Humbaba / Khumbaba / Hubaba / Hum-ba / Humhum / Huwawa
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Time Period: 2000 to 650 BC
References in Literature: Epic of Gilgamesh
Sources: Ancient Deities, p270, Python, Illiana, Circle of the Dragon, Mythinglinks, and others
Notes:
- Lived in the mountains of Cedars in what is now Lebanon.
- Appears in both Babylonian and Sumerian myths with a firey mouth and deadly breath.
- Not technically a dragon, but he does have some dragon attributes.
- Had dragon's teeth, lion's teeth, horned scales, snake's head on its tale and the feet and claws of a vulture
- May be related to the Greek Herakles-Kyknos story
"It was Enlil who appointed the monstrous Humbaba to be keeper of a great cedar forest in the 'Land of the Living'." (Source: Python pg 167.)
Was considered a threat to a nearby town so Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh's friend Enkidu (who used to be Humbaba's friend) and aided by Shamash (the sun-god), went to kill him. They succeeded by driving hard winds at the monster.
Humbaba was favored by Enlil who was not happy when Gilgamesh killed him.
Related Tales:- Herakles - Kyknos
- Gilgamesh