Semiotics of animals in the mythological systems of the Ancient Middle East

The paper shows that the same animals existed in different regions and were used in the myths of Sumer, Babylon, Assyria and Canaan. Their ideas were also reflected in the Hittite mythology. The ideas all together became the basis of Hebraic mythology. Gods and their helpers were often appeared in the animal form and communication with animals helped to create the mythological plots. Quite often a part of animal became the sign of one or another mythical character. However the same animals receive different semantic meanings depending on the common attitudes and ideological preferences of one or another region.