Ninhursag
Encyclopedia
In Sumerian mythology, Ninhursag (NIN.ḪURSAG ) or Ninkharsag 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 leaders.
NIN "lady" and ḪAR.SAG "mountain, foothill"). She had many names including Ninmah ("Great Queen"); Nintu
("Lady of Birth"); Mamma
or Mami
(mother); Aruru
probably connected with Homeric arura
(arable land, land generally). Belet-Ili (lady of the gods, Akkadian
)
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, 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 (sky), was identical to or an earlier form of Ninhursag. This may very well be the case, since some authorities argue that Ki was never regarded as a deity in her own right in the historical period. There is no evidence of a cult for the goddess and the name appears in a limited number of Sumerian creation texts. As Ki, Ninhursag would be the mother of Enlil
, whereas in other sources she is his sister.
Some of the names above were once associated with independent goddesses (such as Ninmah and Ninmenna), who later became identified and merged with Ninhursag, and myths exist in which the name Ninhursag is not mentioned.
and Ninhursag, Ninhursag bore a daughter to Enki called Ninsar
("Lady Greenery"). Through Enki, Ninsar bore a daughter Ninkurra
. Ninkurra, in turn, bore Enki a daughter named 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), Azimua, 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.
Her temple, the Esagila
(from Sumerian
E
(temple) + SAG (head) + ILA (lofty)) was located on the KUR
of Eridu
, although she also had a temple at Kish
.
Mother goddess
Mother goddess is a term used to refer to a goddess who represents motherhood, fertility, creation or embodies the bounty of the Earth. When equated with the Earth or the natural world such goddesses are sometimes referred to as Mother Earth or as the Earth Mother.Many different goddesses have...
, one of the seven great deities of Sumer
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
. 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
Omega
Omega is the 24th and last letter of the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numeric system, it has a value of 800. The word literally means "great O" , as opposed to omicron, which means "little O"...
motif or a derivation, sometimes accompanied by a lion cub on a leash. She is the tutelary deity to several Sumerian leaders.
Names
Nin-hursag means "lady of the mountain" (from SumerianSumerian language
Sumerian is the language of ancient Sumer, which was spoken in southern Mesopotamia since at least the 4th millennium BC. During the 3rd millennium BC, there developed a very intimate cultural symbiosis between the Sumerians and the Akkadians, which included widespread bilingualism...
NIN "lady" and ḪAR.SAG "mountain, foothill"). She had many names including Ninmah ("Great Queen"); Nintu
Mami (goddess)
Mami is a goddess in the Babylonian epic Atra-Hasis and in other creation legends. She was probably synonymous with Ninhursag. She was involved in the creation of humankind from clay and blood...
("Lady of Birth"); Mamma
Mami (goddess)
Mami is a goddess in the Babylonian epic Atra-Hasis and in other creation legends. She was probably synonymous with Ninhursag. She was involved in the creation of humankind from clay and blood...
or Mami
Mami (goddess)
Mami is a goddess in the Babylonian epic Atra-Hasis and in other creation legends. She was probably synonymous with Ninhursag. She was involved in the creation of humankind from clay and blood...
(mother); Aruru
Arura
Arura or aroura , is a Homeric Greek word with original meaning "arable land", derived from the verb "ἀρόω" , "plough". The word was also used generally for earth, land and father-land and in plural to describe corn-lands and fields...
probably connected with Homeric arura
Arura
Arura or aroura , is a Homeric Greek word with original meaning "arable land", derived from the verb "ἀρόω" , "plough". The word was also used generally for earth, land and father-land and in plural to describe corn-lands and fields...
(arable land, land generally). Belet-Ili (lady of the gods, Akkadian
Akkadian language
Akkadian is an extinct Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest attested Semitic language, it used the cuneiform writing system derived ultimately from ancient Sumerian, an unrelated language isolate...
)
According to legend her name was changed from Ninmah to Ninhursag by her son Ninurta
Ninurta
Ninurta in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology was the god of Lagash, identified with Ningirsu with whom he may always have been identical...
in order to commemorate his creation of the mountains. As Ninmenna, according to a Babylonian investiture ritual, she placed the golden crown on the king in the Eanna temple.
Some take the view that Ki
Ki (goddess)
Cuneiform KI is the sign for "earth". It is also read as GI5, GUNNI "hearth", KARAŠ "encampment, army", KISLAḪ "threshing floor" or steath, and SUR7...
("Earth") the primordial goddess of the earth and consort of An (sky), was identical to or an earlier form of Ninhursag. This may very well be the case, since some authorities argue that Ki was never regarded as a deity in her own right in the historical period. There is no evidence of a cult for the goddess and the name appears in a limited number of Sumerian creation texts. As Ki, Ninhursag would be the mother of Enlil
Enlil
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband, Robert Browning, shortly after her death.-Early life:Members...
, whereas in other sources she is his sister.
Some of the names above were once associated with independent goddesses (such as Ninmah and Ninmenna), who later became identified and merged with Ninhursag, and myths exist in which the name Ninhursag is not mentioned.
Mythology
In the legend of EnkiEnki
Enki is a god in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian mythology. He was originally patron god of the city of Eridu, but later the influence of his cult spread throughout Mesopotamia and to the Canaanites, Hittites and Hurrians...
and Ninhursag, Ninhursag bore a daughter to Enki called Ninsar
Ninsar
In Sumerian mythology, Ninsar is the goddess of plants.Daughter of Ninhursag and Enki.Mother of Ninkurra by EnkiAlso known as Ninki , Ninmah, Ninmu, Nin-shar...
("Lady Greenery"). Through Enki, Ninsar bore a daughter Ninkurra
Ninkurra
In Sumerian mythology, Ninkurra was a minor mother goddess, daughter of Enki and Ninsar. Mother of Uttu by Enki. In an alternative tradition she was the mother of Nin-imma, the deification of the female sex organs...
. Ninkurra, in turn, bore Enki a daughter named Uttu
Uttu
Uttu in Sumerian mythology is the goddess of weaving and clothing. She is both the child of Enki and Ninkur, and she bears seven new child/trees from Enki, the eighth being the Ti . When Enki then ate Uttu's children, Ninhursag cursed him with eight wounds and disappears...
. 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
Abu (god)
Abu in Sumerian mythology was a minor god of plants. He was one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki....
, Nintulla
Nintulla
Nintulla or Nintul was a god in Sumerian mythology, and one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki. Enki designated him lord of Magan....
(Nintul), Ninsutu
Ninsutu
Ninsutu was a goddess in Sumerian mythology, one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki. She was the consort of Ninazu....
, Ninkasi
Ninkasi
Ninkasi is the ancient Sumerian matron goddess of the intoxicating beverage, beer.Her father was Enki, the lord Nudimmud, and her mother was Ninti, the queen of the Abzu. She is also one of the eight children created in order to heal one of the eight wounds that Enki receives. Furthermore, she is...
, Nanshe
Nanshe
In Sumerian mythology, Nanshe was the daughter of Enki and Ninhursag . Her functions as a goddess were varied. She was a goddess of social justice, prophecy, fertility and fishing. Like her father, she was heavily associated with water. She held dominion over the Persian Gulf and all the...
(Nazi), Azimua, Ninti, and Enshag
Enshag
Enshag or Enshagag, in Sumerian mythology was one of the eight deities born to relieve the illness of Enki. He was made lord of Dilmun by Enki....
(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
Nammu
In Sumerian mythology, Nammu was a primeval goddess, corresponding to Tiamat in Babylonian mythology....
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 BC, though more generally from the early second millennium. It appears on some boundary stones — on the upper tier, indicating her importance.Her temple, the Esagila
Esagila
The Ésagila, a Sumerian name signifying "É whose top is lofty", was a temple dedicated to Marduk, the protector god of Babylon...
(from Sumerian
Sumerian language
Sumerian is the language of ancient Sumer, which was spoken in southern Mesopotamia since at least the 4th millennium BC. During the 3rd millennium BC, there developed a very intimate cultural symbiosis between the Sumerians and the Akkadians, which included widespread bilingualism...
E
É (temple)
É is the Sumerian word or symbol for house or temple, written ideographically with the cuneiform sign .The Sumerian term É.GAL denoted a city's main building....
(temple) + SAG (head) + ILA (lofty)) was located on the KUR
Kur
In Babylonian mythology, Irkalla is the hell-like underworld from which there is no return. It is also called Arali, Kigal, Gizal, and the lower world...
of Eridu
Eridu
Eridu is an ancient Sumerian city in what is now Tell Abu Shahrain, Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq. Eridu was considered the earliest city in southern Mesopotamia, and is one of the oldest cities in the world...
, although she also had a temple at Kish
Kish (Sumer)
Kish is modern Tell al-Uhaymir , and was an ancient city of Sumer. Kish is located some 12 km east of Babylon, and 80 km south of Baghdad ....
.