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Index
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Dawnrazor's
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Anu
Ninlil's Page
Astral's
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The
Sumerians
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Henge
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The
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Sumerian Gods and
Goddesses
An
- A sky god, the cuneiform symbol for this god, "Dingir,"
was the same as that for heaven and for divinity in general,
reflecting his prominence in the Sumerian pantheon. He was generally
regarded as the offspring of Uras, or alternately of Ansar and Kisar.
In general terms, he is viewed as the product of the primordial
heaven/earth which preceded the created world. His wife is Antum,
though some regarded Ki to be his bride. He is generally viewed as the
'father' of the all the gods. An's function in mythological and
theological texts is primarily one of authority. As the apex of the
divine hierarchy, his command is 'the very foundation of heaven and
earth.' In heaven, his authority allowed him to 'raise up' other gods
to positions of greater importance. On earth, he conferred the power
of kingship. His dynamic role in the cosmos, however, faded with time,
as primordial deities were superseded by more developed divine
personalities. His authority, however, remained, and is often invoked
by more active deities in support of their own powers.
Dumuzi
- Husband of the Goddess Inanna, His name literally means
"rightful son" (though it has been suggested that a more
correct interpretation would be 'quickener of the young [in the
mother's womb]'). Son of the sheep-goddess Duttur, he was sometimes
also known as Ama-usumgal-ana. His sister was Gestinana. A
shepherd-god, Dumuzi "died" each year in an aetiological
representation of the passing of the seasons. This passing was
explained in the myths "Inanna's Descent", and "The
Death of Dumuzi", wherein Inanna chose her consort as her
substitute for the underworld upon learning of his failure to properly
mourn her passing. The ritual re-unification of Inanna and Dumuzi each
year, in a ceremony known as the 'Sacred Marriage,' was thought to
have been integral to the fertility of vegetation and animals, as well
as mankind. Dumuzi is one of the more complex figures in Sumerian
mythology. As a 'mortal' being (the 'shepherd'), his fate is death.
However, in his union with Inanna, he enters into an intimate
relationship with the great gods. Thereby deified, he stands between
man and gods, between life and death. This inherent tension was,
however, merely a reflection of the seasonal cycle itself; as new life
emerged and flourished each year, only to die back with the passing of
the year.
Enki
- Enki, son of An and Nammu, was the god of the subterranean
freshwater ocean (the "abzu", sometimes referred to as the
"apsu"). His name can be taken to mean "Lord
Earth," but "ki" can also refer to 'the below' in the
two-tiered cosmic structure, in opposition to "an": heaven.
Enki is also a god of wisdom, a faculty which included practical
skills (such as arts and crafts), intellectual faculties, the ability
to "decree fates", and the command of magical powers. Enki
was one of the major Mesopotamian gods, holding a rank just below An
and Enlil (and competing for this third position, at times, with
Ninhursag). His most important cult centers were E-abzu and E-engura
at Eridu. As a provider of fresh water, and a creator god and
determiner of destinies, Enki was always seen as favorable to mankind.
In the Atrahasis myth, for example, it was Enki's intercession which
saved mankind from the flood and pestilence ordered by Enlil. He is
sometimes referred to as Nudimmud or Ninsiku. His wife is Damgaknuna/Damkina.
Among his children are Asarluhi, Enbilulu, Adapa, and Nanse. His
symbols include the goatfish, the tortoise, a ram-headed staff, and a
ship or similar vessel overflowing with water
Enlil
- Enlil is one of the most important gods of the Mesopotamian
pantheon. Sometimes he is said to be the offspring of An, and brother
of the birth-goddess Aruru. He is also, however, sometimes described
as the descendant of Enki and Ninki ("Lord" and "Lady
Earth," not to be confused with the deity Enki). Yet a third
tradition attributes his birth to the primeval water-goddess Nammu.
His wife is Ninlil (see the myth "Enlil and Ninlil"). Among
his prominent offspring are Inanna, Adad, Nanna, Nergal, Ninurta, and
Utu. The personality of Enlil is very complex. It is not certain what
the Sumerian element "lil" originally stood for. It has had
meanings as diverse as 'air,' and 'spirit.' He is the lord who
'determines the fates,' a function he shares with the god Enki. It was
Enlil who was said to have separated the primordial heaven/earth, thus
bringing forth the created universe. On a cosmic level, while Enki's
realm was below (the abzu), and An ruled above (the heavens), Enlil's
realm was the earth and the spheres of the winds and weather above it.
Enlil was responsible for all aspects of life: fertility and
prosperity, as well as famine and catastrophe. His great cult center
was the temple E-kur at Nippur. He is sometimes also referred to as
Nunamnir.
Ereskigal
- 'Queen of The Great Below,' Ereskigal was likely the underworld
aspect of Ninlil, wife of Enlil, who followed her husband to the
underworld following his banishment by the Anunnaki. She is said to be
the sister of Inanna, and mother of Ninazu and Nungal. In later
traditions she was wed to the underworld god Nergal, though earlier
traditions had Nergal usurping her rule in the underworld sans wedding
(see "Nergal and Ereskigal"). She is sometimes also referred
to as Allatu or Laz.
Inanna
- The goddess Inanna was the most important female deity of ancient
Mesopotamia. The etymology of her name is uncertain; but by the end of
the third millennium B.C. it was taken to derive from nin.an.na :
"Lady of Heaven." Also known as Innin, her epithets reflect
her broad role in the pantheon: Ninmesarra - "Queen of all the
Me," a title making her one of the most influential deities in
the world of gods and men; Nu-ugiganna - "the Hierodule of
Heaven," a projection of her erotic functions to the cosmic
scale; and Usunzianna - "Exalted Cow of Heaven," she who
provides life and sustenance to the land. In this aspect, it was
Inanna who yearly reunited symbolically with her consort Dumuzi to
restore life and fertility in the land. This cycle, known as the
Sacred Marriage, was a common theme in songs sung in her praise.
Inanna represented the force of sexual reproduction and the power of
the passions so incited. This passion finds its compliment in her
martial character, 'the heroic champion, the destroyer of foreign
lands, foremost in battle.' She was the daughter of the moon-god Nanna
(though some traditions held her to be the daughter of An). Her sister
was the netherworld goddess Ereskigal. Inanna's beast was the lion.
Her usual symbol was the star or star disk (though it may also have
been the rosette).
Lilith
- Lilith is listed here in hopes it will help dispel some common
confusion regarding this personage. Some modern neo-pagan groups,
particularly those with feminist leanings, have deified Lilith -
consciously molding her into a kind of archetypal-feminist goddess.
The simple fact, however, is that lilith is not a deity. In fact,
Lilith is not an individual at all, but rather a class of ancient
near-eastern demons. To quote "Gods, Demons, and Symbols of
Ancient Mesopotamia,":
The male lilu and two females lilitu and ardat-lili are a sort of
family group of demons.
They are not gods.
The only appearance of a Lilith in Mesopotamian mythology was in
"Inanna and The Huluppa Tree," wherein it was portrayed as
an evil demon which had infested Inanna's Huluppa tree, until forcibly
driven out by Gilgamesh.
Nammu
- Primeval mother-goddess, Nammu's sign was usually written with the
sign "en-gur;" the same sign used to denote the abzu: the
underground sweet waters which brought life to the land. It was from
her ancient waters that Enlil was said, in some traditions, to have
been brought forth. She was also said to be the mother of Enki (as
well as the mother of the 'Great Gods' in general).
Nanna
- Son of Ninlil and 'first-born' of Enlil, Nanna was the Sumerian
moon-god. Resigned to live in the underworld due to his father's
banishment by the Anunnaki (see "Enlil and Ninlil") his
place there was taken by his brothers Nergal, Ninazu, and Enbilulu. He
must still, however, spend three days each month (at the time of the
new moon) in the underworld, standing judgment over the dead. He also
had a strong connection with fertility, likely due to the association
of the lunar and menstrual cycles. Because the lunar-crescent (his
symbol) so strongly resembles bull's horns, this connection was
especially strong with cattle. Nanna's wife was the goddess Ningal,
with whom he fathered the sun-god Utu and the goddess Inanna. He was
also known as Suen (and occasionally Nanna-Suen), as well as
Asumbabbar, Namrasit, and Inbu. His major cult center was the temple
E-kis-nu-gal at Ur.
Nanse
- Her name is written with a composite sign for "house" and
"fish." Like Nammu, she is associated with water, though
specifically with rivers and canals (quite a few of which were named
after her). She was known as the 'fishery inspector' (see "Enki
and The World Order"). She was regarded as a daughter of Enki,
and a sister of Ningirsu and Nisaba. Nanse was especially associated
with divination and the interpretation of dreams. She also appears to
have been associated with weights and measures, and the socially
disadvantaged. Her main cult center was in Lagas.
Nergal
- Nergal was the underworld personification of the sun-god Utu, more
specifically relating to the dark winter months when the sun was
thought to have descended to the great below. As a result, Nergal
represented the more negative aspects of the solar deity: pestilence,
famine, disease. These traits gave rise to an outwardly marshal
character: a warrior god whose wrath at time appears indiscriminate
(see, for example "Erra and Ishum"). Born of Enlil and
Ninlil, he was usually regarded as the husband of the underworld
goddess Ereskigal (see the myth Enlil and Ninlil). Among his symbology
is the scimitar, and the single or double-headed lion-sceptre. His
main cult center was the temple E-Meslam at Cutha. He was sometimes
also known as Erra (originally a separate deity, but who eventually
became so closely identified with Nergal as to lose his separate
character) and Meslamta-ea ("he who comes forth from Meslam").
Ninazu
- Son of Enlil and Ninlil (see "Enlil and Ninlil"), this
god's name means "lord healer." In this capacity, it was he
who was considered the keeper of the "Water's of Life" which
were thought to be found in the underworld, his primary domain. He was
consigned to the great below, along with his brothers Nergal and
Enbilulu, as a substitute for his brother Nanna. Despite this
underworld connection, he appeared to have had some agrarian ties. His
son was the god Ningiszida.
Ninhursag
- Also known as Ninmah, she was given the title Ninhursag - "Lady
of the Hursag (The stoney foothills)" by her son Ninurta in the
myth Lugal-e. She was an ancient Sumerian form of the mother-goddess,
known as 'mother of the gods,' and 'mother of all children.' It was
Ninhursag who was said to have been midwife to Nammu at the creation
of man. She represents the innert procreative power of the mother
which, though powerful, requires the union of the male force to be
brought to its full potential (see the myth "Enki and
Ninmah"). This was not to diminish her role, but simply a
recognition that neither the female nor the male alone was a fully
procreative force. Her major cult center was probably at Kesh.
Ninurta
- There is no complete evidence for the meaning of this god's name,
though it has been suggested that it may be "Lord Earth,"
derived from the name of the primal vegetation deity Uras. Ninurta,
son of Enlil, was an ancient thunder god originally viewed as a
personification of the spring storms which brought life to the lands.
This tempestuous aspect of his character engendered a warlike nature
with which he is more commonly identified. Many myths relate to his
martial exploits, mainly directed against the enemies of Sumer. True
to his origins, however, he was also known as the "Farmer of
Enlil." The so-called Sumerian 'Farmer's Almanac,' a compilation
of the annual tasks related to the growing of barley, was called the
'Instructions of Ninurta.' Indeed, the plough is known to be one of
the symbols identified with him. These two aspects of his character
were best reconciled in the myth "Lugal-e," wherein Ninurta
defeats the rebellious stones of the mountain, led by Azag, and
thereafter forms the mountainous foothills (the "Hursag") to
keep the annual floodwaters controlled and contained, thus bringing
life-giving waters to Sumer for agriculture and fishing. He is closely
identified with the Lagashite god Ningirsu; and, although his origin
may have been independent, in historical times Ningirsu was a local
form of Ninurta. Ninurta's wife is generally thought to have the
goddess of healing, Gula. However, due to his association with
Ningirsu, he is sometimes paired with the goddess Bau. His main cult
center was the temple E-sumesa at Nippur.
Utu
- Utu was the Sumerian sun-god, who rose each morning from the
'interior of heaven,' and crossed the sky before finally reentering
through the bolts in the west. He represents the brilliant light of
the sun, which returns each day to illuminate the life of mankind, as
well as giving beneficial warmth, allowing the growth of plant and
animal life. He was regarded as a god of truth, justice, and right.
Together with the storm-god Adad, he was often invoked in extispacy
rituals. He was the son of Nanna, the moon-god, and twin brother of
the goddess Inanna. His main cult center was at Larsa, in temple E-Babbar
(White House). His symbol was the pruning-saw.
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Writings:
Enuma
Elish
Gilgamesh
Descent
of Ishtar
Nibiru
Adapa
Ki-Amum
Cursing
of Agade
Enki
and Ninhursag
Enki
& the World Order
Enki
and Ninmah
Enki
builds E-Engurra
Enlil
in E-Kur
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