This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Some texts claim he was the supreme ruler of heaven. Her myth is mostly related to that of the Sumerian legend of the descending of Inanna to the underworld. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Sin (aka Sumerian "Nanna/Suen"), the God of the moon 2. She had multiple functions such as fertility, fishing, wildlife, social justice, and prophecy, and had a close association with water just like her father. cosmology. Anu was represented by the number 60, Enlil by 50, Ea by 40, Sin, the moon god, by 30, Shamash by 20, Ishtar by 15, and Adad, the god of storms, by 6. Apkallu griffin. Nergal is best known for the story of him offending Namtar, Ereshkigal's representative at the diner of gods. In order to bring him back, she agrees to take his place in Kur for half a year so that he can return to heaven and to Inanna. how the elements of the universe are created. Ea. It was between 3500 BC to 400 BC that Mesopotamia came to be heavily influenced by these deities that represented many a things and beliefs. He is goddess Atargatis’s consort and was the main god of the western Semites. And, it was a common presumption that the aim of humans was to help out gods and deities in warding off evils from the society, keep it well balanced, and without chaos. Nanshe was the daughter of Ninhursag, the mother goddess, and Enki, the god of water, knowledge, mischief, crafts and creation. Ninurta was often depicted as a god who held a bow and an arrow along with a mace or a sword. There were two very opposing aspects to her personality or how she was projected at various points in time. If two fields were side by side and one was growing with tall thick crops and the other full of weeds then the gods favored the one and disliked the other. But, if the god was so supreme, then how come his name or portrait never appeared in any ancient Sumerian art? She was closely related to Venus in the Babylonian pantheon. In order to read online Mesopotamian Gods Goddesses textbook, you need to create a FREE account. Read as many books as you like (Personal use) and Join Over 150.000 Happy Readers. In the epic tale of Gilgamesh, Ishtar is represented as a woman who gets rejected at the hands of Gilgamesh, the hero and turns vengeful. When Ninshubur, Inanna’s second in command, pleads with Ereshkigal, she agrees to help Inanna. Each city was protected by its own special god or goddess and their family. he represents death over all. Like Dumuzid she was mainly a rural deity. Ereshkigal or Irkalla, the Goddess of the Underworld. Anu(An) is the God of the sky. The complex of the temple was finished in 6th century BC by Nebuchadnezzar II. He was an east Semitic god who was also known as Assur. She tries to save her brother from galla demons, and when they take him to Kur, she mourns his death deeply. She was mentioned in a well known hymn called Kesh Temple Hymn or Liturgy to Nintud, comprised in 2600 BC in which there was a collection of eight set of songs, all dedicated to Nisaba. According to all Mesopotamian religion facts written ever, the goddess Ishtar or Inanna was one of the most prominent deities worshiped by Babylonians as well as Sumerians. His main temples were located in Larsa, Eridu and Sippar. Assyria arriv… genealogy of the Gods. You can identify him by His Horned Cap. Once the killings were over, the god gave back the tablet to Enlil. His name was inscribed on tablets in cuneiform when Babylon was captured by Assyrians. Before Syriac Christianity took over Mesopotamia, these people had unique sets of Mesopotamian religious beliefs that included worship of main gods and deities like Ishtar, Marduk, Anu, and Tiamat among a host of others. Before her death, she brings monsters into the Mesopotamian pantheon: the first dragons whose bodies were filled with venom. Nanshe, the Goddess of Social Justice and Prophecy. A banquet was held by the gods which Ereshkigal did not attend. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. The civilization of Babylon, as we know it, lasted from about 2350 to 1595 BCE, when it was sacked and later ruled by the Hittites. There is, however, a source that claims that Enlil had a negative side to his personality. Whether the priestess performed sexual acts or not is still a matter of conjecture though many have argued that this never happened. In order to throw some light on Mesopotamian mythology, here is a list of 10 goddesses from the Mesopotamian pantheon: In Sumerian mythology, Ereshkigal or Irkalla was considered the queen of the land of the dead. He was also worshiped by Mesopotamians as the deity of justice, magic and agriculture. Lugalgirra: … Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Nanshe was the daughter of … But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Historyly.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The patron goddess of beer, Ninkasi was one among the chief deities worshiped massively in ancient Mesopotamia. But, there are other sources that claim that he was the son of Ninhursag, the goddess of harvest. These included – Supreme Ruler of the Kingdom of Heaven, and Lord of the Constellations. It spoke about how Enlil brought about destruction on humans by bringing a devastating flood. The source is an 18th century BC epic that was found at Akkadia and is called Atra-Hasis. The Sumerians were the first known people to settle in Mesopotamia over 7,000 years ago. He was believed to be the benefactor of humans, listening to their prayers, bringing life from death, and protecting livestock and agriculture. The Sumerian goddess Geshtinanna is the wife of Ningisida and sister of Dumuzid. He was worshiped by natives of Assyria, Ebla and Ugarit. Aruru. The goddess is regarded as one of the oldest worshiped deities in Babylon. Later on, she was depicted as the consort of Enki, the god of wisdom. Her name means “the Lady of the Mountains” and comes from Lugale, a poem in which the god of war, Ninurta, defeats the demon Asag and builds a mountain from the corpses of his stone army. The major deities of the Mesopotamian pantheon, which included the Anunnaki, were believed to participate in the "assembly of the gods", through which the gods made all of their decisions. Mesopotamian Gods & Goddesses (Gods and Goddesses of Mythology) Library Binding – January 1, 2014 by Vincent Hale (Editor) 4.5 out of 5 stars 2 ratings. Her temple was situated at Sirara near Nina. The gods and demons The gods were, as mentioned previously, organized in a polity of a primitive democratic cast. One such main goddess was Tiamat who symbolized the primordial ocean that gave birth to Mesopotamia’s first set of gods. In the later part of 2050 BC, Ishtar came to be worshiped as the patron goddess of war and combat, and was therefore, respected by all Assyrian kings. There are other mentions of him in various Akkadian texts where he is depicted as a destroyer. In the religion of Mesopotamian people, there were innumerable gods and goddesses, each of whom personified a specific aspect or element. It was in 14th century BC that Ashur came to be known as the husband of Ninlil and father of Zababa and Ninirta. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The art of making beer has been passed down for generations and her female gender and association with brewing has made this process the responsibility of women. She is said to be the daughter of the god of the sky, Anu. Apkallu human. She is mentioned in several works of the Seleucid era. Gods, Goddesses, Demons and Monsters The people of Mesopotamia believed that their world was controlled by gods and goddesses, demons and monsters. He also brought the rivers of Tigris and Euphrates to flow out from her eyes, and basically helped in creating the world. Hadad was one of the chief gods to have had many temples and sanctuaries in Babylon, Uruk, Ur and Nippur. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. These cookies do not store any personal information. Ereshkigal brings Inanna back to life. Shala is a Sumerian goddess and a mountain on Venus, the Shala Mons, has been named after her. The goddess Inanna’s descent to the underworld is one of two myths that revolve around Irkalla. In the Sumero-Akkadian pantheon, Nergal was a secondary Mesopotamian god. theogony. The Sumerians were well known scientists and inventors of ancient world. The gods of the Mesopotamian region were by no means uniform in name, power, provenance or status in the hierarchy. Ancient Mesopotamians like the Akkadians, Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians believed in worshiping various gods and goddesses. Being the goddess of alcohol, she was born out of fresh sparkling water and was said to brew alcohol daily. But the ancient Mesopotamian people believed that the gods ruled every aspect of their life. Though, in 2700 BC, Nisaba was worshiped as a grain goddess, however, later, she came to be associated with the city of Eresh in Mesopotamia as the leading deity of scribes and keeper of mortal accounts. When Enki, the god of water, is informed about it, Neti, the gatekeeper, is ordered to close all the gates and open them one at a time as Inanna removes pieces of her clothing. Shala is said to be the wife of Dagon, the god of fertility, and consort to Hadad, the storm god. In Sumerian mythology, Ereshkigal or Irkalla was considered the... 2. Ancients hymns also show him to be the god of devastation, hunger, and pestilence. She was a prominent goddess in 3500 BC until the spread of Christianity from the first to the fifth centuries. 15 Famous Greek Goddesses in Ancient Greece, 15 Interesting Facts about Norse Mythology, 15 Interesting Things about Ancient Chinese Mythology, 14 Facts about W.EB. There were hundreds of gods who were responsible for everything in the world, from rivers and trees to making bread and pottery. She is the oldest of all the goddesses in the Mesopotamian pantheon. Igigi/Igigu. They believed that each city and larger city-states belonged to a patron god or goddess who owned everything and everyone in the city. Inana/Ištar. The mythological god, as per many sources, was believed to have lived in Abzu and was the protector of Eridu, a southern city of Mesopotamia. Centuries old depictions show her carrying a double-headed mace and sometimes a lion-headed scimitar. Her name Irkalla is the equivalent of Hades in Greek mythology. Hadad was depicted with a bearded look, with thunderbolt and a club clenched in his fists. The goddess is regarded as one of the oldest worshiped deities in Babylon. Known also as Iskur, Hadad’s power was not merely meant for the good of human kind. Enki’s son, Marduk, the storm god, finally kills her. Let’s take a look at the top 15 Mesopotamian gods and goddesses that were revered in ancient Mesopotamia. One such main goddess was Tiamat who symbolized the primordial ocean that gave birth to Mesopotamia’s first set of gods. Also Read: 15 Famous Greek Goddesses in Ancient Greece. He is the sacred ruler of all the Gods. He held such power that his name is mentioned in the famous 18th century BC law code of Hammurabi. There is a poem that is dedicated to Ninkasi, called Hymn to Ninkasi that honors the goddess and showers praises on her and her craft at brewing beer. In most records and artworks, Shamash is depicted as a bearded old man sitting on a throne. Most people worshiped him in an avatar that wore a horned head dress. Ereshkigal’s main temple was situated in Kutha. Humbaba. Other depictions show him with wings and solar disc. Mesopotamians believed in living life in accordance with the will of gods. Ishtar – Goddess of Fertility, Love, and War, 7. As per one aspect, Tiamat was a personification of feminine beauty and grace. The 10 Oldest Ancient Civilizations That Have Ever Existed, Top 10 Most Worshiped Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, Top 10 Inventions and Discoveries of Ancient Greece…, Top 11 Inventions and Discoveries of Mesopotamia, Epic of Gilgamesh: Summary in 10 Interesting Points, Top 21 Fascinating Facts about the Ancient Persian Empire, Top 12 Surprising and Fascinating Facts about Ancient Sumer, Top 13 Surprising and Fascinating Facts about Ancient Babylonia, Top 12 Fascinating Facts about Ancient Mesopotamia. Nisaba – Goddess of Writing, Learning & Harvest, 15 Facts About Ancient Egyptian Gods That You should Know, 15 Adorable Ancient Greek Vase Paintings You Will Love, 10 Shocking Secrets of Ancient Egypt that you…, 13 Oldest and Ancient Civilizations of the World, 15 Mesopotamia Achievements and Inventions : What…, Code of Hammurabi Considered a Legal Innovation : 13…, 15 Amazing Facts About The Ancient Olympics. The Mesopotamian goddesses have many stories attached to them and have associations with almost everything on earth. While they are trying to take her out of the underworld, two demons come and ask for someone else as her replacement. There is a mention of Iskur in a Sumerian hymn in which the god is depicted as an entity that destroys a warring land. The Omega can be taken as the uterus, the knife being used to cut the umbilical cord. A goddess of creation who fashioned Enkidu from clay and her spittle. There are mentions of Enki in numerous Sumerian texts that speak about the power of his virility. Her symbols were the eight-pointed star and a lion. Sin’s temples or sanctuaries were located in Ur, Urum, Nippur and Babylon. In the battle, Ninurta killed other monsters like the dragon, bison beast, the snake with seven heads, mermaid, wild ram with six heads, Palm tree king and Lord Saman-ana. As goddess of social justice and balance, Nanshe provided help to widows, acted as a parent to orphans, saved people from troubled regions, and provided advice to those in debt. On the other hand, she symbolized chaos. The fearsome demon who guards the Cedar Forest forbidden to mortals. In the codes were written land laws directed from Shamash himself. He was also regarded as the hunting and farming god. Both Irkalla and Hades are the names for the territory of the underworld and its gods. 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