The Story of Inanna and Ereshkigal

INTRODUCTION: A sumerian myth, known as the Descent of Inanna into the Underworld ( or the descent of Ishtar in the Akkadian version), an importan tale of the Sumer civilization and wider Mesopotamia region, surviving later to Babylonian culture and influencing a lot of myth and literature later. The main protagonist of this myth are the goddess Inanna who rule heaven and Ereshkigal, a goddess who rule the Underworld. PREVIOUS CONTEXT: In the epic poem of Gilgamesh, the hero of the same name (also posibly the first epic heroe in history), he refuses Inanna's sexual advance, making the goddess feel angry for the rejection, she sent from the heaven a bull to punish and kill Gilgamesh for the offense, but Gilgamesh with the help of his friend Enkidu, both killed the bull. Later Enkidu was punish and killed for this, and Gilmamesh feared get the same destiny, making now onward a focal point in his story and actions, but what we care and interest for this time is the bull, known as the bull of heavens and some scholars that he is a deity named Gugalanna who at that point was the first husband of Ereshkigal, the queen of the Underworld. INANNA DESCENT: Inanna is a war goddess, also of love and sex, she held the title of Queen of Heaven, she decided to descent to the underworld to gave condolences to Ereshkigal, who also is her sister, for the dead of her husband. In another version were the bull of heaven and Gugalanna are diferent individuals, Inanna descends with the intention to give condolences to her sister by the unclear dead of Gugalanna or with the interest of extend her domains to also the underworld. In both cases Inanna previses that her sister will be angry with her for the dead of Gugalanna or her plans to took the underworld, so she gave a servant to send help if she doesnt return in three days. ERESHKIGAL REVENGE: Ereshkigal the queen of the dead and ruler of the underworld, mournes his husband and live in solitude, when she get informend her sister will descent to visit, she order the gatekeeper that in every gate she has to leave one of her garments, there was 7 gates, Inanna finally reach the underword totally undressed, every garment she leave, she losses an attibute, power or divine quality, at last Ereshkigal slay her with a deadly gaze or invoke 7 judges who found her guilty for try to took her sister underworld domain and its setenced to death, in both cases Inanna dead body is hanged in a hook. ENKI'S RESCUE PLAN: Inanna's servant after the three days, requested help to the gods, some didnt accept, others didnt want to face Ereshkigal, but the kind god of wisdom and river waters, Enki, accepted, with his magic he created 2 asexual creatures who descended to the underworld with 2 task, befriend Ereshkigal, and pour on Inanna's body the water and food of life, Ereshkigal accepted this 2 creatures as companion and Inanna was resurrected. THE CONDITION TO LEAVE THE UNDERWORLD: Ereshkigal accepted to Inanna leave the underworld but it has to give a sustitute in exchange, to not disturb the natural and cosmic order. Inanna now in the world of the living, noticed that his consort, Dumuzi a god of shepherds and fertility, wasnt mourning her, and even was partying, so Inanna sent him to replace her in the underworld. Geshtinanna, a goddess of not very clear roles, posibly dream interpretation and scribes, also her name is related to vides and wine, sister to Dumuzi was very sad for his departure, she offered herself to replace her brother in the underworld for half of the year. When Dumizi returned to the world of the living, during those month the vegetation grow, and meanwhile Geshtinanna was in the underworld she had the role of Ereshkigal scribe. Apparently Ereshkigal reconcile with her sister, then later will found a new husband. End