ERES.KI.GAL (Ereshkigal)

**ERES.KI.GAL** (cuneiform|𒀭𒊩𒆠𒃲 Template:Transl, lit. "Queen of the Great Earth"), **Ereshkigal** is the Queen of Kur, the Sumerian underworld. She was believed to live in a palace known as Ganzir. Her first husband was Gugalanna. In a later myth, after her husband’s death, she marries Nergal. The main temple dedicated to her was located in Kutha. In the ancient Sumerian poem, *Inanna's Descent to the Underworld* Ereshkigal is described as Inanna's older sister. Ereshkigal plays a prominent role in the story of Inanna's descent into the Underworld, and the story of how she came to marry Nergal.

## Wife of Gugalanna

Gugalanna was the first husband of Ereshkigal, the queen of the underworld. His name probably originally meant "canal inspector of An". The son of Ereshkigal and Gugalanna is Ninazu. In *Inanna's Descent into the Underworld*, Inanna tells the gatekeeper Neti that she is descending to the underworld to attend the funeral of "Gugalanna, the husband of my elder sister Ereshkigal".

## Inanna's Descent to the Underworld

Inanna descends into Kur (the Sumerian underworld), seeking to extend her powers there. Neti, the gatekeeper of Kur, informs the Queen Ereshkigal, that her younger sister Inanna is at the gates demanding to be let in. Ereshkigal responds by ordering Neti to bolt the seven gates of the Underworld and to open each gate separately, under the condition that Inanna remove an article of clothing at each gate. Inanna proceeds through each gate, removing one article of clothing. Wence Inanna has gone through all seven gates she finds herself naked and powerless, standing before the throne of Ereshkigal. The seven judges of Kur judge Inanna and declare her to be guilty. Inanna is struck dead and her dead corpse is hung on a hook in Kur for everyone to see. Inanna's minister, Ninshubur, however, pleads with Enki and Enki agrees to rescue Inanna from Kur. Enki sends two sexless beings down to the Kur to revive Inanna with the food and water of life. The sexless beings escort Inanna up from the Underworld, but a horde of angry demons follow Inanna back up from Kur, demanding to take someone else down to Kur as Inanna's replacement. When Inanna discovers that her husband, Dumuzid, has not mourned her death, she becomes ireful towards him and orders the demons to take Dumuzid as her replacement.

## The banquet

In one Sumerian myth, the gods held a banquet whereby Ereshkigal, queen of Kur, could not come up to attend. They invited her to send a messenger; whom she sent her vizier Namtar in her place. He is treated well by all, except by one—Nergal, the plague deity, who disrespects Namtar. As a result, Nergal is banished to the kingdom of Kur. Versions vary at this point, but all of them result in him becoming the husband of Ereshkigal.

## References

1. ↑ Nemet-Nejat 1998, p. 184.
2. ↑ Choksi 2014.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Black & Green 1992, p. 77.
4. ↑ "Ereshkigal", Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite DVD, 2003.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Inana's descent to the nether world: translation". http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section1/tr141.htm.
6. ↑ Mark, Joshua J. "Inanna's Descent: A Sumerian Tale of Injustice." *Ancient History Encyclopedia*, 23 February 2011. http://www.ancient.eu/article/215/
7. ↑ Kramer 1961, p. 90.
8. ↑ Wolkstein & Kramer 1983, p. 55.
9. ↑ "Nergal and Ereshkigal" in *Myths from Mesopotamia*, trans. S. Dalley (ISBN 0-199-53836-0)