Difference between revisions of "Ninhursag" - New World Encyclopedia
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== Names == | == Names == | ||
| − | Ninhursag means " | + | Ninhursag means literally "Lady of the Mountain," from the [[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] ''Nin'' ("lady") and ''Ḫursag ("sacred mountain"). She had many august titles including ''Ninmah'' ("Great Queen"); ''[[Nintu]]'' ("Lady of Birth")''; ''[[Mama]]'' or Mami (mother); Sister of [[Enlil]]; and ''Belet-Ili'' (Lady of the Gods). Minor titles applied to her include Ninzinak (lady of the embryo); Nindim (lady fashioner); Nagarsagak (carpenter of insides); Ninbahar (lady pottery); Ninmag (lady vulva); Ninsigsig (lady of silence); Mudkesda (blood-stauncher); Amadugbad (mother spreading the knees); Amaududa (mother who has given birth); Sagzudingirenak (midwife of the gods); Ninmenna (lady of the diadem). |
| − | + | According to legend her name was changed from Ninmah to Ninhursag by her son [[Ninurta]] in order to commemorate his creation of the mountains. As Ninmenna (Lady of the Diadem), according to a Babylonian investiture ritual, she placed the golden crown on the king in the ''[[Eanna]]'' temple. | |
| − | Some of the | + | Some take the view that '''[[Ki (goddess)|Ki]]''' (earth) the primordial goddess of the earth and consort of '''[[An]]''' (heaven), was identical to or an earlier form of Ninhursag. This may very well be the case, since some Ki does not seem to have been regarded as a deity in her own right and there is no evidence of a distinct cult for her. However the name of Ki does appear in a several Sumerian creation texts. Arguing against Ki's identity with Ninhursag is the fact that as Ki is depicted as the the mother of [[Enlil]], whereas in other sources Ninhursag is his sister. This type of confusion, however, is not unusually in ancient Mesopotamian [[mythology]]. |
| + | |||
| + | Likewise, some of the titles above were once associated with independent goddesses, such as Ninmah and Ninmenna, who later became identified and merged with Ninhursag. She also seems to have been sometimes identified with [[Ninsar]] (Lady Greenery) and [[Ninkurra]] (Lady Pasture) or even [[Uttu]] (the spinner), who are her daughters in the tale of [[Enki]] and Ninhursag. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In later Mesopotamian religion many of Ninhursag's attributes were attributed to [[Inanna]]/[[Ishtar]], the goddess of love, fertility, and war. In the writings of the Akkadian princess and priestess of the mod god [[Sin (mythology)|Sin]]Enheduanna, Ninhursag-Ki was one of the most powerful images of the Divine Feminine. She was depicted as the daughter of the primeval goddess of the sea, [[Nammu]]. Together with the sky god An, Ninhursag-Ki was conceived in Nammu's oceanic womb. Anu and Ninhursag came to life embracing each other arms within the primeval sea. Ninhursag-Ki thus both sister and consort to An, and the two of them became the parents the [[Anunnaki]]], the ancient deities of Sumerian myth. (However, it should be noted that other Mesopotamian myths describe the process of creation differently.) | ||
| + | |||
| + | As the universe continued to elvove, Ninhursag came to rule more specifically mountains and sacred hills. Ninhursag-Ki had temples in several ancient cities, including Kish, Lagash and Tell Obeid. | ||
== Mythology == | == Mythology == | ||
Revision as of 02:48, 4 October 2008
In Sumerian mythology, Ninhursag (NIN.URSAG) was the earth and mother-goddess, one of the seven great deities of Sumer. She is principally a fertility goddess. Temple hymn sources identify her as the 'true and great lady of heaven' and kings of Sumer were 'nourished by Ninhursag's milk'. She is typically depicted wearing a horned head-dress and tiered skirt, often with bow cases at her shoulders, and not infrequently carries a mace or baton surmounted by an omega motif or a derivation, sometimes accompanied by a lion cub on a leash. She is the tutelary deity to several Sumerian rulers.
Names
Ninhursag means literally "Lady of the Mountain," from the Sumerian Nin ("lady") and Ḫursag ("sacred mountain"). She had many august titles including Ninmah ("Great Queen"); Nintu ("Lady of Birth"); Mama or Mami (mother); Sister of Enlil; and Belet-Ili (Lady of the Gods). Minor titles applied to her include Ninzinak (lady of the embryo); Nindim (lady fashioner); Nagarsagak (carpenter of insides); Ninbahar (lady pottery); Ninmag (lady vulva); Ninsigsig (lady of silence); Mudkesda (blood-stauncher); Amadugbad (mother spreading the knees); Amaududa (mother who has given birth); Sagzudingirenak (midwife of the gods); Ninmenna (lady of the diadem).
According to legend her name was changed from Ninmah to Ninhursag by her son Ninurta in order to commemorate his creation of the mountains. As Ninmenna (Lady of the Diadem), according to a Babylonian investiture ritual, she placed the golden crown on the king in the Eanna temple.
Some take the view that Ki (earth) the primordial goddess of the earth and consort of An (heaven), was identical to or an earlier form of Ninhursag. This may very well be the case, since some Ki does not seem to have been regarded as a deity in her own right and there is no evidence of a distinct cult for her. However the name of Ki does appear in a several Sumerian creation texts. Arguing against Ki's identity with Ninhursag is the fact that as Ki is depicted as the the mother of Enlil, whereas in other sources Ninhursag is his sister. This type of confusion, however, is not unusually in ancient Mesopotamian mythology.
Likewise, some of the titles above were once associated with independent goddesses, such as Ninmah and Ninmenna, who later became identified and merged with Ninhursag. She also seems to have been sometimes identified with Ninsar (Lady Greenery) and Ninkurra (Lady Pasture) or even Uttu (the spinner), who are her daughters in the tale of Enki and Ninhursag.
In later Mesopotamian religion many of Ninhursag's attributes were attributed to Inanna/Ishtar, the goddess of love, fertility, and war. In the writings of the Akkadian princess and priestess of the mod god SinEnheduanna, Ninhursag-Ki was one of the most powerful images of the Divine Feminine. She was depicted as the daughter of the primeval goddess of the sea, Nammu. Together with the sky god An, Ninhursag-Ki was conceived in Nammu's oceanic womb. Anu and Ninhursag came to life embracing each other arms within the primeval sea. Ninhursag-Ki thus both sister and consort to An, and the two of them became the parents the Anunnaki], the ancient deities of Sumerian myth. (However, it should be noted that other Mesopotamian myths describe the process of creation differently.)
As the universe continued to elvove, Ninhursag came to rule more specifically mountains and sacred hills. Ninhursag-Ki had temples in several ancient cities, including Kish, Lagash and Tell Obeid.
Mythology
| Fertile Crescent myth series | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mesopotamian | |
| Levantine | |
| Arabian | |
| Mesopotamia | |
| Primordial beings | |
| The great gods | |
| Demigods & heroes | |
| Spirits & monsters | |
| Tales from Babylon | |
| 7 Gods who Decree | |
|
4 primary: |
3 sky: |
In the legend of Enki and Ninhursag, Ninhursag bore a daughter to Enki called Ninsar ("Lady Greenery"). Ninsar bore Enki a daughter Ninkurra. Ninkurra, in turn, bore Enki a daughter Uttu. Enki then pursued Uttu, who was upset because he didn't care for her. Uttu, on her ancestress Ninhursag's advice buried Enki's seed in the earth, whereupon eight plants (the very first) sprung up. Enki, seeing the plants, ate them, and became ill in eight organs of his body. Ninhursag cured him, taking the plants into her body and giving birth to eight deities: Abu, Nintulla (Nintul), Ninsutu, Ninkasi, Nanshe (Nazi), Dazimua, Ninti, and Enshag (Enshagag).
In the text 'Creator of the Hoe' she completed the birth of mankind after the heads had been uncovered by Enki's hoe.
In creation texts Ninmah (another name for Ninhursag) acts as a midwife whilst the mother goddess Nammu makes different kinds of human individuals from lumps of clay at a feast given by Enki to celebrate the creation of humankind.
Worship
Her symbol the omega (Ω) has been depicted in art from around 3000 B.C.E., though more generally from the early second millennium. It appears on some boundary stones - on the upper tier, which indicates her importance.
Her temple, the E'Saggila (from Sumerian E = House, SAG = Sacred, Ila (Akkadian) = Goddess), was located on the Khur (sacred mound) of Eridu, although she also had a temple at Kish.
KI
Cuneiform KI (Borger 2003 nr. 737; U+121A0 𒆠) is the sign for "earth," but also "place location." It is also read as GI5, GUNNI (=KI.NE) "hearth," KARAŠ (=KI.KAL.BAD) "encampment, army," KISLAḪ (=KI.UD) "threshing place" and SUR7 (=KI.GAG). In Akkadian orthography, it functions as a determiner for toponyms and has the syllabic values gi, ge, qi and qe.
See also
- Ereshkigal
- Eve (Bible)
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Michael Jordon, Encyclopedia of Gods, Kyle Cathie Limited, 2002.
External links
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