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Inanna [a] is the ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with sensuality, procreation, divine law, and political power. Originally worshipped in Sumer, she was known by the Akkadian Empire, Babylonians, and Assyrians as Ishtar [b] (and occasionally the logogram 𒌋𒁯).
The Descent of Inanna into the Underworld (or, in its Akkadian version, Descent of Ishtar into the Underworld) or Angalta ("From the Great Sky") is a Sumerian myth that narrates the descent of the goddess Inanna (Ishtar in Akkadian) into the Underworld to overthrow its ruler, her sister Ereshkigal, the "Queen of the Dead."
Inanna/Ishtar as harlot or goddess of harlots was a well known theme in Mesopotamian mythology and in one text, Inanna is called kar-kid (harlot) and ab-ba-[šú]-šú, which in Akkadian would be rendered kilili. Thus there appears to be a cluster of metaphors linking prostitute and owl and the goddess Inanna/Ishtar; this could match the most ...
The star of Inanna usually had eight points, [1] though the exact number of points sometimes varies. [2] Six-pointed stars also occur frequently, but their symbolic meaning is unknown. [3] The eight-pointed star was Inanna's most common symbol, [1] and in later times became the most common symbol of the goddess Ishtar, Inanna's East Semitic ...
In fact, Inanna's name is commonly derived from Nin-anna which literally means "Queen of Heaven" in ancient Sumerian (It comes from the words NIN meaning "lady" and AN meaning "sky"), [10] although the cuneiform sign for her name (Borger 2003 nr. 153, U+12239 𒈹) is not historically a ligature of the two.
Alongside Inanna, Utu was the enforcer of divine justice. [94] Inanna Ishtar [95] Eanna temple in Uruk, [96] [46] [53] though she also had temples in Nippur, Lagash, Shuruppak, Zabalam, and Ur [96] Venus [46] Inanna, later known as Ishtar, is "the most important female deity of ancient Mesopotamia at all periods."
The connection between Ishtar/Inanna and lions (poetically labbu) is well documented, and she is said to ride in a chariot drawn either by these animals or their fantastical counterparts in various literary compositions. [148] It is presumed that they served as a metaphor of her character as a strong and courageous warrior. [146]
The seven judges of the underworld judge Inanna and declare her to be guilty. Inanna is struck dead and her corpse is hung on a hook in the underworld for everyone to see. Inanna's minister, Ninshubur, however, pleads with various gods and finally Enki agrees to rescue Inanna from the underworld. Enki sends two sexless beings down to the ...