The edimmu were the ghosts of those who were not buried correctly. According to legend, he filled the Tigris and Euphrates rivers with sparkling water and fish. By this time the world had come into being, for the sky (An) by expansion of air (Enlil) had reached a great height, and the earth (Ki) had made a solid floor below, with sun and moon to bring light. He had the power to create and destroy. The Sumerian underworld is one of the more complicated concepts to describe, mainly because of its association with the word kur, which denotes many different things. There are dozens of Sumerian gods and goddesses who came in and out of importance throughout the years. Ki: The Earliest Sumerian earth Goddesses. The Assyrians and Babylonians called it 'Marduk', after their chief god. The Sumerian god An became the Semitic Anu, while Enki became Ea, Inanna became Ishtar, and Utu became Shamash. Goddess of childbirth. Ningal: She is known as the "Great Lady" Goddess of reeds, the wife of the Moon God, Nanna and mother of Inanna. She was a patron of Uruk, where her principal shrine E-ana, or House of Heaven, was located. A personification of the morning and evening star. It can be translated as the land of six cities and six rivers. Enki was always seen as favoring mankind. His daughter, the goddess Inana/Ishtar, was also one of the most significant Sumerian deities. Those whose bodies were ruined or lost at death would be at risk of having no ghost at all—dooming them to complete annihilation, a fate unthinkable to the people of the ancient world. In the myth of Ninurta’s Exploits, it is said that the day of Asag’s birth was a “day of disaster”. According to the some resources, these gods came from Nibiru - 'Planet of the Crossing.' An became the ruler of heaven and Ki became the ruler of earth. The Greeks later referred to this area as Mesopotamia which means the land between the rivers ( the Tigris and Euphrates). After Enlil and Nanna both refused to help, Ninshubur went to Enki, the god of wisdom, who came to Inanna’s rescue. Again, different contexts show different genealogies. On the one hand, she is a seductress and lover; on the other hand she is a battle-hungry warrior. In Inana’s Descent into the Netherworld, Inana went to attend the funeral of Gugalana, the bull that was slain by Gilgamesh. As a protector of good and destroyer of evil, he also had a warrior aspect to his personality. Some morphed into others, some faded out completely, and some retained their strength throughout the ancient Mesopotamian timeline. Ereshkigal: Originally a sky Goddess kidnapped and taken to the underworld where she became Queen. In Sumerian mythology, her descriptions are not as vividly lustful or warrior-like as in later Akkadian tradition. Sinners, do-gooders, kings and laymen alike ended up with the same sad fate… a dreary eternal life in the netherworld. Enlil was one of the most important gods in the pantheon. In the myth titled Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld, Ereshkigal was taken to the netherworld and the god Enki went after her. The air produced the moon, then the moon produced the sun. According to Sumerian poetry, the goddess Ninmah acted as a midwife. This region is literally heaven. When air moved above earth (or when Enlil united with his mother Ki) and received the aid of water (Enki), plants and animals came into being. Thankfully, before her descent, she had instructed her minister Ninshubur to bring the help of other deities if anything went wrong. Also known as Ishtar. Inana then leaves on her boat with them, heading back to Uruk. At an early period of Sumerian history, Utu was regarded to be the twin brother of Inanna. Their gods An, Enlil, Enki, Ninhursag, Nanna, Utu, and Inanna were the seven gods who “decreed the fates,” together with around 3,000 more. There is also reason to believe that Enlil took the place of An as the leader of the pantheon according to sources from around 2500 BC. The ancient Mesopotamians are famous for their astronomy and astrology, though the Babylonians are credited with the more sophisticated observations and with creating a much more accurate calendar. In magical incantations, Nusku was one of the gods called upon to assist in the burning of sorcerers and witches. As the god of magic and incantations, he was evoked for rituals, exorcisms and to keep away evil. Their roles are therefore similar with many overlapping functions. Though there are many other major and minor Sumerian gods and goddesses in the Mesopotamian pantheon, it’s also important to understand the role of demigods and demons. It is An who, in Sumerian tradition, took over heaven when it was separated from earth, creating the universe as we know it. For more information on how humankind was created according to different Mesopotamian traditions, read our earlier post. Utu was the son of Nanna, the moon god, and the twin brother of Inanna, the goddess of love and war. O Utu, shepherd of the land, father of the black-headed people, When you lie down, the people, too, lie down, O hero Utu, when thou rises, the people, too, rise. The personality of Inanna can be divided into three quite separate parts: goddess of love and sexual behavior, especially connected with extramarital sex and lust; a warlike goddess fond of battle, violence, and power, standing next to her favorite kings as they fight; and Inanna as the planet Venus, the morning and evening star. The principal temple of Utu, called E-babbar or White House was at Sippar. In Sumerian myth, An and Ki produced a variety of plants on the earth. Inanna descended to the nether world and approached Ereshkigal’s temple of lapis lazuli. Nanna traveled across the heavens, lighting up the night sky. These children of An at some point or other included Ningirsu, Gatumdug, Baba, Adad, Enki, Enlil, Girra, Nanna, Nergal, Sara, Inana, Nanaya, Nidaba, Ninisinna, Ninkarrak, Ninmug, … These are the Goddesses of creation and destruction. As “father of the gods”, An was thought to be the creator and head of the Sumerian gods and goddesses, the Annuna (Akkadian Annunaki). In the abzu, the Abgal accompanied Enki. Later they were separated by their son Enlil and moved away from each other. There was bitter rivalry among the three. Gula: Goddess of healing and patron of medicine. Inana stands among the stags in the mountaintops, she possesses fully the divine powers. His daughter was Mamu, one of several goddesses associated with dreams (mamud being the Sumerian word for dream). The cult of Utu can be traced back to very early times. Ninlil: Goddess of the air. In the creation of the cosmos, Enlil is the god that separated heaven and earth, with the god An carrying away heaven while Enlil carried the earth. Enki’s wife, Ninhursag, is one of the oldest and most important of Sumerian gods and goddesses. These decrees were specific to the basics of kingship, how to rule a kingdom, how to descend into and ascend from the netherworld, and other important knowledge. The Sumerians believed that first there was the primeval sea that gave rise to a united heaven and earth. As a goddess of Sumer, she was shown to have more girl-like qualities and was obedient to her parents. Below is a list of the main Sumerian Goddesses with details on their main area of influence and alternative spellings. With the move from an agricultural society to an urban one the old nature deities became the patron Goddesses of the new city states. He was the one who bestowed and legitimized the kingship of a king. They were thought to be the offspring of the goddess Nammu and were originally united as one. As Enki’s wife, she was sometimes called Damkina (“Faithful Wife”) and sometimes Ki (the earth goddess). Utu was the Sumerian sun god. The principal temple of Utu, called E-babbar or White House was at Sippar. Many other Sumerian gods and goddesses were thought to be his children in different myths. He was also a protective guardian during the night when he watched over those who were asleep, bringing them good dreams and preventing nightmares. To do that, she devised a plan to steal Enki’s divine decrees that outline the wisdom and knowledge of civilization-making. Inanna visited the underworld and told her vizier, or advisor, Ninshubur that if she did not return after three days, he was to alert the gods.