The descent of inanna known also as inannas descent to the netherworld underworld is a piece of work in the literary corpus of ancient. Inannas descent into the underworld is a particularly profound myth, taking her far beyond the symbolism of the mythological genesis of the world, explaining the seasons dumuzi and geshtianna alternating in their halfyear sojourns in the underworld, or the establishment of kingship. This page is in support of bringing inannas story to the big screen while raising the profile of this powerful and ancient tale. There are numerous wellknown myths from ancient times which describe a heroine or heros descent into the underworld. May 25, 2011 ancient sumerian origins of the easter story 05112009 05. Maybe inanna s most famous myth is about her descent into the underworld. There are many myths about the descent of the goddess. Jul 30, 2014 the sumerian poem, the descent of inanna c. In sumerian, the word for ear and wisdom are the same. This story, which was originally written in cuneiform and inscribed on clay tablets, is in the form of a poem.
Inanna s descent into the underworld was the inspiration for the descent of the goddess, one of the most popular and most important myths in gardnerian wicca. The poem begins famously with the lines, from the great above she opened her ear to the. The beings that the gods had created would all be extinct. Inanna, the queen of heaven in ancient mesopotamia new. Ishtars journey into the underworld fairy tales of the world. For example, enki, the god of wisdom, is said to have his ear wide open an unfiltered receptivity. An important piece of mesopotamian mythology, and one of the oldest written stories.
It tells of her descent into the underworld and her ultimate ascent to the above. Sep 26, 2017 the descent of inanna understanding the dark goddess ereshkigal by brandi auset september 26, 2017 by brandi auset leave a comment ereshkigal, great goddess of the underworld, was worshiped throughout the mesopotamian region, dating back to 3000 bce. My lady abandoned heaven and earth to descend to the underworld. It is vital that we enter the darkness as did inanna, bare and bowed low. In particular, i turned to the myth known as the descent of the god. Inannas descent to the underworld by johanna stuckey 20150802, 3. The death and rebirth are fairly clear to be read, but of particular interest is that after inanna s death, and preparing for rebirth, ereshkigal is in pain with the cries of a woman about to give birth. Ishtars descent into the underworld full text youtube. Instead the dreadful vista of life in the underworld. Combining ancient texts and modern dreams, sylvia perera presents a way of feminine initiation. Inannas descent to under world by way of her winged capsule i am inanna going to the east.
Dec 28, 2015 the rising and setting of venus correspond with the movements of inanna, especially in the myth of inannas descent to the underworld. I bowed to inannas wisdom and ereshkigals necessity knowing that death and destruction fuel a new cycle of life. According to the myth, inanna passes through 7 gates in her descent, removing at each one a piece of clothing or jewellery she had been wearing. Text from inanna, queen of heaven and earth by diane wolkstein soundtrack by patreon. Pdf an exegesis of inanna and ishtars descent to the nether world. And paradise lost is largely based around satans journey from heaven down to hell, so, like the story of the descent of inanna, the episode of the descent into the underworld is the epic journey, complete with heroics of a sort in inannas case anyway. So picking his veep will be his greatest accomplishment. In the myth, inanna journeyed to the underworld to observe the funeral rites of gugalanna, ereshkigals husband. From the great heaven inana set her mind on the great below. Inannas descent to the netherworld literature tv tropes. Descent of the goddess ishtar into the lower world from the civilization of babylonia and assyria, m. Lxrian descent of ishtar inannas counterpart is a much shorter uersion of the same. It was generally understood by astrologers that venus would be in the underworld only when retrograde. The descent of ishtar to the underworld mesopotamian.
Inannas descent to the nether world mythinterpretations. We descend, not because we want to, but because we must. Post a public comment on this submission click here to send private anonymous feedback to the author instead title of your comment. My mistress abandoned heaven, abandoned earth, and descended to the underworld. Jastrow, 1915 to the land of no return, the land of darkness, ishtar, the daughter of sin directed her thought, directed her thought, ishtar, the daughter of sin, to the house of shadows, the dwelling, of irkalla. The poem begin s with ishtar s descent to the netherworld and a stock literary description of this mythical place.
Inanna is also an important figure in modern bdsm culture. Of the seven gates of the nether world, he opened their locks, of the gate ganzir, the face of the nether world, he defined its rules. From the great above the goddess oepned her ear to the great below. Descent to the goddess is a highly original and provocative book about women s freedom and the need for an inner, female authority in a masculineoriented society. The descent of inanna known also as inannas descent to the netherworld underworld is a piece of work in the literary corpus of ancient mesopotamia. Jul 23, 2016 a guided meditation following inanna as she journey s into the underworld and returns again. Oct 25, 2014 her descent to the underworld is a valuable story at any time of the year but even more so here as the wheel turns fully into the dark of the year. The creativity post inanna and the creative descent. The reason she went to the land of the dead is not completely clear, but she is often said to. It is that descent that sets his work apart, his willingness to make the descent is the key, the thing that separates the great artist apart from those whose work is easily set aside and forgotten. In many ancient myths, descent is an integral part of the great feminine round of life and death. Your public comment about inannas descent into the underworld. Neti, the chief gatekeeper of the nether world, honored the word of his queen. This is the story of the ancient goddess of heaven and earth.
Aug 17, 20 the artist makes that descent into the pool of the collective unconscious, that place where stories live, and returns with a boon as well. This is when the goddess ruled the heavens, the earth and the underworld. Inanna and her descent into the land of no return, to meet erishkigal, the goddess of death and queen of the underworld. See more ideas about sumerian, ancient mesopotamia and ancient near east. During the dark of the year, we are to turn inward, our most introspective work is to be accomplished at this time. This story isnt about gilgamesh however, it instead follows inanna. Like i said, complicated at the gates of the underworld. Descent of inanna wolkstein kramer from the great above she opened her ear to the great below. Meeting the shadow of oneself inanna queen of heaven. Pdf the primary focus of this paper shall be on the representations of the goddesses inanna and her. He knew this was because of ishtars descent into the underworld, but he also knew that his power was not great enough to overcome irkalla. From the great heaven the goddess set her mind on the great below.
While ishtar is there, all sexual activity on earth. Interpretation of inannas descent myth from the great above inanna opened her ear to the great below. Doc inannas descent to the underworld deanne quarrie. The main character of this myth is inanna, the queen of heaven, ereshkigals younger sister. Whilst studying the venus cycle, i was always perplexed as to the story of inannas descent into the underworld and her journey there through the 7 gates and how it related to the cycle of venus. The descent of inanna a sumerian hero story during the times of gilgamesh that explores the descent into, and ascent from hell. Ancient sumerian origins of the easter story huffpost. The other, far more mysterious, dark and complex, is the story of her descent into the underworld and her experience of death. Inannas descent to the underworld by johanna stuckey. About the descent of inanna myth the descent of inanna myth is the story of the prideful inannas journey to the underworld to ostensibly pay homage to her sister, ereshkigal, queen of the kur underworld. The descent of inanna myth is the story of the prideful inannas journey to the underworld to ostensibly pay homage to her sister, ereshkigal, queen of the kur underworld. The story is about the goddess inanna later known as ishtar going to visit her sister or possibly alterego ereshkigal.
Pdf inannas descent to the underworld by johanna stuckey. Without procreation, without regeneration, there would be no life left on earth once the people and animals who were there now died off. This story was inscribed on clay tablets at around 1750 bce. Venus, the descentascent of inanna and the 7 gates cosmic. This is the story of inanna, the ancient myth that predates the male gods, such as zeus. Her stories and hymns from sumer see other formats. From the great above she opened her ear to the great below. Jan 02, 2017 the descent of inanna known also as inannas descent to the netherworld underworld is a piece of work in the literary corpus of ancient mesopotamia.
Goddess inanna journeys into the underworld of death and suffering. From the great above inanna openend her ear to the great below. Where can i find an english translation of inannas descent. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. This akkadian poem tells the myth of the descent of ishtar, goddess of love, fertility, and war, into the netherworld and her resurrection. The sacred marriage is one of the two central ritual stories concerning inanna.
The descent of inanna to the underworld by deanne quarrie. In a myth called the descent of ishtar to the underworld, the fertility goddess decides to visit kurnugia the land of no return, where the dead live in darkness, eat clay, and are clothed like birds with wings. Ereshkigal plays a prominent role in the myth known as inannas descent to the underworld. Apr 01, 2018 where can i find an english translation of inanna s descent to the underworld. Inannas descent represents the supreme wisdom of the feminine journey she goes down to the place of grief, accepting the mourning that inevitably goes with the loss of our illusions about someone, or indeed about ourselves. The descent of inanna understanding the dark goddess. One of the more significant is the story of inanna, the sumerian goddess, who hearing the call, made her own eventful journey and return.