The Inanna Goddess Story

The second Goddess story I felt inspired to discuss is that of Inanna. Inanna is the Sumerian Goddess of love, fertility and war and Queen of Heaven. She is presented as a dynamic and powerful Goddess. Like many Gods and Goddesses, there are a variety of stories surrounding her origins and existence. She was said to have driven a lion drawn chariot and participated in battle yet was also a sensual, passionate Goddess. Inanna was revered in Sumer, a region in Mesopotamia which is now modern day Iraq and Kuwait. Today there are still remains of her temples, Eanna temple, as well as ziggurats in the city of Urak. She was also closely associated with the planet Venus, hence giving her the association of the morning and evening star. Her most …show more content…
I find it fascinating. The myth states that Inanna descended into the underworld to attend the funeral of her sister’s husband. Inanna adorned herself lavishly with 7 royal and sacred items of clothing and jewelry. While there’s no definitive reason why Inanna went to observe these funeral rites, scholars have speculated and suspect Inanna either went to overthrow her sister or to obtain knowledge and power somehow by observing the rite. This makes sense as we continue the story. When Inanna arrived at the gates on the Underworld, she informed the gatekeeper that she was there to see her sister Ereshkigal. The gatekeeper informed Ereshkigal of Inanna’s presence and how she was dressed. Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld, became enraged at Inanna’s haughtiness it seems by wearing these garments as well as by her suspicions that Inanna had other intentions. Ereshkigal told her servant to allow Inanna to enter but stop her at each of the 7 gates to the Underworld and remove one of these royal garments at each gate. When Inanna finally encounters her sister, she is naked and vulnerable. Ereshkigal immediately strikes and kills Inanna and places her dead body on a