Ishtar/ Inanna (Part 1)
posted by Krista | 3/26/2003 9:30:30 AM | Permalink | 
Stumble It!
- The Sumerian Descent Myth
- The Akkadian Descent Myth
- Inana & Ebih
- Inana's Rape
- Ishtar's Attempt to Seduce Gilgamesh
Ishtar/Inanna is the sister of Ereshkigal, who rules the dead. In Babylonian tradition, Ishtar, the daughter of Sin and sister of Shamash, was a fertility and storm goddess as well as goddess of love, marriage, spring, and the hunt. She was often invoked for protection from evil and illness. She was said to have taken on many lovers, which she would then kill when finished with them.
At Uruk, Ishtar, as the daughter of Anu, the sky god, and the goddess, Anat, was worshiped as the goddess of love and desire. At Nineveh and Erbil, she was worshiped as a warrior, having once ripped out the teeth of a lion.
The Sumerian Descent Myth
However, before Inanna had begun her journey, she had instructed her messenger, Ninshubur, that if she did not return within 3 days and 3 nights, to seek help for that would mean she was dead. Ninshubar first sought help with the gods, Enlil and Nanna, but they refused to aid her believing she deserved to die for her ambition. He then asked Enki, the lord of wisdom who had access to the food and water of life, for aid. Enki created 2 creatures, the kurgarru and the kalaturru, from the dirt of his fingernails & instructed them to carry the food and water of life to Inanna in order to revive her. Their mission suceeded, but the Anunnaki demanded a substitute for her if she was to leave. A legion of demons accompanied her from the netherworld to search for her replacement. Inanna refused to allow the demons to take anyone who had wept for her during her confinement as a replacement.
When Inanna came upon her husband, Dumuzi, she found him adorned in a magnificent robe instead of mourning clothing. She told the demons to take him as her substitute. Dumuzi quickly used his magic to change himself into a reptile, & escaped to his sister, Gestinanna. She took pity on him & agreed to take his position in the underworld for half the year, while he would spend the other half the year in the underworld.
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The Akkadian Descent Myth
The Akkadian version of the myth dates to around 1100 BCE, and substitutes the name, Ishtar, for Inanna. Ishtar descended to the underworld & threatened her way inside. In accordance with the customs of Ereshkigal, however, for every one of the seven gates she passed under, a guardian removed a portion of her attire. When she reached Ereshkigal, she was nearly dead. simultaneously, on the earth, a great famine struck, & no life force could reproduce. The god Ea sent a eunuch to make a bargain with Ereshkigal: clean water for the release of Ishtar. She cursed the eunuch, consulted with the Anunnaki, & then ordered the release of Ishtar, who was given back her possessions as she passed through the seven gates & out of the underworld. However, for Ishtar's release, Ereshkigal demanded a replacement.
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Read more » Ishtar (Part 2) | Ishtar (Part 3)
