07 The Anunnaki and other chthonic deities and demons (gods and the heroes of the Babylonians)
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This article is from the Assyro-Babylonian Mythology FAQ, by Christopher B. Siren cbsiren@hopper.unh.edu with numerous contributions by others.
07 The Anunnaki and other chthonic deities and demons (gods and the heroes of the Babylonians)
Ereshkigal (Allatu) - the supreme goddess of the underworld.
Nergal is her consort. She is often considered Ishtar's sister. When
angered, her face grows livid and her lips grow black.
She doesn't know why Ishtar would visit her, but she allows her in,
according to the ancient rites. She instructs Namtar to release his
diseases upon Ishtar. When 'His appearance is bright' tries to get her
to swear an oath, she curses him. She has Namtar release Ishtar in
exchange for Dumuzi.
Anu sends Kakka to her with a message and then sends Nergal to give
her a throne upon which she is to sit and give judgment. She offers
Nergal food, drink, a foot bath, and entices him with her body.
Eventually he succumbs and they sleep with each other for seven days.
She is enraged when he wishes to leave. She sends Namtar to heaven to
request that Anu, Ellil, and Ea send Nergal to her as one of the few
favors she has ever had. If they do not, she will raise the dead and
they will eat and outnumber the living. Nergal is brought back. In some
versions of the myth, Nergal takes control of Namtar's attendant demons
and grabs Ereshkigal by the hair. In this position she proposes
marriage to him. In both versions they are married.
Belit-tseri, tablet-scribe of the underworld. She kneels before
Ereshkigal.
Namtar(a) - the Fate-Cutter, Ereshkigal's messenger and vizier, the
herald of death. He commands sixty diseases, which are grouped by the
part of the body which they affect. Offerings to him may stave off
diseases. He takes Ishtar back out of the Underworld at Ereshkigal's
command. He acts as her messenger to Anu.
Sumuqan - the cattle god, he resides in the underworld, in
Ereshkigal's court.
Nergal (Erragal, Erra, Engidudu - 'lord who prowls by night') -,
the Unsparing, god of the underworld, husband of Ereshkigal, lover of
Mami. As Erra he is a hunter god, a god of war and plague. He is
submissive to Ea. He can open the doorposts to the underworld to allow
the passage of a soul.
He achieved his post by refusing to stand before an address of Namtar.
When Ereshkigal called him to be punished, he dragged her off of her
throne by the hair, and threatened to decapitate her. She offered him
the position as her consort and he accepted.
He is an evil aspect of Shamash. He allows Enkidu's spirit to visit
Gilgamesh at the behest of Ea. He is sometimes the son of Ea. Prior to
his first journey to the underworld, he builds a chair of fine wood
under Ea's instruction to give to Ereshkigal as a gift from Anu. He is
advised not to take part of the food, drink and entertainment offered
there. He is tempted by Ereshkigal and eventually succumbs, sleeping
with her for seven days. He then takes his leave, angering her. The
gatekeeper lets him out and he climbs the stairway to heaven. He hides
from Namtar in heaven, but is discovered and returns to the underworld
to marry Ereshkigal. In some versions, on the way back to the
Underworld, he seizes control of Namtar's attendant demons and grabs
Ereshkigal by the hair. In this position she offers marriage.
He commands the Sebitti, seven warriors who are also the Pleadies,
they aid in his killing of noisy, over-populous people and animals. He
rallies them when he feels the urge for war, and calls Ishum to light
the way. They prefer to be used in war instead of waiting while Erra
kills by disease.
He regards Marduk as having become negligent and prepares to attack
his people in Babylon. He challenges Marduk in Esagila in
Shuanna/Babylon. Marduk responds that he already killed most of the
people in the flood and would not do so again. He also states that he
could not run the flood without getting off of his throne and letting
control slip. Erra volunteers to take his seat and control things.
Marduk takes his vacation and Erra sets about trying to destroy Babylon.
Ishum intervenes on Babylon's behalf and persuades Erra to stop, but not
before he promises that the other gods will acknowledge themselves as
Erra's servants.
Irra - plague god, underling of Nergal
Enmesharra - Underworld god
Lamashtu - a dread female demon also known as 'she who erases'.
Nabu - god of writing and wisdom.
Nedu - the guardian of the first gate of the underworld.
Ningizzia - a guardian of the gate of heaven; a god of the
underworld
Tammuz (Dumuzi, Adonis) the brother and spouse to Ishtar, or the
lover of her youth. He is a vegetation god. He went into the
underworld and was recovered through the intervention of Ishtar. He is
sometimes the guardian of heaven's gates and sometimes a god of the
underworld. He is friends with Ningizzia. He is exchanged for Ishtar
in the Underworld. He guards the Gate of Anu with Gizzida.
Belili (Geshtinanna) - Tammuz/Dumuzi's sister, 'the one who always
weeps', the wife of Ningishzida.
Gizzida (Gishzida) - son of Ninazu, consort of Belili, doorkeeper
of Anu.
Nissaba (Nisaba) - cereal grain harvest goddess. Her breast
nourishes the fields. Her womb gives birth to the vegetation and grain.
She has abundant locks of hair. She is also a goddess of writing and
learned knowledge. She performs the purification ceremony on Ninurta
after he has slain Anzu and is given his additional names and shrines.
Dagan (Ugaric for 'grain) - chthonic god of fertility and of the
Underworld. He is paired with Anu as one who acknowledges directives
and courses of action put forth in front of the assembly of the gods.
Birdu - (means 'pimple') an underworld god. Ellil used him as a
messenger to Ninurta
Sharru - god of submission
Urshambi - boatman to Utnapishtim
Ennugi - canal- controller of the Anunnaki.
Geshtu-e - 'ear', god whose blood and intelligence are used by Mami
to create man.
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