Nibiru. At the ex- pected moment and in the predetermined spot in the heavens, the planet was sighted. Thereupon the priests broke out in sing- ing the compositions "To the One Who Grows Bright, the Heavenly Planet of the Lord Anu" and "The Creator's Image Has Arisen." A bonfire was lit in signal, and as the news spread from one observation post to another, bonfires were lit in one place after another. Before the night was over, the whole land was alight. In the morning, prayers of thanksgiving were offered in the tem- ple's chapel, and in a sequence filled with ceremony and symbol- ism, the celestial visitors began their departure. "Anu is leaving," the priests chanted; "Anu, great king of Heaven and Earth, we ask for your blessing," they intoned. After Anu gave the asked-for blessings, the procession wound its way down the "Street of the Gods" to the "Place of the barque of Anu." There were more prayers and hymn singing at a chapel called "Build Life on Earth." Now it was time for those remaining behind to bless the departing couple, and the following verses were recited: Peace on Earth