A-a or Aya is a sun goddess and mother-goddess of Mesopotamia and the western Semites. Derived from the Sumerian goddess Serida, as A-a she was based mostly among Babylonian and Akkadian peoples. Her name means “the beginning” or the “mother of all.” She is the consort of the sun god S(h)amas(h) and acts as goddess of the dawn. Their marriage was celebrated at the Babylonian New Year, and they were the parents of the gods Kittu (justice) and Misharu (law/righteousness). A-a inspired the invention of letters.