ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Abgal (god)

Abgal is a word that comes from ancient Mesopotamia, which is a fancy name for a place that existed a very long time ago. In Mesopotamia, people believed in many gods and goddesses, just like how we have different superheroes and princesses that we love.

One of these gods was called Abgal. But Abgal was different from the other gods because he was considered to be a little bit more special. He was like a messenger between the other gods and the humans. So, you can think of Abgal as someone who talks to the gods on our behalf.

Now, Abgal was depicted in a very interesting way. He had a human body, but he also had some fish-like features. Imagine a person with a human head, arms, and legs, but with a fish's tail instead of normal legs. That's how Abgal was drawn or portrayed in ancient Mesopotamian art.

People believed that Abgal had special powers. He could help humans by bringing messages from the gods and he could also protect them. He was like a guardian or a watchful friend who was always looking out for the people.

The Mesopotamians believed that Abgal lived in the water, especially in rivers or in the sea. They thought that he could control the water and protect the people from floods or other water-related problems. So, when people wanted to ask for Abgal's help, they would often go near the water and pray or offer gifts to him.

Overall, Abgal was a very important and unique god in the ancient Mesopotamian culture. He was like a mediator between humans and the other gods, and he was believed to have special powers to help and protect people. People thought of Abgal as a very kind and powerful god who would always listen to their prayers and watch over them, especially when it came to things related to water.