Sumerian Deities

Note: The names in bold are the major gods. The names in italics are other names that certain gods were known by. Abu-A god created by Ninhursag to elevate a curse on Enki. He is a god of plants. Alla-An aspect of Dumuzi. He was an underworld god and either a river god or a god of fishermen. Allagula-A possible aspect of Dumuzi. Amashilamma-A cow goddess, the sister of Ningishzida. Ama-ushumgal-anna-A manifestation of Dumuzi as a god of dates and date palms. He had the sacred marriage rite but not the dying god aspect as dates survive year round. An-The heaven god. The father of the gods. Originally he was the supreme deity, but over time (c.3000-2500 BC) he lost that position to his son Enlil. His main temple was in Uruk, as he was co-tutelary deity of that city with his daughter Inanna. He mated with the goddesses Ki and Nammu to give birth to the gods. Ansud-A grain goddess and the tutelary deity of Shuruppak. A possible aspect of Ninlil. See also: Sud. Ansuddudu-Possibly a grain goddess. A friend of Geshtinannas. Asarluhe-A god of rain and a possible aspect of Dumuzi. His city was Kuar near Eridu. Ashgirbabber-Another name for Nanna. Ashnan-A grain goddess. Atu-A goddess. Azimua-Another name for Ninazimua. Baba-The wife of Ningirsu. Belili-A goddess of the Dumuzi myths. Damu-A manifestation of Dumuzi as the god of sap. He had the dying god aspect, but no marriage rite. He was the tutelary deity of Girsu-on-the-Euphrates (not the larger Girsu from the Lagash area). Dazimua-A goddess created by Ninhursag to elevate a curse on Enki. Dazimua may be another name for Ninazimua because she married Ningishzida. Dududuh-A birth goddess, she was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Dumuzi-The shepherd god, he had one of the oldest and largest followings. He was the dying god and god of fertility and vegetation/seasonal abundance. He died each fall to symbolize the changing of the seasons. After spending six months in the underworld, he returned to life in the spring, symbolizing the renewal of vegetation after winter. He was usually the lover/husband of Inanna and their sacred marriage rite (performed by the king and his queen or high priestess) insured fertility and prosperity. He had numerous local aspects and variants, with Dumuzi being his national name. His main area of worship was in the south. He had a temple in the Arali desert and was the tutelary deity of

Badtibira. See also: Alla, Allagula, Ama-ushumgal-anna, Damu, Lugalirra, Lugalshudi, Lusiranna, Malaka and Niminur. Enbilulu-God of the rivers, especially the Euphrates and the Tigris. Enki-The god of water. Also the god of wisdom, incantations and fertility (god of semen and amniotic fluid). He challenged Enlil for the position of supreme deity, but ultimately failed. This may be why his name is Enki (lord of the earth) even though he is not the god of the earth. His priests may have given him this name to help elevate him. He organized the universe after creation, assigning each god to his tasks. He also controlled the mes (the principles of civilization) until Inanna tricked him out of them. He helped in the creation of man and saved Ziusudra from the Great Deluge. He married the goddess Ningikuga and was the tutelary deity of Eridu, the oldest city according to Sumerian tradition. His symbol was a goat-fish. See also: Nudimmud. Enkimdu-A farmer god. Enkum-Probably a servant of Enkis. Enlil-The air/sky god. The son of An and Ki. He usurped the position of supreme deity sometime before c.2500 BC. He was the creator of agricultural tools and caused the Great Deluge because man was becoming too noisy. He was the tutelary deity of Nippur, the religious capital of Sumer. He was also a god of fertility/vegetation. He married the goddess Ninlil after raping her and is the father of Nanna and Ninurta. See also: Kurgal and Nunamnir. Enshagag-A god created by Ninhursag to elevate a curse on Enki. The god of Dilmun. Enten-A farmer god. Ereshguna-An aspect of Inanna, she was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Ereshkigal-Goddess and ruler of the underworld, first alone and then later with her husband Nergal. Her first husband may have been Gugalanna, the Bull of Heaven. Gatumdug-A birth goddess and the goddess of Lagash, although not the tutelary deity. Geshtinanna-The goddess of the grapevine/wine and the sister of Dumuzi. While he spent six months in the underworld, she spent the other six so that he could return to the surface and the crops could grow. See also: Gunura Gibil-God of fire. Gula-The goddess of medicine and physicians. She may have originally been a goddess of death as her animal, the dog, suggests. Gunura-Geshtinanna, Dumuzis sister in the Damu myths. Haya-God of stores (saving). Hendursaga-A god appointed by Nanshe to dispense justice in Nina. Hubishag-An underworld deity. Imma-en-A birth goddess and a goddess of the female genitalia. She was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Imma-shar-A birth goddess and a goddess of the female genitalia. She was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man.

Inanna-The goddess of love/sex/procreation, as well as war. She was called the Queen of Heaven and Earth and the Morning and Evening Star. She was the daughter of Nanna and shared tutelary deity status of Uruk with An. She was the lover/wife of Dumuzi. Her temples may have had prostitutes/priests of both sexes. See also: Ereshguna, Ninbara, Ninegalla, Ninshara and Ninsianna. Ishtaran-A warrior god and a god of justice. A possible aspect of Ninurta. He was the tutelary deity of Der but he may have originally been a god of the Turan hills and in this capacity was an aspect of Dumuzi. Ishkur-A god of the winds. Isimud-Enkis herald. He is depicted as having two faces. Kabata-God of mud bricks. Ki-Mother goddess. She was the wife of An and the mother of Enlil. She was removed as goddess of the earth by Enlil and became Ninhursag, the mother goddess. Kurgal-The Great Mountain, a title for Enlil. Lahar-A cattle god. Lugalirra-A shepherd god and an aspect of Dumuzi. He was the tutelary deity of Shunagia, a village near Ur. Lugalmarada-The tutelary god of Marad and another possible aspect of Ninurta. Lugalshudi-An aspect of Dumuzi. Lulil-A dying god and the son of Ninhursag. An aspect of Dumuzi? Lusiranna-An aspect of Dumuzi as a god of spring rains. Malaka-The King of warriors and an aspect of Dumuzi. He was the tutelary deity of Kushab. Meslamtaea-A son of Enlil. An underworld god? Mushdamma-The great builder of Enlil. Nab-A goddess from Nippur. Nammu-Goddess of the watery abyss and the mother of Enki. Namtar-An underworld deity. Nanna-The moon god. He was the son of Enlil and the father of Utu and Inanna. His wife was Ningal. He was the tutelary deity of Ur and later also of Haran in Assyria. His symbol was the crescent. See also: Ashgirbabber. Nanshe-Goddess of fish and birds. Also the goddess of boundaries and boundary markers and a grain goddess. She was the tutelary deity of Nina, a town in the Lagash region. Nazi-A god created by Ninhursag to elevate a curse on Enki. Married the goddess Nindar. Nergal-A plague god and the ruler of the underworld along with his wife Ereshkigal. Cutha was the city dedicated to him. Neti-Gatekeeper of the underworld. Nidaba-Another name for Nisaba. Niminur-The human spouse of the goddess Nanshe and a possible aspect of Dumuzi because of the marriage rite (Niminur-Nanshe). Ninazimua-A tree goddess and the wife of Ningishzida. See also: Azimua.

Ninazu-A son of Enlil and an underworld deity. Also an aspect of Dumuzi as the god of spring rains. He married Ninsutu and was the tutelary deity of Enegir. Ninbara-An aspect of Inanna (a version of the Akkadian goddess Telitu), she was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Nindar-A goddess. Married the god Nazi. Ninegalla-The Queen of the palace, the name often used for Inanna in the sacred marriage rite. Ningal-The wife of Nanna. Ningikuga-The Lady of pure reeds, she was the wife of Enki. Ningirsu-He was a war god and the tutelary deity of the Lagashite city of Girsu. He was probably another aspect of Ninurta. Baba was his wife. Ningishzida-The god of the dawn and an underworld god. He may have originally been an aspect of Dumuzi as the god of roots and serpents. He married the goddess Ninazimua and was the tutelary deity of Gishbanda. Ningublaga-A god appointed by Nanshe to dispense justice in Nina and a son of Nanna. Ninguenna-A goddess from Nippur. Ninhursag-Probably originally Ki, she became the mother goddess. The wife of An. See also: Ki and Ninmah. Ninibru-A goddess from Nippur. Ninima-A birth goddess and a goddess of the female genitalia. She was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Ninininsina-A goddess of Isin. Ninisinna-A hierodule of An, she was the tutelary deity of Isin. Ninkasi-A goddess created by Ninhursag to elevate a curse on Enki. The goddess who sates the heart. Ninkum-Probably a servant of Enkis. Ninkur-Daughter of Enki and Ninsar. Ninlil-The wife of Enlil and the goddess of Nippur. Ninmada-A snake charmer in Enlils household, she was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Ninmah-Another name for Ninhursag, the mother goddess. Ninmug-A goddess of female genitalia, she was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Ninnigingarkuga-A goddess of Isin. Ninsar-The daughter of Enki and Ninhursag. Ninshara-An aspect of Inanna as the spouse of An, she was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Ninshubur-Inannas herald. Ninsianna-Heavens Radiant Queen, a title of Inannas. Ninsuna-Goddess of cows and the mother of Gilgamesh. Ninsutu-A goddess created by Ninhursag to elevate a curse on Enki. Married the god Ninazu.

Nintinugga-A goddess of Isin. Ninti-A goddess created by Ninhursag to elevate a curse on Enki. The goddess of the month. Nintu Nintul-A god created by Ninhursag to elevate a curse on Enki. The god of Magan (a foreign land). Ninurta-The god of war, but also of vegetation. He was the son of Enlil and was the hero of numerous epics. He did not have a city dedicated to him, although see: Ishtaran, Lugalmarada, Ningirsu, Pabilsag and Zababa. Ninurusaga-A goddess of Isin. Nisaba-Goddess of scribes and also a grain goddess. See also: Nidaba. Nudimmud-Another name for Enki. Nunamnir-Another name for Enlil. Nunbarshegunu-The mother of Ninlil. Pabilsag-God of trees and the tutelary deity of Larak. Possibly another aspect of Ninurta, in his vegetation god duties. Shakan-God of goats, gazelles and wild asses. Sirara-Goddess of the Persian Gulf. Sud-Another name for Ansud. Sumugan-A god of wild animals and cattle. Shuzidanna-Enlils concubine, she was one of the goddesses who aided in the creation of man. Turtur-Goddess of ewes and the mother of Dumuzi. Usragimina Utu-The sun god. He was also the god of justice and oracles. The son of Nanna. He spent the nights in the underworld judging the dead. He was the tutelary deity of two cities, Sippar and Lagash. His symbol was the solar disk. Uttu-Goddess of clothing. The daughter of Enki and Ninkur. Zababa-The warrior god of Kish and a possible aspect of Ninurta. Zarima-A cloud goddess and the twin of Zurma. She was the daughter of Ningirsu and Baba. Zurma-A cloud goddess and the twin of Zarima. She was the daughter of Ningirsu and Baba. Demi-gods, monsters, etc. Akshak-A demon. Anzu-A lion-headed bird. Enkidu-The wild-man companion of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh-The greatest hero of antiquity and an early king of Uruk. He was deified and became an underworld god. Gugalana-The bull of heaven. The original husband of Ereshkigal. He was sent by An to kill Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and was in turn killed by them. Humbaba (S)-The protective demon of the Cedar Forest. He was killed by Gilgamesh and

Enkidu. Lilith-A demoness. Lugalbanda-An early king of Uruk that was deified. Namtar-A demon.