The Babylonian World (Routledge Worlds)

Third millennium

In this period, there were many local forms of Inanna as shown by the god lists and
offering lists as well as the literary texts. These local manifestations were distinguished
from each other by epithets or honorific titles. In Kish, she was thus known as Inanna-
GAR, in Zabalam, as Inanna-Zabalam. This phenomenon may have resulted from
the universal veneration of Inanna during the Uruk expansion and the possible
identification of Inanna with local female deities. Did this influence or change the
distinctive identity of the underlying deity, and was there any reciprocal influence
upon Inanna? Perhaps her contradictory and multifaceted character can be traced to
these early syncretisms, in addition to her various manifestations.
The most common epithet given to her by the Old Sumerian kings was nin-kur-
kur-ra ‘Mistress of (all) the lands’, extolling her authoritarian power on earth as well
as nu-gig(-an-na), a title of uncertain meaning but characterising her astral presence
in the heavens (Zgoll 1997 ). Although we cannot read with any certainty the early
literary texts, we do find descriptions that can be understood to mean ‘flashing’ or
‘radiant’, which point to Inanna’s manifestation as the Venus star and the designation
of 50 mein association with Inanna. While Old Sumerian personal names, such as
Inanna-ur-sag ‘Inanna is a warrior’ indicate Inanna’s martial nature, there is no
dedication addressed to Inanna of Uruk as ‘Lady of Battle’ until the end of the third
millennium in the Neo-Sumerian period.

‘Semitic’ Ishtar vis-à-vis ‘Sumerian’ Inanna

The supposed history of the syncretism and fusion of the Sumerian Inanna with the
Akkadian Ishtar is a complex problem. It has been suggested that the warlike character
of Ishtar (Figure 23. 3 ) that appears for the first time on the seals of the Old Akkadian
period was a specifically Akkadian trait. However, while it is true that Ishtar as
the city goddess of Akkade – Ashtar Annunitum – is indeed the Lady of Battle, the
Akkadian Ishtar in general was already by the third millennium more than any one
characteristic. For instance, our earliest love incantation invoking Ishtar is Akkadian
rather than Sumerian. On the other hand, a warlike inclination is not entirely excluded
as one of the character traits of the Sumerian Inanna. To complicate matters further,
these two cultures Sumerian and Akkadian lived side-by-side, mutually influencing
each other.^6 Further, just as there was a plethora of Inanna goddesses of local pantheons,
there were such Ishtar figures.
Pietistic Akkadian names borne by ordinary persons find her described as ‘mother’
of the name-bearer. Even though the exact meaning of such a statement is not clear,
it does seem that the early Akkadians could see Ishtar as a motherly figure, a trait
that presumably was unknown in Inanna. However, she is so addressed occasionally
in Sumerian hymns.
Literary texts are now produced that can be understood and the hymns that were
sung in her praise give us an insight into the character of Inanna. Although most of
her work is known from later editions, the daughter of Sargon, Enheduanna composed
hymns extolling Inanna. In one, she chronicles Inanna’s responsibility for all aspects
of human affairs – positive and negative, beneficial and harmful, sexual and ethical

• all are enumerated as her possessions:

— Joan Goodnick Westenholz —