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Inanna
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Inanna(/nn/or/nn/Cuneiform: (Old
Babylonian)or
(NeoAssyrian)DMU3
Sumerian:InannaAkkadian:ItarUnicode:U+12239)
wastheSumeriangoddessoflove,fertility,andwarfare,
andgoddessoftheEAnnatempleatthecityofUruk,
hermaincentre.

Inanna
QueenofHeaven
GoddessofLove,Wisdom,War,Fertility
andLust

Contents
1 Origins
1.1 Etymology
2 Worship
3 Iconography
3.1 InannaastheplanetVenus
4 Character
5 Myths
5.1 EnmerkarandtheLordofAratta
5.2 InannaandtheMes
5.3 InannaandEbih
5.4 InannaandShukaletuda

InannaontheIshtarVase
FrenchmuseumLouvre

5.5 InannaandGudam
5.6 InannaandAn
5.7 Inanna'sdescenttotheunderworld
5.7.1 InterpretationsoftheInanna
descentmyth
6 Relateddeities
7 Modernrelevance

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Abode

Heaven

Symbol

Sky,Clouds,Wars,Birth,Skin

Consort

Dumuzi

Parents

SinandNingal

Siblings

Utu,IshkurandEreshkigal

Children

LulalandShara

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7 Modernrelevance
8 Inpopularculture
9 Dates(approximate)
10 Seealso
11 Notes
12 References
13 Furtherreading

PartofthefrontofInanna'stemple
fromUruk

14 Externallinks

Origins
InannawasthemostprominentfemaledeityinancientMesopotamia.[1]AsearlyastheUrukperiod(ca.
40003100BCE),InannawasassociatedwiththecityofUruk.ThefamousUrukVase(foundinadeposit
ofcultobjectsoftheUrukIIIperiod)depictsarowofnakedmencarryingvariousobjects,bowls,vessels,
andbasketsoffarmproducts,andbringingsheepandgoats,toafemalefigurefacingtheruler.Thisfigure
wasornatelydressedforadivinemarriage,andattendedbyaservant.Thefemalefigureholdsthesymbol
ofthetwotwistedreedsofthedoorpost,signifyingInannabehindher,whilethemalefigureholdsabox
andstackofbowls,thelatercuneiformsignsignifyingEn,orhighpriestofthetemple.Especiallyinthe
Urukperiod,thesymbolofaringheadeddoorpostisassociatedwithInanna.[1]
SealimpressionsfromtheJemdetNasrperiod(ca.31002900BCE)showafixedsequenceofcitysymbols
includingthoseofUr,Larsa,Zabalam,Urum,Arina,andprobablyKesh.Itislikelythatthislistreflectsthe
reportofcontributionstoInannaatUrukfromcitiessupportinghercult.Alargenumberofsimilarsealings
werefoundfromtheslightlylaterEarlyDynasticIphaseatUr,inaslightlydifferentorder,combinedwith
therosettesymbolofInanna,thatweredefinitelyusedforthispurpose.Theyhadbeenusedtolock
storeroomstopreservematerialssetasideforhercult.[2]Inanna'sprimarytempleofworshipwastheEanna,
locatedinUruk(c.f.Worship).
ThemythosofInanna'sassumptionofthe"me"fromEnki,hasbeeninterpretedasalateinsertionofthe
GoddessintotheSumerianpantheon,possiblyassociatedwiththearchaeologicallyconfirmedeclipseinthe
importanceofEriduandtheriseoftheimportanceofUruk,attheendoftheUbaidperiod.Hertemple,the
EannawouldalsoseemtohavebeentakenfromAnu,theheadoftheSumerianpantheon,priortotherise
ofEnlilofNippur.Inanna'sname,whichhasnoSumerianetymology,hasbeenlinkedwiththatofHurrian
Hannahannah,whichsupportsthisthesisofalaterarrival,associatedwiththearrivalofProtoEuphratean
farmersinSouthernIraq(seebelow,Etymology).

Etymology

Inanna'snamederivesfromLadyofHeaven(Sumerian:ninanak).ThecuneiformsignofInanna( )

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Inanna'snamederivesfromLadyofHeaven(Sumerian:ninanak).ThecuneiformsignofInanna( )
however,isnotaligatureofthesignslady(Sumerian:ninCuneiform:
SAL.TUG2)andsky
(Sumerian:anCuneiform:AN).[3]ThesedifficultieshaveledsomeearlyAssyriologiststosuggestthat
originallyInannamayhavebeenaProtoEuphrateangoddess,possiblyrelatedtotheHurrianmother
goddessHannahannah,acceptedonlylatterlyintotheSumerianpantheon,anideasupportedbyher
youthfulness,andthat,unliketheotherSumeriandivinities,atfirstshehadnosphereofresponsibilities.[4]
TheviewthattherewasaProtoEuphrateansubstratelanguageinSouthernIraqbeforeSumerianisnot
widelyacceptedbymodernAssyriologists.[5]

Worship
AlongtheTigrisandEuphratesriversweremanyshrinesandtemplesdedicatedtoInanna.TheHouseof
Heaven(Sumerian:e2annaCuneiform: E2.AN)temple[6]inUruk[7]wasthegreatestofthese,where
sacredprostitutionwasacommonpractice.[8]Inaddition,accordingtoLeick1994personsofasexualor
hermaphroditicbodiesandfemininemenwereparticularlyinvolvedintheworshipandritualpracticesof
Inanna'stemples(seegala).ThedeityofthisfourthmillenniumcitywasprobablyoriginallyAn.Afterits
dedicationtoInannathetempleseemstohavehousedpriestessesofthegoddess.Thehighpriestesswould
chooseforherbedayoungmanwhorepresentedtheshepherdDumuzid,consortofInanna,inahieros
gamosorsacredmarriage,celebratedduringtheannualAkitu(NewYear)ceremony,atthespringEquinox.
AccordingtoSamuelNoahKramerinTheSacredMarriageRite,inlateSumerianhistory(endofthethird
millennium)kingsestablishedtheirlegitimacybytakingtheplaceofDumuziinthetempleforonenighton
thetenthdayoftheNewYearfestival.[9]ASacredMarriagetoInannamayhaveconferredlegitimacyona
numberofrulersofUruk.GilgameshisreputedtohaverefusedmarriagetoInanna,onthegroundsofher
misalliancewithsuchkingsasLugalbandaandDamuzi.

Iconography
Inanna'ssymbolisaneightpointedstarorarosette.[10]Shewas
associatedwithlionseventhenasymbolofpowerandwas
frequentlydepictedstandingonthebacksoftwolionesses.Her
cuneiformideogramwasahookshapedtwistedknotofreeds,
representingthedoorpostofthestorehouse(andthusfertilityand
plenty).[11]

InannaastheplanetVenus
Oneversionofthestarsymbolof

InannawasassociatedwiththeplanetVenus,whichatthattimewas
Inanna/Ishtar
regardedastwostars,the"morningstar"andthe"eveningstar."
TherearehymnstoInannaasherastralmanifestation.Italsois
believedthatinmanymythsaboutInanna,includingInanna'sDescenttotheUnderworldandInannaand
Shukaletuda,hermovementscorrespondwiththemovementsofVenusinthesky.Also,becauseofits
positioningsoclosetoEarth,Venusisnotvisibleacrossthedomeoftheskyasmostcelestialbodiesare
becauseitsproximitytothesunrendersitinvisibleduringtheday.Instead,Venusisvisibleonlywhenit
risesintheEastbeforesunrise,orwhenitsetsintheWestaftersunset.[12]
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BecausethemovementsofVenusappeartobediscontinuous(itdisappearsduetoitsproximitytothesun,
formanydaysatatime,andthenreappearsontheotherhorizon),someculturesdidnotrecognizeVenusas
singleentity,butratherregardedtheplanetastwoseparatestarsoneachhorizonasthemorningand
eveningstar.TheMesopotamians,however,mostlikelyunderstoodthattheplanetwasoneentity.A
cylindersealfromtheJemdetNasrperiodexpressestheknowledgethatbothmorningandeveningstars
werethesamecelestialentity.[13]ThediscontinuousmovementsofVenusrelatetobothmythologyaswell
asInanna'sdualnature.[13]InannaisrelatedlikeVenustotheprincipleofconnectedness,butthishasadual
natureandcouldseemunpredictable.Yetasboththegoddessofloveandwar,withbothmasculineand
femininequalities,Inannaispoisedtorespond,andoccasionallytorespondwithoutburstsoftemper.
Mesopotamianliteraturetakesthisonestepfurther,explainingInanna'sphysicalmovementsinmythology
ascorrespondingtotheastronomicalmovementsofVenusinthesky.
Inanna'sDescenttotheUnderworldexplainshowInannaisableto,unlikeanyotherdeity,descendintothe
netherworldandreturntotheheavens.TheplanetVenusappearstomakeasimilardescent,settinginthe
WestandthenrisingagainintheEast.
InInannaandShukaletuda,insearchofherattacker,Inannamakesseveralmovementsthroughoutthe
myththatcorrespondwiththemovementsofVenusinthesky.AnintroductoryhymnexplainsInanna
leavingtheheavensandheadingforKur,whatcouldbepresumedtobe,themountains,replicatingthe
risingandsettingofInannatotheWest.Shukaletudaalsoisdescribedasscanningtheheavensinsearchof
Inanna,possiblytotheeasternandwesternhorizons.[13]
Inannawasassociatedwiththeeasternfishofthelastofthezodiacalconstellations,Pisces.Herconsort
Dumuziwasassociatedwiththecontiguousfirstconstellation,Aries.[14]

Character
Inannaisthegoddessoflove.IntheBabylonianepicofGilgamesh,GilgameshpointsoutInanna's
infamousilltreatmentofherlovers.Inannaalsohasaverycomplicatedrelationshipwithherlover,
Dumuzi,in"Inanna'sDescenttotheUnderworld".[15]
ShealsoisoneoftheSumerianwardeities:"Shestirsconfusionandchaosagainstthosewhoare
disobedienttoher,speedingcarnageandincitingthedevastatingflood,clothedinterrifyingradiance.Itis
hergametospeedconflictandbattle,untiring,strappingonhersandals."[16]Battleitselfissometimes
referredtoas"thedanceofInanna."
Considerherdescriptioninonehymn:"Whentheservantslettheflocksloose,andwhencattleandsheep
arereturnedtocowpenandsheepfold,then,mylady,likethenamelesspoor,youwearonlyasingle
garment.Thepearlsofaprostituteareplacedaroundyourneck,andyouarelikelytosnatchamanfromthe
tavern."[17]InannaalsowasassociatedwithrainandstormsandwiththeplanetVenus,themorningand
eveningstar.[11]aswastheGrecoRomangoddessAphroditeorVenus.

Myths
EnmerkarandtheLordofAratta
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InannahasacentralroleinthemythofEnmerkarandtheLordofAratta.[18]Amajorthemeinthenarrative
istherivalrybetweentherulersofArattaandUrukfortheheartofInanna.Ultimately,thisrivalryresultsin
naturalresourcescomingtoUrukandtheinventionofwriting.Thetextdescribesatensionbetweenthe
cities:
ThelordofArattaplacedonhisheadthegoldencrownforInana.Buthedidnotpleaseherlike
thelordofKulaba(AdistrictinUruk).ArattadidnotbuildforholyInana(sic.Alternate
spellingof'Inanna')unliketheShrineEana(TempleinUrukforInanna).[19]
TextSummary:ThecityArattaisstructuredasamirrorimageofUruk,onlyArattahasnaturalresources
(i.e.gold,silver,lapislazuli)thatUrukneeds.Enmerkar,kinginUruk,comestoInannarequestingthata
templebebuiltinUrukwithstonesfromAratta,andsheordershimtofindamessengertocrosstheZubi
mountainsandgototheLordofArattademandingpreciousmetalsforthetemple.[20]Themessengermakes
thejourneyandallthepeopleshepassesalongthewaypraiseInanna.Hemakeshisdemands,andtheLord
ofArattarefuses,sayingthatArattawillnotsubmittoUruk.Heisupset,however,tolearnthatInannais
pleasedwiththeShrineEana.[21]TheLordofArattaissuesachallengetoEnmerkartobringbarleyto
ArattabecauseArattaiscurrentlyexperiencingaseverefamine.Enmerkarmobilizesmenanddonkeysto
deliverthefood.Still,theLordofArattawillnotsubmit.[22]Aseriesofriddles,orchallenges,follows.
Enermerkar,withthewisdomofEnkisucceedsateverytask.Eventually,theLordofArattachallenges
Enmerkartohaveachampionfromeachcityfightinsinglecombat.[23]Bythispoint,however,the
messengeristired.Enmerkargiveshimamessage,butheisunabletorepeatitverbally.So,themessenger
writesitdown,thusinventingwriting:
(Enmerkar's)speechwassubstantial,anditscontentsextensive.Themessenger,whosemouth
washeavy,wasnotabletorepeatit.Becausethemessenger,whosemouthwastired,wasnot
abletorepeatit,thelordofKulabapattedsomeclayandwrotethemessageasifonatablet.
Formerly,thewritingofmessagesonclaywasnotestablished.Now,underthatsunandonthat
day,itwasindeedso.ThelordofKulabainscribedthemessagelikeatablet.[24]
TheLordofArattacannotreadthetext,butthegodIshkurcausesrainstoendthedroughtinAratta.The
LordofArattadecidesthathiscityhasnotbeenforsakenafterall.[25]ThechampionofArattadressesina
"garmentoflionskins,"possiblyareferencetoInanna.[26]Theendofthetextisunclear,butitseemsthat
thecityofUrukisabletoaccessAratta'sresources.

InannaandtheMes
Accordingtoonestory,Inannatrickedthegodofculture,Enki,whowasworshippedinthecityofEridu,
intogivinghertheMes.TheMesweredocumentsortabletswhichwereblueprintstocivilization.They
representedeverythingfromabstractnotionslikeVictoryandCounselandTruthtotechnologieslike
weavingtowritingtosocialconstructslikelaw,priestlyoffices,kingship,andevenprostitution.They
grantedpowerover,orpossiblyexistenceto,alltheaspectsofcivilization(bothpositiveandnegative).
InannatraveledtoEnki'scityEridu,andbygettinghimdrunk,shegothimtogiveherhundredsofMes,
whichshetooktohercityofUruk.Later,whensober,EnkisentmightyAbgallu(thesevensages,halffish,
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halfhumandemigodsthatcounselledtheantediluviangodkings)tostopherboatasitsailedtheEuphrates
andretrievehisgifts,butsheescapedwiththeMesandbroughtthemtohercity.Thisstorymayrepresent
thehistorictransferofpowerfromEridutoUruk.

InannaandEbih
ThismythdepictsInanna'sconfrontationwithandultimatedestructionofMountEbih(JebelHamrin,in
moderndayIraq),[27]whichhasrefusedtorecognizehersuperiority.
ThestorybeginswithanintroductoryhymntopraiseInanna.[28]Thegoddessthenjourneysaboutthe
world,untilshecomesacrossMountEbih,andissubsequentlyangeredbyitsseeminglackofrespectand
naturalbeauty,andrailsatthemountain:
Mountain,becauseofyourelevation,becauseofyourheight,
Becauseofyourgoodness,becauseofyourbeauty,
Becauseyouworeaholygarment,
BecauseAnorganized(?)you,
Becauseyoudidnotbring(your)noseclosetotheground,
Becauseyoudidnotpress(your)lipsinthedust.[29]
ShepetitionstothegodAntoallowhertodestroythemountain.Anrefuses,butInannaproceedstoattack
anddestroythemountainregardless,utterlyannihilatingitandleavingsaddestructioninherwake.Inthe
conclusionofthemyth,shetellsEbihwhysheattackedit.

InannaandShukaletuda
InannaandShukaletudabeginswithahymntoInannawhichpraisesherastheplanetVenus(asitappears
inthesky).
ThestorythengoesontointroducethereadertoShukaletuda,agardenerwhoisterribleathisjoband
partiallyblind.Allofhisplantsdie,withtheexceptionofonepoplartree.Shukaletudapraystothedeities
forguidanceinhiswork.Tohissurprise,thegoddessInanna,seeshisonepoplartreeanddecidestorest
undertheshadeofitsbranches.WhileInannaisasleep,Shukaletudadecidesitwouldbeagoodideato
undressandrapeher.Thegoddessawakesandrealizesshewasviolatedinhersleep.Sheisfuriousand
determinedtobringherattackertojustice.Inafitofrage,InannaunleashesplaguesupontheEarthto
punishandidentifyherattacker.Sheturnswatertobloodinanattempttopunishherrapist.Shukaletuda,
terrifiedforhislife,askshisfatherforadviceonhowtoescapeInanna'swrath.Hisfathertellshimtohide
inthecity,amongstthehordesofpeopleandblendin.InannasearchesthemountainsoftheEastforher
attacker,andisnotabletofindhim.Shethenreleasesaseriesofstormsandclosestheroadstothecity,and
isstillunabletofindShukaletudainthemountains.Afterherplagues,Inannaisstillnotabletofindher
rapistandasksEnkiforhelpinrevealinghim.InannathreatenstoleavehertempleatUrukunlessEnki
helpsherfindherattacker.Heconsents,andallowsherto"flyacrosstheskylikearainbow".Inannafinally
findsShukaletuda.Heattemptstomakehisexcusesforhiscrimeagainsther,butshewillhavenothingto
dowithitandkillshim.[13]

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ThismythandShukaletudaiscitedasaSumerianAstralmyth,asthemovementsofInannatoonlythe
mountainscorrespondwiththemovementsoftheplanetVenus.WhenShukaletudawasprayingtothe
goddess,hemayhavebeenlookingtowardVenusinthehorizon.[13]

InannaandGudam
ThisfragmentarymythfocusesontheactionsofGudam,whoisdescribedasafiercewarrior,whodinedon
fleshanddrankbloodinsteadofbeer.[30]GudamwalksthroughUruk,killingmanyanddamagingthe
Eannatemple,untila"fishermanofInanna"turnshisaxeagainsthimanddefeatshim.Gudam,humbled,
pleadstoInannaforforgiveness,promisingtopraiseherthroughwordsandofferings.

InannaandAn
Thismyth,alsofragmentary,beginswithaconversationbetweenInannaandherbrotherUtu.Shelaments
thefactthattheEannatempleisnotoftheirdomain,andresolvestoreachorsecureit.Thetextbecomes
increasinglyfragmentaryatthispointinthenarrative,butappearstodescribeherdifficultpassagethrough
amarshlandtoreachit,whilebeingadvisedbyafishermanastothebestroute.
Ultimatelyshereachesherfather,Anu.Whileheisshockedbyherarroganceinattemptingtocapturethe
Eannatempleforherself,heneverthelessconcedesthatshehassucceededanditisnowherdomain.The
textendswithanexaltationofherqualitiesandpowers.[31]Thismythmayrepresentaneclipseinthe
authorityofthepriestsofAnuinUruk,andatransferofpowertothepriestsofInanna.

Inanna'sdescenttotheunderworld
ThestoryofInanna'sdescenttotheunderworldisarelativelywellattestedandreconstructedcomposition.
InSumerianreligion,theUnderworldwasconceivedofasadreary,darkplaceahometodeceasedheroes
andordinarypeoplealike.Whileeveryonesufferedaneternityofpoorconditions,certainbehaviorwhile
alive,notablycreatingafamilytoprovideofferingstothedeceased,couldalleviateconditionssomewhat.
Inanna'sreasonforvisitingtheunderworldisunclear.Thereasonshegivestothegatekeeperofthe
underworldisthatshewantstoattendthefuneralritesofEreshkigal'shusband,heresaidtobeGudgalana.
GugalanawastheBullofHeaveninTheEpicofGilgamesh,whichwaskilledbyGilgameshandEnkidu.
Tofurtheraddtotheconfusion,Ereshkigal'shusbandtypicallyistheplaguegod,Nergal,whoissaidto
haverapedthegoddessafterthedisappearancegoGugalana.
Inthisstory,beforeleaving,Inannainstructedherministerandservant,Ninshubur,topleadwiththedeities
Enlil,Sin,Anu,herfatherandEnkitosaveherifanythingwentamiss.Theattestedlawsoftheunderworld
dictatethat,withtheexceptionofappointedmessengers,thosewhoenteritcouldneverleave.
Inannadresseselaboratelyforthevisit,withaturban,awig,alapislazulinecklace,beadsuponherbreast,
the'paladress'(theladyshipgarment),mascara,pectoral,agoldenringonherhand,andsheheldalapis
lazulimeasuringrod.Thesegarmentsareeachrepresentationsofpowerfulmesshepossesses.Perhaps
Inanna'sgarments,unsuitableforafuneral,alongwithInanna'shaughtybehavior,makeEreshkigal
suspicious.[32]

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FollowingEreshkigal'sinstructions,thegatekeepertellsInannashemayenterthefirstgateofthe
underworld,butshemusthandoverherlapislazulimeasuringrod.Sheaskswhy,andistold'Itisjustthe
waysoftheUnderworld'.Sheobligesandpassesthrough.Inannapassesthroughatotalofsevengates,at
eachoneremovingapieceofclothingorjewelryshehadbeenwearingatthestartofherjourney,thus
strippingherofherpower.
Whenshearrivesinfrontofhersister,sheisnaked."Aftershehadcroucheddownandhadherclothes
removed,theywerecarriedaway.ThenshemadehersisterEreckigalarisefromherthrone,andinstead
shesatonherthrone.TheAnna,thesevenjudges,renderedtheirdecisionagainsther.Theylookedather
itwasthelookofdeath.Theyspoketoheritwasthespeechofanger.Theyshoutedatheritwasthe
shoutofheavyguilt.Theafflictedwomanwasturnedintoacorpse.Andthecorpsewashungonahook."
Ereshkigal'shatredforInannacouldbereferencedinafewothermyths.Ereshkigal,too,isboundbythe
lawsoftheunderworldshecannotleaveherkingdomoftheunderworldtojointheother'living'deities,
andtheycannotvisitherintheunderworld,orelsetheycanneverreturn.Inannasymbolizederoticlove
andfertility,andcontrastswithEreshkigal.
Threedaysandthreenightspassed,andNinshubur,followinginstructions,wenttoEnlil,Nanna,Anuand
Enki'stemples,anddemandedtheysaveInanna.Thefirstthreedeitiesrefused,sayingitwasherowndoing,
butEnkiwasdeeplytroubledandagreedtohelp.Hecreatedtwoasexualfiguresnamedgalaturaandthe
kurjarafromthedirtunderthefingernailsofthedeities.HeinstructedthemtoappeaseEreshkigaland
whenaskedwhattheywanted,theyweretoaskforInanna'scorpseandsprinkleitwiththefoodandwater
oflife.However,whentheycomebeforeEreshkigal,sheisinagonylikeawomangivingbirth,andshe
offersthemwhattheywant,includinglifegivingriversofwaterandfieldsofgrain,iftheycanrelieveher
nonethelesstheytakeonlythecorpse.
ThingswentasEnkisaid,andthegalaturaandthekurjarawereabletoreviveInanna.Demonsof
Ereshkigal'sfollowed(oraccompanied)Inannaoutoftheunderworld,andinsistedthatshewasntfreeto
gountilsomeonetookherplace.TheyfirstcameuponNinshuburandattemptedtotakeher.Inanna
refused,asNinshuburwasherloyalservant,whohadrightlymournedherwhileshewasintheunderworld.
TheynextcameuponCara,Inanna'sbeautician,stillinmourning.Thedemonssaidtheywouldtakehim,
butInannarefused,ashetoohadmournedher.TheynextcameuponLulal,alsoinmourning.Thedemons
offeredtotakehim,butInannarefused.
TheynextcameuponDumuzi,Inanna'shusband.DespiteInanna'sfate,andincontrasttotheother
individualswhowereproperlymourningInanna,Dumuziwaslavishlyclothedandrestingbeneathatree,or
uponherthrone,entertainedbyslavegirls.Inanna,displeased,decreesthatthedemonsshalltakehim,
usinglanguagewhichechoesthespeechEreshkigalgavewhilecondemningher.Dumuziisthentakento
theunderworld.
Inotherrecensionsofthestory,Dumuzitriestoescapehisfate,andiscapableoffleeingthedemonsfora
time,asthedeitiesinterveneanddisguisehiminavarietyofforms.Heiseventuallyfound.However,
Dumuzi'ssister,outofloveforhim,beggedtobeallowedtotakehisplace.Itwasthendecreedthat
Dumuzispenthalftheyearintheunderworld,andhissistertaketheotherhalf.Inanna,displayingher
typicallycapriciousbehavior,mournshistimeintheunderworld.Thissherevealsinahauntinglamentof
hisdeathlikeabsencefromher,for"[he]cannotanswer...[he]cannotcome/tohercalling...theyoung
manhasgone."[33]Herownpowers,notablythoseconnectedwithfertility,subsequentlywane,toreturnin
fullwhenhereturnsfromthenetherworldeachsixmonths.Thiscyclethenapproximatestheshiftof
seasons.
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AdditionaldiscussionofInanna'sdescenttotheunderworld,withnewinterpretationsincediscoveriesof
additionalmaterialin1963,isincludedatTammuz_(deity)#Dumuzid_and_Inanna.
InterpretationsoftheInannadescentmyth
Additionally,themythmaybedescribedasaunionofInannawithherown"darkside",hertwinsisterself,
Ereshkigal,aswhensheascendsitiswithEreshkigal'spowers,whileInannaisintheunderworlditis
Ereshkigalwhoapparentlytakesonfertilitypowers,andthepoemendswithalineinpraise,notofInanna,
butofEreshkigal.ItisinmanywaysapraisepoemdedicatedtothemorenegativeaspectsofInanna's
domain,symbolicofanacceptanceofthenecessityofdeathtothecontinuanceoflife.Itcanalsobe
interpretedasbeingaboutthepsychologicalpowerofadescentintotheunconscious,realizingone'sown
strengththroughanepisodeofseemingpowerlessness,and/oranacceptanceofone'sownnegative
qualities,asisdiscussedbyJosephCampbell.[34]
Anotherrecentinterpretation,byClydeHostetter,indicatesthatthemythisanallegoricalreportofrelated
movementsoftheplanetsVenus,Mercury,andJupiterandthoseofthewaxingcrescentMooninthe
SecondMillennium,beginningwiththeSpringEquinoxandconcludingwithameteorshowerneartheend
ofonesynodicperiodofVenus.ThethreedaydisappearanceofInannareferstothethreedayplanetary
disappearanceofVenusbetweenitsappearanceasamorningoreveningstar.ThefactthatGugalanais
slain,referstothedisappearanceoftheconstellationTauruswhenthesunrisesinthatpartofthesky,
whichintheBronzeAgemarkedtheoccurrenceofthevernalequinox.[35]
JoshuaMarkarguesthatitismostlikelythatthemoraloftheDescentofInannawasthattherearealways
consequencesforone'sactions."TheDescentofInanna,then,aboutoneofthegodsbehavingbadlyand
othergodsandmortalshavingtosufferforthatbehavior,wouldhavegiventoanancientlistenerthesame
basicunderstandinganyonetodaywouldtakefromanaccountofatragicaccidentcausedbysomeones
negligenceorpoorjudgment:that,sometimes,lifeisjustnotfair."[36]

Relateddeities
Inanna'sAkkadiancounterpartisIshtar.IndifferenttraditionsInannaisthedaughterofAnuorsheisthe
daughterofthemoongodSin.Invarioustraditions,hersiblingsincludethesungodUtu,theraingod
Ishkur,andEreshkigal,QueenoftheUnderworld.HerpersonalassistantisNinshubur.Sheisnever
consideredtohaveapermanentspouse,althoughDumuziisherlover.Yet,sheisresponsibleforsending
DumuzitotheUnderworldin"Inanna'sDescenttotheUnderworld."Inannaalsoisregardedinastral
traditionsasthemorningandeveningstar.[15]ThecultofInannamayalsohaveinfluencedthedeities
AininaandDaninaoftheCaucasianIberiansmentionedbythemedievalGeorgianChronicles.[37]

Modernrelevance
SinceInannaembodiesthetraitsofindependence,selfdetermination,andstrengthinanotherwise
patriarchalSumerianpantheon,shehasbecomethesubjectoffeministtheory.[38]Indeed,inoneanalysisof
"Inannaandthehulupputree",theauthorpointsouthowshewasimplicitly"tamedandcontrolled",even

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"demoted",implyingherpriorimportanceasafemalerolemodel.[39]Anothermodernworkexploresthe
ideathatInannawasonceregardedinpartsofSumerasthemotherofallhumanity.[40]
OnJanuary2012theIsraelifeministartist,LilianaKleiner,presentedinJerusalemanexhibitionof
paintingsofInana,inspiredbytheabove.[41]
Ancientcuneiformtextsconsistingof"HymnstoInanna"havebeencitedasearlyexamplesofthe
archetypeofapowerful,sexualfemaledisplayingdominatingbehaviorsandforcingGodsandmeninto
submissiontoher.[42]ArchaeologistandhistorianAnneONomisnotesthatInanna'sritualsincludedcross
dressingofcultpersonnel,andrituals"imbuedwithpainandecstasy,bringingaboutinitiationandjourneys
ofalteredconsciousnesspunishment,moaning,ecstasy,lamentandsong,participantsexhausting
themselveswithweepingandgrief."[43]

Inpopularculture
AmajorleitmotifinRufiThorpe's2014novelTheGirlsofCoronadelMarconcernsthenarrator's
translationofepicpoetryconcerningInannaandthenarrator'sidentificationwiththegoddess.
ThegoddessInannawasamajorcharacterinJohnMyersMyers1981fantasynovel,TheMoon's
FireEatingDaughter
TheblackmetalbandBeheritwroteasongcalled,"TheGateofInanna",featuredintheir1994album
H418ov21.C
ToriAmos'songCaughtaLiteSneezefeaturesbackingvocalsduringthechorusofhersinging
Inanna'sname.HersongMotherRevolutionmentionstheSevenGatesoftheUnderworldwiththe
lyrics:"AwifeonloaninacafinoldElPaso/NextIgotoSevenGatesandmysistersBass
Bonanza".
RockbandTheTeaPartyfeatureasongcalled"Inanna"ontheir1995albumTheEdgesofTwilight
AliceNotley'sfeministpoetryepic,TheDescentofAlette(1996),takesinspirationfromthemythof
Inanna'sdescentintotheunderworld
Inanna:AnOperaofAncientSumer(2003)isathreeactclassicaloperabyAmericancomposerJohn
Craton
TheSelfLaudatoryHymnofInannaandHerOmnipotencebyMichaelNyman,performedbyJames
BowmanandFretworkonTimeWillPronounce(1993),thetextofwhichcomesfromAncientNear
EasternTextsRelatingtotheOldTestament[44]
InannaisglancinglymentionedinTheQueenoftheDamnedbyAnneRice(1988)."Andthiswas
Akasha...aworshipperofthegreatgoddessInanna...."p.286
InresearchingInannaandEnki,thecharactersofJuanitaandHirodiscovertheunderlyingplotof
SnowCrashbyNealStephenson(1992).
InannaisworshippedbythewomeninTheRedTentbyAnitaDiamant(1997).
Inannaisreincarnatedasasofarmalepresentingpersonin"TheWicked+TheDivine"(2014).

Dates(approximate)
Seealso
Anat
Hannahannah
Ishtar
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Nanaya
Astarte
Aphrodite
Venus
Isis
Madonna
Anann
Lillith
Enheduanna

Notes
1. Black,JeremyGreen,Anthony(1992).Gods,DemonsandSymbolsofAncientMesopotamia:AnIllustrated
Dictionary.UniversityofTexasPress.ISBN0292707940.
2. VanderMierop,Marc(2007).AHistoryoftheAncientNearEast:3,000323BCE.Blackwell.ISBN9781
405149112.
3. Wolkstein&NoahKramer1993amodern,poeticreinterpretationofInannamyths
4. Harris,Rivkah(February1991)."InannaIshtarasParadoxandaCoincidenceofOpposites".HistoryofReligions
30(3):261278.doi:10.1086/463228.JSTOR1062957.
5. Rubio,Gonzalo(1999)."OntheAlleged"PreSumerianSubstratum" ".JournalofCuneiformStudies51:116.
JSTOR1359726.
6. anna=sanctuary('house'+'Heaven'[='An']+genitive)(Halloran2009)
7. moderndayWarka,BiblicalErech
8. MorrisSilver."Temple/SacredProstitutioninAncientMesopotamiaRevisited".Academia.edu.Retrieved
20130813.
9. EncountersintheGigunu(http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sitchin/divine_encoun/divine_encounters08.htm)
10. Black&Green1992,pp.156,169170
11. Thorkild1976
12. http://www.universetoday.com/22570/venusthemorningstar/
13. Cooley,JeffreyL.(2008)."Inanaandukaletuda:aSumerianAstralMyth".KASKAL5:161172.ISSN1971
8608.
14. Foxvog,D.(1993)."AstralDumuzi".InHallo,WilliamW.Cohen,MarkE.Snell,DanielC.etal.TheTablet
andthescroll:NearEasternstudiesinhonorofWilliamW.Hallo(2nded.).CDLPress.p.106.
ISBN0962001392.
15. Black&Green1992,pp.1089
16. Enheduannapre2250BCE"AhymntoInana(InanaC)".TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerianLiterature.
2003.lines1828.4.07.3.
17. VoicesFromtheClay:thedevelopmentofAssyroBabylonianLiterature.UniversityofOklahomaPress,
Norman,1965.
18. "EnmerkarandthelordofAratta".TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerianLiterature.2006.1.8.2.3.
19. EnmerkarandthelordofAratta,lines2532
20. EnmerkarandthelordofAratta,lines33104108133
21. EnmerkarandthelordofAratta,lines160241
22. EnmerkarandthelordofAratta,lines242372
23. EnmerkarandthelordofAratta,lines373461
24. EnmerkarandthelordofAratta,lines500514
25. EnmerkarandthelordofAratta,lines536577
26. EspeciallyherAkkadiancounterpartIshtarwasrepresentedwiththelionasherbeast.C.f.Black&Green1992,
p.109
27. Postgate,Nicholas(2004).EarlyMesopotamia:SocietyandEconomyattheDawnofHistory.Taylor&Francis.
p.9.ISBN9780415245876.
28. Attinger,Pascal.InanaetEbih.ZeitschriftfurAssyriologie.31988,pp164195
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29. Karahashi,Fumi(April2004)."FightingtheMountain:SomeObservationsontheSumerianMythsofInannaand
Ninurta".JournalofNearEasternStudies63(2):1118.JSTOR422302.
30. "InanaandGudam".TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerianLiterature.2003.1.3.4.
31. "InanaandAn".TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerianLiterature.2003.1.3.5.
32. Kilmer,AnneDraffkorn(1971)."HowwasQueenEreshkigaltricked?AnewinterpretationoftheDescentof
Ishtar".UgaritForschungen3:299309.
33. Sandars,NancyK.(1989).PoemsofHeavenandHellfromAncientMesopotamia.Penguin.pp.162,1645.
ISBN0140442499.
34. JosephCampbell,TheHerowithaThousandFaces(Novato,California:NewWorldLibrary,2008),pp.8890.
35. ClydeHostetter,StarTrektoHawai'i(SanLuisObispo,California:DiamondPress,1991),p.53)
36. Mark,JoshuaJ.(2011)."Inanna'sDescent:ASumerianTaleofInjustice"
(http://www.ancient.eu.com/article/215/).AncientHistoryEncyclopedia
37. Tseretheli,Michael(1935)."TheAsianic(AsiaMinor)elementsinnationalGeorgianpaganism".Georgica1(1):
5556.
38. e.g.FrymerKensky1992
39. Stuckey2001
40. White2013
41. HebrewreviewbyMichalSadanandphotosofInanapaintings
(http://www.mysay.co.il/articles/ShowArticle.aspx?articlePI=aaawkj)
42. "InanaandEbih".TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerianLiterature.2001.citedinAnneONomis(2013).
"TheWarriorGoddessandherDanceofDomination".TheHistory&ArtsoftheDominatrix.MaryEgan
Publishing.p.53.ISBN9780992701000.
43. See"AHymntoInana(InanaC)".TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerianLiterature.2006.lines7080.cited
inAnneONomis2013,pp.5960DominatrixRitualsofGender,Transformation,EcstasyandPain
44. trans.S.N.Kramar,Pritchard,JamesB.,ed.(1969).AncientNearEasternTextsRelatingtotheOldTestament
(3rded.).PrincetonUniversityPress.ISBN0691035032.

References
Enheduanna."TheExaltationofInanna(InannaB):Translation".TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerian
Literature.2001.
FrymerKensky,TikvaSimone(1992).IntheWakeoftheGoddesses:Women,Culture,andtheBiblical
TransformationofPaganMyth.FreePress.ISBN0029108004.
Fulco,WilliamJ.,S.J."Inanna."InEliade,Mircea,ed.,TheEncyclopediaofReligion.NewYork:Macmillan
Group,1987.Vol.7,145146.
George,Andrew,ed.(1999).TheEpicofGilgamesh:theBabylonianepicpoemandothertextsinAkkadianand
Sumerian.Penguin.ISBN0140449191.
"Inana'sdescenttothenetherworld:translation".TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerianLiterature.Facultyof
OrientalStudies,UniversityofOxford.2001.
Jacobsen,Thorkild(1976).TheTreasuresofDarkness:AHistoryofMesopotamianReligion.YaleUniversity
Press.ISBN9780300022919.
NoahKramer,Samuel(1988).HistoryBeginsatSumer:ThirtyNineFirstsinRecordedHistory(3rded.).
UniversityofPennsylvaniaPress.ISBN9780812212761.
Leick,Gwendolyn(2013)[1994].SexandEroticisminMesopotamianLiterature.Routledge.ISBN9781134
920747.
Mitchell,Stephen.Gilgamesh:ANewEnglishTranslation.NewYork:FreePress(Div.Simon&Schuster),
2004.
Stuckey,Johanna(2001)."InannaandtheHuluppuTree,AnAncientMesopotamianNarrativeofGoddess
Demotion".InDevlinGlass,FrancesMcCredden,Lyn.FeministPoeticsoftheSacred.AmericanAcademyof
Religion.ISBN9780195144680.
White,Gavin(2013).TheQueenofHeaven.ANewInterpretatationoftheGoddessinAncientNearEasternArt.
Solaria.ISBN9780955903717.
Wolkstein,DianaNoahKramer,Samuel(1983).Inanna:QueenofHeavenandEarth.Harper.ISBN006
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0908548.
Santo,SuzanneBanay(January15,2014).FromtheDeep:QueenInannaDiesandComesBacktoLifeAgain.
Toronto,Ontario,Canada:RedButterflyPublications.p.32.ISBN9780988091412.

Furtherreading
Black,Jeremy(2004).TheLiteratureofAncientSumer.OxfordUniversityPress.ISBN9780199263110.
"TheElectronicTextCorpusofSumerianLiterature".FacultyofOrientalStudies,UniversityofOxford.2003.
Halloran,JohnA.(2009)."SumerianLexiconVersion3.0".
VoorbijdeZerken:aDutchbookwhich"contains"bothEreshkigalandInanna.
Pereira,SylviaBrunton(1981).DescenttotheGoddess.InnerCityBooks.ISBN9780919123052.AJungian
interpretationoftheprocessofpsychological'descentandreturn',usingthestoryofInannaastranslatedby
Wolkstein&Kramer1983.

Externallinks
AncientMesopotamianGodsandGoddesses:Inana/Itar(goddess)
(http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/listofdeities/inanaitar/)
ClickablemapofMesopotamia(http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/IS/SANDERS/PHOTOS/meso_map.html)
Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Inanna&oldid=696797014"
Categories: Mesopotamiangoddesses Wargoddesses Wisdomgoddesses
Lifedeathrebirthgoddesses Mythologicalqueens EpicofGilgamesh Fertilitygoddesses
Thispagewaslastmodifiedon26December2015,at00:30.
TextisavailableundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionShareAlikeLicenseadditionaltermsmay
apply.Byusingthissite,youagreetotheTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicy.Wikipediaisa
registeredtrademarkoftheWikimediaFoundation,Inc.,anonprofitorganization.

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