The Anzud bird

The Anzud bird

Once one are reading ancient Sumerian texts, one are bound to stumble across stories about a peculiar and gigantic flying predator bird that is referred to as the Anzud bird. It coexisted with mankind and lived as late as up until the time of the great flood , just some 12000-14000 years ago, yet it is described as some kind of pre historic Pterosaur or animal that clearly has relation to the so called ‘dinosaurs’, which according to mainstream science was supposed to live millions and millions of years ago.

The Anzud bird is described in several of the ancient Sumerian tablets as a gigantic bird that lived in the mountains in ancient Sumer. It is described as being white and as having shark teeth, hunting for wild mountain bulls , cows and stags. It is here described as having a huge wingspan (as a birdnet stretched out across the sky) and as having gigantic eagle like claws with which it was able to capture and lift such large animals easily.

Most of the description of this amazing bird can be found in an ancient Sumerian text called ‘Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird’. Besides giving a very good description of the bird itself, it also tells us the story how Lugalbanda with patience and cleverness managed to tame and train such a bird after having come across one such chick lying in a nest in the mountains. Those of you who takes interest in these stories should read and study it to get all the details, but I will here give you the summary of what is written about the bird itself.

In the mountains where no cypresses grow, where no snake slithers, where no scorpion stings, the Anzud bird had set his nest and settled therein his young. It was made with wood from the juniper and the box trees. The bird had made the bright twigs into a bower.

When at daybreak the bird stretches himself, when at sunrise Anzud cries out, at his cry the ground quakes in the Lulubi mountains.

He has a shark's teeth and an eagle's claws. In terror of him wild bulls run away into the foothills, stags run away into their mountains.

The bird was herding together wild bulls of the mountains, Anzud was herding together wild bulls of the mountains. He held a live bull in his talons, he carried a dead bull across his shoulders. He poured forth his bile like 10 gur of water. One Gur is (as far as I have found out) about 300 litres.


Bird with sparkling eyes, born in this district, Anzud with sparkling eyes, born in this district. Your wingspan extended is like a birdnet stretched out across the sky! on the ground your talons are like a trap laid for the wild bulls and wild cows of the mountains! Your spine is as straight as a scribe's! Your breast as you fly is like Niraḫ parting the waters! As for your back, you are a verdant palm garden, breathtaking to look upon.


The big question is. How is it possible that such a ‘dinosaur’ bird could coexist and live with human beings just 12000-14000 years ago, when the experts (so confident in themselves) claims they lived at least 66 million years ago?

Because people have imaginations and they make for great stories.
If you were alive 12,000 years from now and you found a copy of Godzilla, would you think it was real?

a reply to: helius

Interesting comparison to a dinosaur that I've never thought of.

Other texts you'll find if you keep digging give further detail. It's the son of the bird god (Akkadian version) and looks more like this: ... than a dinosaur.

In fact, all those awesome sphinx-looking dudes in Sumerian artwork that you see? Those are mostly Anzu Birds. I'm pretty convinced it's the same origin as the Persian Manticore, as well. Funny enough, Inanna (who I follow), bails out Lugalbanda in the end of that story you are talking about.

a reply to: Cuervo

This myth was new to me. Thanks. According to Wikipedia the Manticore myth is of Persian origin and was later adopted by the Greec. It describes a creature that is a mixture between man and lion.

Ps. I might have a good imagination, but it’s not that bad.

a reply to: TinfoilTP

So you’re comparing the ancient histories in the ancient Sumerian texts archive with a copy of Godzilla , huh? Why do you even bother to read posts on ATS, when you seem to be better off reading cartoons.

At least I gave you a big laugh. Thus my post was worthwhile.

a reply to: TinfoilTP

Millennia from now, I would love to see the archeologists eyes when they unearth the plethora of star wars memorabilia.

There are museums dedicated to the genre. Bits of that are sure to survive in the ruins.

originally posted by: helius
a reply to: Cuervo

This myth was new to me. Thanks. According to Wikipedia the Manticore myth is of Persian origin and was later adopted by the Greec. It describes a creature that is a mixture between man and lion.

Ps. I might have a good imagination, but it’s not that bad.

Actually, I just mentioned the Manticore as a comparison. Other Mesopotamian texts describe the Anzu Bird as having a lion head, as well. Also, breathing fire and ice (or something like that) and pretty much like the figures you see Gilgamesh fighting in Sumerian art.

Not so long ago our ancestors lived among mega fauna so a giant bird isn't to far of a stretch, such as the Moa and Elephant bird. One that large that could fly would be quite a sight though. Some modern birds such as swans and geese have dino teeth. lol

Polly wants a cracker NOW!!!

a reply to: Cuervo

I could off course have missed some texts containing more information on the Anzud bird, if that is the case it would surprise me in a good way. Could you please give me the links to those Mesopotamian texts that mention the Anzud bird as having a lion head. If it really had a lion head, then it’s not a pterosaur like I claim, then it’s more likely it was some of the experimental monsters that the Anuna Gods created in their labs in those days.

Just to clarify. The Anzud bird is not breathing fire or ice or something. I have not found any Sumerian texts that suggests that . Neither is it abnormal in any other way, except for being a gigantic bird with a huge wingspan. What probably is odd tough (except for the extraordinary size of course), is that it had shark teeth and hunted wild bulls and cows in the mountains of ancient Sumer. That’s all kind of description and behavior we expected from pre historic pterosaurs.

Biblical text (The Legends f the Jews) also mention another such gigantic bird. In this case it’s called the Ziz and it lived in this very same time period. It also have all the typical qualities and attributes that we expect from pre historic Pterosaurs. It did however not pray on wild bulls or have shark teeth though. Thus the Ziz and the Anzud are definitely different birds.

According to my understanding there are two Sumerian texts that describe special creatures that Gilgamec was fighting. One of those texts are called “Gilgamec and huwawa” and described Gilgamec and Enkidu on a mission to kill a monster called Huwawa . The other text is called “Gilgamec and the bull of heaven”. It tells a story about how Inana sends a ‘creature’ against Gilgamec in order to kill him. This ‘creature’ is called the bull of heaven. Inana had to ask Anu for permission to use it. It’s hard to tell what kind of creature this latter thing might have been, but I fail to see how any of those two creatures can be associated with the Anzud bird.

a reply to: weirdguy

Wow. I didn’t know that swans and geese had dino teeth. I hope they don’t eat meat though. I was kind of hoping they loved these bread pieces we toss to them now and then and don’t go for larger and more juicy snacks ):-

a reply to: weirdguy

At first I thought you were referring to a " Kiwi " ...

Imagine the following with geese - with " DINO TEETH "!!!



Ermagherd !

David Attenborough did a documentary on the elephant bird, a 10 feet tall, weighing 1/2 tonne, that died off recently, so its very possible much many larger birds have died off during the homo sapien era.

a reply to: helius

well dinosaurs evolved into birds so i guess it's really not that far fetched to think that along the way there was a transitional creature containing the features of both dinos and a bird.

the sumerians were a smart bunch they were. i love how some people think just because what they wrote seems fantastical within the context of society today that it means it was a myth back then. way to underestimate one of the most prolific ancient cultures ever.

a reply to: helius

Lamassu and the Anzu bird have always been compared as similar when studying them and all I'm finding are art pieces of the Anzu bird that references a lion head. I'm having a difficult time finding text, though, but I'll keep looking.

It's crazy when you establish something as a fact in your head then let years of other facts pile on top of it. When you go back to verify that original "fact", it's maddening when you can't. The Anzu has never been key for my understanding and development so I won't be too crushed if I'm wrong but it's still weird. It's probably how Christians feel when I tell them to find "cleanliness is next to godliness" or "hell" in the bible. They get this look like I'm giving right now.

I can find reliefs with the Anzu looking lion-like but no texts. I'm glad you wrote this thread.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: TinfoilTP

Millennia from now, I would love to see the archeologists eyes when they unearth the plethora of star wars memorabilia.

Especially if part of that memorabilia includes a copy of the star wars kid video.