Difference between revisions of "Ereshkigal" - New World Encyclopedia
m (→Other details) |
m (→Source myths) |
||
| Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
==Source myths== | ==Source myths== | ||
| − | + | Ereshkigal is the sister of Ishtar and from one point of view her counterpart, the symbol of nature during the non-productive season of the year. As the doctrine of two kingdoms, one of this world and one of the world of the dead, becomes crystallized, the dominions of the two sisters are sharply differentiated from one another. | |
| − | One of these myths is the famous story of Ishtar's | + | Ereshkigal is known chiefly through two myths, believed to symbolize the changing of the seasons, but also also intended to illustrate certain doctrines or rituals developed in the temple-schools of Babylonia. |
| + | |||
| + | One of these myths is the famous story of "Ishtar's Descent" to Irkalla (or Aralu), as the lower world was called. There she is required by the gatekeeper to remove successive layers of clothing as she approaches the throne of Ereshkigal. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The other is the story of [[Nergal]], the plague god, whose offense against Ereshkigal, his banishment to the kingdom controlled by the goddess and the reconciliation between Nergal and Ereshkigal through the latter's offer to have Nergal share the honors of the rule over Irkalla. In later tradition, Nergal is said to have been the victor, taking her as wife and ruling the land himself. | ||
It is theorized that the story of Ishtar's descent is told to illustrate the possibility of an escape from Irkalla, while the other myth is intended to reconcile the existence of two rulers of Irkalla: a goddess and a god. The addition of Nergal represents the harmonizing tendency to unite with Ereshkigal as the queen of the netherworld to the god who, in his character as god of war and of pestilence, conveys the living to Irkalla and thus becomes the one who presides over the dead. | It is theorized that the story of Ishtar's descent is told to illustrate the possibility of an escape from Irkalla, while the other myth is intended to reconcile the existence of two rulers of Irkalla: a goddess and a god. The addition of Nergal represents the harmonizing tendency to unite with Ereshkigal as the queen of the netherworld to the god who, in his character as god of war and of pestilence, conveys the living to Irkalla and thus becomes the one who presides over the dead. | ||
| − | |||
==Irkalla== | ==Irkalla== | ||
Revision as of 15:22, 11 June 2008
| Fertile Crescent myth series | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mesopotamian | |
| Levantine | |
| Arabian | |
| Mesopotamia | |
| Primordial beings | |
| 7 gods who decree | |
| Demigods & heroes | |
| Spirits & monsters | |
| Tales from Babylon | |
| The Great Gods | |
|
Adad · Ashnan |
In Mesopotamian mythology, Ereshkigal (DEREŠ.KI.GAL, lit. "great lady under earth") was the goddess of Irkalla, the land of the dead or underworld. Sometimes her name is given as Irkalla, similar to way the name Hades was used in Greek mythology for both the underworld and its ruler.
Ereshkigal was the only one who could pass judgement and give laws in her kingdom. The main temple dedicated to her was located in Cuthah.[1]
The goddess Ishtar refers to Ereshkigal as her older sister in the Sumerian hymn "The Descent of Ishtar" (which was also in later Babylonian myth still called "The Descent of Ishtar"). Inanna/Ishtar's trip and return to the underworld is the most familiar of the myths concerning Ereshkigal.
Source myths
Ereshkigal is the sister of Ishtar and from one point of view her counterpart, the symbol of nature during the non-productive season of the year. As the doctrine of two kingdoms, one of this world and one of the world of the dead, becomes crystallized, the dominions of the two sisters are sharply differentiated from one another.
Ereshkigal is known chiefly through two myths, believed to symbolize the changing of the seasons, but also also intended to illustrate certain doctrines or rituals developed in the temple-schools of Babylonia.
One of these myths is the famous story of "Ishtar's Descent" to Irkalla (or Aralu), as the lower world was called. There she is required by the gatekeeper to remove successive layers of clothing as she approaches the throne of Ereshkigal.
The other is the story of Nergal, the plague god, whose offense against Ereshkigal, his banishment to the kingdom controlled by the goddess and the reconciliation between Nergal and Ereshkigal through the latter's offer to have Nergal share the honors of the rule over Irkalla. In later tradition, Nergal is said to have been the victor, taking her as wife and ruling the land himself.
It is theorized that the story of Ishtar's descent is told to illustrate the possibility of an escape from Irkalla, while the other myth is intended to reconcile the existence of two rulers of Irkalla: a goddess and a god. The addition of Nergal represents the harmonizing tendency to unite with Ereshkigal as the queen of the netherworld to the god who, in his character as god of war and of pestilence, conveys the living to Irkalla and thus becomes the one who presides over the dead.
Irkalla
Irkalla (also Ir-Kalla, Irkalia) is the hell-like underworld from which there is no return. It is also called Arali, Kigal, Gizal, and the lower world. Irkalla is ruled by the death god Nergal and his consort Ereshkigal.
Irkalla was originally another name for Ereshkigal, who ruled the underworld until overthrown by Nergal. Both the deity and the location were called Irkalla, much like how Hades in Greek mythology is both the name of the underworld and the god who ruled it.
The Sumerian netherworld was a place for the bodies of the dead to exist after death. One passed through the seven gates on their journey through the portal to the netherworld leaving articles of clothing and adornment at each gate, not necessarily by choice as there was a guardian at each gate to extract a toll for one's passage and to keep one from going the wrong way. The living spirits of the dead are only spoken of in connection with this netherworld when someone has been placed here before they are dead or wrongly killed and can be saved. The bodies of the dead decompose in this afterlife, as they would in the world above.
As the subterranean destination for all who die, Irkalla is similar to Sheol of the Hebrew Bible or Hades of classic Greek mythology. It is different from more hopeful visions of the afterlife that later appeared in Platonic philosophy, Judaism, and Christianity.
Other details
In some versions of the myths, she rules the underworld by herself, sometimes with a husband subordinate to her named Gugalana. It was said that she had been stolen away by Kur and taken to the underworld, where she was made queen unwillingly. [1]
She is the mother of the goddess Nungal.
Her son with Enlil was the god Namtar, who was responsible for diseases and pests. Namtar was a hellish deity, god of death, and the messenger of An, Ereshkigal, and Nergal.It was said that he commanded sixty diseases in the form of demons that could penetrate different parts of the human body; offerings to him were made to prevent those illnesses. It is thought that the Assyrians and Babylonians took this belief from the Sumerians after conquering them. To some they were the spirit of fate, and therefore of great importance. This being was regarded as the beloved son of Bêl. Apparently they executed the instructions given him concerning the fate of men, and could also have power over certain of the gods. In other writings they were regarded the personification of death, much like the modern concept of the Grim Reaper.
With Gugalana her son was Ninazu. a god of the underworld, and of healing. He was the son of Enlil and Ninlil or, in alternative traditions, of Ereshkigal and Gugalana, and was the father of Ningiszida. In the text Enki and Ninhursag he was described as the consort of Ninsutu, one of the deities born to relieve the illness of Enki. Ninazu was the patron deity of the city of Eshnunna until he was superseded by Tispak. He had sanctuaries were the E-sikul and E-kurma. Unlike his close relative Nergal, he was generally benevolent.
Notes and References
- ↑ "Ereshkigal," Encyclopedia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite DVD, 2003.
Sources
- Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia by Jeremy Black and Anthony Green (ISBN 0-292-70794-0)
- The Gilgamesh Epic and Old Testament Parallels by Alexander Heidel (ISBN 0-226-32398-6)
- Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth" by Diane Wolkenstein and Sumuel Noah Kramer (ISBN 0-06-090854-8)
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
External links
- "Inana's descent to the nether world" - from The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature by the Oriental Institute of the University of Oxford
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
