That union would be expressed, according to circumstances, either by placing the deities on a footing of equality--in which case they would be consorts, or brothers and sisters, _offsprings_ therefore of one and the same god--or, the superior rank of one patron god would be indicated by assigning to the god of a conquered or subordinate territory the rank of offspring or attendant.
In studying such a list as that presented by Gudea, we must, therefore, make due allowance for what may be called local peculiarities and local conditions.

It is only by comparing his list with others that we can differentiate between the general features of Babylonian cults and the special features due to political and local associations.

We are in a position now to institute this comparison for a period which is certainly some centuries earlier than Gudea.

The date of the reign of Lugal-zaggisi, king of Uruk, who has been several times referred to in a previous chapter, is fixed by Hilprecht at _c._ 4500 B.C., but it is doubtful whether so high an age will be accepted by scholars.

The chronology for the period beyond Gudea is still in a very uncertain condition.