Ereshkigal

English

Etymology

Ultimately from Sumerian 𒀭𒎏𒆠𒃲 (^dereš-ki-gal /⁠Ereškigalak⁠/).

Proper noun

Ereshkigal

1. (Mesopotamian mythology) The goddess of the underworld.
   • 1911, Morris Jastrow, Aspects of Religious Belief and Practice in Babylonia and Assyria, G. P. Putnam's Sons, page 369,

     A myth^‡ describes how Nergal invaded the domain of Ereshkigal, and forced her to yield her dominion to him. The gods are depicted as holding a feast to which all come except Ereshkigal.

   • 1988, Samuel A. Meier, The Messenger in the Ancient Semitic World, Scholars' Press, page 159,

     There still remains the problem of why the messenger from heaven bows while the messenger from below receives homage. In light of the suggestion earlier that Ereshkigal is depicted in a much more favorable light than the heavenly trinity of ruling gods, the issue of bowing messengers reaffirms this impression.

   • 1996, Tanya Wilkinson, Persephone Returns: Victims, Heroes and the Journey from the Underworld, PageMill Press, page 237,

     The dark sister is Ereshkigal, a Goddess with clear qualities and strong emotions. The myth describes in detail how Inanna surrenders to an excruciating, dismembering initiation into the Underworld.

Usage notes

• In Late Antiquity, the Greeks appear to have applied the name Ereshkigal (as Ερεσχιγαλ (Ereskhigal)) to their own goddess Hecate. In the Michigan Magical Papyrus (dated to the late 3rd–early 4th century CE—after the era of cuneiform writing), Hecate is referred to as "Hecate Ereschkigal" and is invoked in spells to alleviate the fear of punishment in the afterlife. Analysis of other Greek texts that mention Ereshkigal reveals that the name was used merely to furnish Hecate with an exotic, foreign name and that the authors and transmitters of the texts had little interest in or knowledge of the associated Mesopotamian traditions. For more details, see Ereshkigal § Ereshkigal's name in Greek magical texts on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Translations

Mesopotamian goddess of the underworld

• Egyptian:
  • Demotic: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (eresgšyngꜥl)
• Marathi: एरेशकिगाल f (ereśkigāl)

Further reading

• Ancient Mesopotamian underworld on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Inanna § Descent into the underworld on Wikipedia.Wikipedia