In this form the 'natural philosophy' of Babylonia survived to a late period.

Nicolas of Damascus still knows (probably through Berosus) that Ea and Damkina[146] had a son Bel (_i.e._, Marduk).

The survival of the name is a proof that, despite the silence of the historical texts, she was a prominent personage in Babylonian mythology, even though she did not figure largely in the cult.

She appears in the magical texts quite frequently at the side of Ea.

In a hymn[147] where a description occurs of the boat containing Ea, Damkina his wife, and Marduk their son, together with the ferryman and some other personages sailing across the ocean, we may see traces of the process of symbolization to which the old figures of mythology were subjected.
Shamash.
Passing on, we find Hammurabi as strongly attached to the worship of the old sun-god as any of his predecessors.