DYLAN. A figure in the mythology of the British Celts, associated with the waves of the sea, and probably a personification of them.
E. God E is a designation used by anthropologists for a deity depicted in the MSS. of the Mayan Indians of Central America. That he was a maize-god is shown by his bead-ornament, the leafed ear of maize. He may therefore be equivalent to Centeotl, the Aztec maize-god. Schellhas (Die Glittergestalten der Mayaliandschriften) identifies him with Yum Kaax, an obscure deity who was a lord of harvest.
EA. A Babylonian deity. The god Ea is mentioned before the time of Hammurapi. He became one of a great triad consisting of Anu (q.v.), Bel (q.v.), and Ea. Ea was a water-god, the giver of wisdom and fertility. As the giver of wisdom, he was also the protector of men against evil, whether this came from gods or demons. He was the god who removed pain, the god of physicians. He was the god of art and sculpture. When the god Marduk (q.v.) rose to power he was represented as being the son of Ea, and as having inherited all the virtues and honours of his father. Marduk appears in the Epic of Marduk as the creator of mankind (see MARDUK, EPIC OF), but it is likely that originally this role belonged to Ea. He is even said to have assigned to
Anu, Bel, and Ea their domains. When he has finished the work of creation and the gods unite in praising him, Ea confers his own name upon him. In the story of the Deluge (see DELUGE-STORY, BABYLONIAN) Ea appears as the opponent of Bel (q.v.). Bel wishes to destroy all mankind. But Ea warns Utnapishtim, and advises him to build a boat. When Utnapishtim escapes, Bel is very angry; but Ea succeeds in pacifying him. In that part of the Gilgamesh Epic (q.v.) which recounts the adventures of Gilgamesh, Anu, Bel, and Ea are mentioned as the gods Who have given him wisdom. The Persian Gulf was sacred to Ea, and in the Adapa Legend (q.v.) the fisherman Adapa is said to be the son of Ea, his protector. The god Nin-ib (q.v.) is called the first-born of Ea. Nabu (q.v.) also is said to be his son. The consort of Ea was Damkina (q.v.), but Belit (q.v.) also appears as his consort. See Morris Jastrow, Rel.