Reading Guides:
Nergal and Ereshkigal and The Descent of Inanna
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KSU   -  Mr. Hagin   -   Revised: 4 September 2003
CRC
 

DUE: 9 September 2003

Nergal and Ereshkigal (Dalley, 165-177)
 

Important Gods and Goddesses:

Anu — “sky”; the uppermost heaven; son of Anshar and Kishar; head of the older generation of gods
Ellil (Enlil in Sumerian) — means “Great Mountain,” “wild bull,” and “raging storm”; father of Inanna
Ea (called Enki in Sumerian) — god of fresh water, spells, and civilization; son of Anu and Nammu 
Ereshkigal — “queen of the great earth”; “mistress of the earth”; sister of Ishtar
Erra — “the lord who prowls at night”; god of war, hunting, and plague
Namtar (or Namtara) — “decider of fate”; the advisor of Erishkigal (the goddess of the Underworld)
Nergal — chief god of the Underworld and lover of Ereshkigal; son of Ea
 

1. What gift does Ea commission Nergal to make for Ereshkigal?
 

2. Why does Ea warn Nergal not to accept any gifts from Ereshkigal in the Underworld?
 

3. Describe the Underworld.
 

4. Nergal, as instructed, turns down the various gifts offered to him in the Underworld except one — which one?
 

5. What does Nergal realize after spending seven passionate days with Ereshkigal?
 

6. How does Nergal escape the Underworld?
 

7. What does Ereshkigal threaten to do if Namtar cannot return Nergal to her?
 

8. Why can Namtar not find Nergal when he visits the heavens?
 

9. How does Nergal enter the Underworld the second time?  What doers he do?  Why?
 

The Descent of Inanna (Wolkstein, 51-89)
 

Important Gods and Goddesses:

Anunna (Anunnaki or Anukki) — the group of the older Sumerian fertility gods, led by Anu
Belili – “she who always weeps”; an elderly version of Geshtinanna, serves as a family matriarch
Dumuzi (also called Tammuz) — “faithful son” of Enki; Sumerian god and shepherd; lover of Inanna
Enlil (Ellil in Sumerian) — means “Great Mountain,” “wild bull,” and “raging storm”; father of Inanna
Enki (called Ea in Babylonian) — god of fresh water, spells, and civilization; son of Anu and Nammu 
Ereshkigal — “queen of the great earth”; “mistress of the earth”; sister of Ishtar
Geshtinanna  — “lady of wine”; little sister of Dumuzi; a wise interpreter of dreams
Inanna (also called Ishtar in Babylonian) — goddess of love and war; daughter of Enki (elsewhere, Anu)
Nanna — the moon god; father of Inanna
Ninshubur — advisor to Anu and Inanna (female deity in Sumerian; male in Akkadian)
Utu — (also called Shamash); the sun god; son of Nanna, and twin brother of Inanna
 

1. How does Inanna dress for the Underworld?
 

2. What command does Inanna give to her servant Ninshubur?
 

3. What explanation does Inanna offer to Neti, the gatekeeper, for her visit to the Underworld?
 

4. What happens to Inanna as she passes through the seven gates of the Underworld?
 

5. What does her sister Ereshkigal do to Inanna after passing through the gates?
 

6. Although Enlil and Nanna cannot help Ninshubur, what does Enki do to rescue Inanna?
 

7. How do the kurgarra and the galatur revive the corpse of Inanna?
 

8. Under what condition will the Anunna allow Inanna to leave the Underworld?
 

9. Why does Inanna refuse to allow the galla demons to drag Ninshubur, Shara, and Lulal to the Underworld?  Why does she allow her husband Dumuzi to be imprisoned there?
 

10. How does Utu help Dumuzi after he cries out for help?
 

11. How does Geshtinanna interpret Dumuzi’s dream?
 

12. Dumuzi hides from the galla demons by hiding in the ditches of Arali.  Why does Geshtinanna refuse to reveal Dumuzi’s location, but Dumuzi’s friend complies?
 

13. How does Utu, the sun god, help Dumuzi escape the galla demons?
 

14. Why deal does Geshtinanna make with the “hands of the eternal” that allows Dumuzi partial escape from the Underworld?  What might this symbolize?