demonstrate that at least one male priest functioned as the consort of a goddess (Steinkeller 1999 :
120 ) but not that the male priest was an en-priest. There is no reason to assume that the title of
DAM.DINGIR for priestesses in Ebla has any relation with Akkadian practice (Steinkeller 1999 :
122 – 123 ) rather than Sumerian. Furthermore, I would maintain my supposition (even if the
previous documentary basis was weak) that DAM.DINGIR in Ebla was the equivalent of
Sumerian eresˇ-digˆir. Suter ( 2007 : 323 n. 16 ) compares this Eblaite office to that of the Old
Babylonian nadı ̄tusince there were several holding the same office at the same time (Archi 1998 :
52 – 53 ). Further, although DAM.DINGIR were mostly members of the royal family, they served
both male and female deities, the deities Idabal of Luban and his consort the Lady of Luban, as
well as the goddess Adamma (see Archi 1998 ). Renger ( 2001 ) posited that there were no en-priests
or priestesses before the Old Akkadian period and that they were a creation of the Old Akkadian
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–– The ministering clergy ––