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Feb 28, 2023 · They were manifestations of the natural world, both earthly (the earth itself, plants, animals), and celestial (the Sun, the Moon, Venus). In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most famous and important gods and goddesses in Sumerian mythology who shaped the world of that ancient civilization. 1. Tiamat (Nammu) Tiamat, also known ...
- Nammu: The Goddess of the Primordial Sea. One of the most highly regarded female deities in early Mesopotamian religion, Nammugave birth to An and Ki — the gods of heaven and earth.
- An: The Sky God. An, the Sumerian deity who ruled heaven, was the most important god, and the most important deity, in the religion overall. Despite his position in the mythological hierarchy of this ancient civilization, there are almost no surviving visual depictions of him, and written ones are vague and inconsistent.
- Ki: The Earth goddess. Named after the Earth itself, Ki was a direct descendant of Nammu. Together with An, she created a portion of the vegetation of the planet and also gave birth to Enlil and the other gods collectively known as the Annunaki.
- Enlil: The Air God. The god of air, rain, storms, and even the Earth, Enlil may have created life by mating with his mother, but he later married the goddess Ninlil, with whom he birthed the gods Ninurta, Nanna, and Utu, among others.
In Sumerian religion, the most powerful and important deities in the pantheon were sometimes called the "seven gods who decree": An, Enlil, Enki, Ninhursag, Nanna, Utu, and Inanna. Many major deities in Sumerian mythology were associated with specific celestial bodies: [45] Inanna was believed to be the planet Venus , [46] [47] Utu was believed to be the Sun, [48] [47] and Nanna was the Moon.
NameImageMajor Cult CentersAn Anu [52]Eanna temple in Uruk [53]Equatorial sky [54] [47]Enlil Nunamnir, Ellil [64] [65]Ekur temple in Nippur [66] [67]Northern sky [54] [47]Enki Nudimmud, Ninshiku, Ea [74]E-Abzu temple in Eridu [74]Southern sky [54] [47]- An: Lord of the heavens. The most important god in the Sumerian pantheon is An, who, as supreme deity, was believed to be a sky god and initially Lord of the Heavens.
- Enlil: God of the atmosphere. Enlil, the god of the wind, air, earth and storms, was a chief deity of the Sumerian pantheon, but was later worshipped by other civilisations such as the Babylonians and Assyrians.
- Enki: Creator of mankind. Enki, the Sumerian god of water, knowledge, crafts, magic and incantations, was credited with the creation of mankind, and was also regarded as its protector.
- Inanna: Queen of heaven. Known as the ‘Queen of Heaven’, Inanna was probably the most popular god of the Sumerian pantheon. The goddess of sexuality, passion, love and war, Inanna was associated with the planet Venus, while her most prominent symbols included the lion and eight-pointed star.
Sep 13, 2023 · Sumerian Pantheon is one of the earliest recorded pantheons, with gods like Anu, Enlil, and Inanna. Image: An ancient impression on a Sumerian cylinder seal depicts Dumuzid’s torment in the Underworld, where he is subjected to suffering by the fierce galla demons. The Sumerian pantheon was rich and complex, with numerous deities serving ...
Apr 27, 2019 · The Sumerian Seven. Apart from An, Enlil, Enki and Inanna, there were three other deities that make up the seven most important gods and goddesses of the Sumerian pantheon. One of them is Utu, a sun god and god of justice. At an early period of Sumerian history, Utu was regarded to be the twin brother of Inanna.
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Sumerian mythology and religious practices were rapidly integrated into Akkadian culture, presumably blending with the original Akkadian belief systems that have been mostly lost to history. Sumerian deities developed Akkadian counterparts. Some remained virtually the same until later Babylonian and Assyrian rule.
