Ea comes from E₂ A, temple and water, the water temple or, more obviously, water tower. That’s the symbolism of the Sumerian seals that show a “god” with water coming out of his shoulders, personification of a mountain with two river sources. Enki is more modern as I’ve mentioned in posts here but can also be linked to Ea. AN EN KI, where suffix KI means place, reads “the place where sky ends” and can also be read as “the place between sky and Earth. I translate it to “sky-end”. That's why these terms can easily be associated with mountain tops and river sources.

The Tigris became known as Idigna at a later date if at all. If I'm right, it does indeed refer to a place between the headwaters and therefore to the region of Gobekli Tepe. The name breaks down into four symbols that I’ve begun to analyse. If you want to see IDIGNA for yourself, look for it on CDLI under references P000835 or P006135. The second is probably a later version and shows the bird without a head which is also significant. After that period, it becomes increasingly abstract as with all Sumerian symbols.

The bird in question is probably a wild goose. There are many mentions of birds in the texts and several different symbols. They are all related to shamanism. But the essential point is in the stripes of the body that, in my translation, are said to join together to create a rope to the sky; perhaps part of the scene on Pillar 43?

The symbol DAR is very clear. It actually looks like a duck with its foot tucked up, and is given as “speckled” on ePSD. I have looked in vain for the swan as we know it either in the form of a symbol or in the name. The only thing I find is SIG which has the meaning of “low or quiet voice” with KA. This is the voice of the character who warns Noah of impending disaster. It’s given as “weak” on ePSD, perhaps a connection to the swan song. It’s all in the texts and that one dates to at least 2500 BC. (people only know academia and Sitchin) Anyway, Cygnus will likely be the wild goose.

As for KALA, we agree. The only extra titbit is that it can be found on ePSD under KAL/KALA/LAMMA, that it has its own ancient symbol, a pair of wings, and that you can ask it questions in the museum!

Madeleine