The Sumerian mythologies mention a few animals:
Asu-Shu-Namir: This creature was formed from the dust under the sky God Enlil’s fingernails and was described as a great hermaphroditic bird, it freed the Goddess Ishtar from the underworld of Ikala by pouring the waters of life on her. Because Asu-Shu-Namir is described as a bird and a hermaphrodite that brought Ishtar back from the dead the myth is likely describing a Hieros Gamos suggesting that the bird like being fused with Ishtar in an exchange of sexual waters becoming one both male and female this may also explain how Ishtar came to later be depicted as a harpy/bird-hybrid creature (as shown left) despite having never been described as such and having previously been described and depicted as a normal woman.
Gugulanna: The bull of heaven (depicted central) was a fierce beast unleashed upon the hero Gilgamesh as punishment for refusing the advances of the Goddess Ishtar. Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed the beast which was then placed in the heavens as the constellation Taurus, Enkidu was struck dead by the Gods as punishment for the act of killing a sacred beast.
Kriocamp: These were hybrid creatures half goat and half fish (shown right) that would eventually come to represent the star sign capricorn. Kriocamp is a Greek word and the original Sumerian is unknown, the creature is still believed to originate in Sumerian mythology.
Lamassu: These were hybrid creatures that existed in the time of Tiamat. The Lamassu (depicted lower centre) was a sphinx-like creature that guarded sacred places and temple entrances, the creature is a compossition of man, lion, eagle and bull, it would come to influence the later Hebrew Cherubim angels who have these same four creatures as faces and the Christian Tetramorophs who represent the apostles Mathew, Mark, John and Luke with these animals, they are also related in Occult mysticism to the fixed signs of the Zodiac; Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus respectively.
Zu Bird: A monsterous eagle that took up residence in the crown of the Goddess Ishtar’s sacred Huluppu tree.
