5.1 Sumerian Pantheon and Cosmology

The Sumerian pantheon was a complex system of gods and goddesses, each with unique roles and powers. Key deities like An, Enlil, and Enki ruled over sky, air, and water, while others like Inanna and Utu governed love, war, and celestial bodies.

Sumerian cosmology centered on creation myths involving primordial seas and divine beings. The concept of me, divine decrees governing civilization, was crucial. The afterlife was seen as a gloomy underworld ruled by Ereshkigal, where all souls resided regardless of their earthly deeds.

Major Deities

Sky, Air, and Water Gods

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• An, the supreme sky god and ruler of the Sumerian pantheon
• Enlil, the god of air, wind, and storms, considered the chief god of the Sumerian pantheon
• Enki, the god of water, wisdom, and creation, associated with fertility and the creation of humans
• These three gods formed the triad of major male deities in the Sumerian pantheon, each representing a key element of the natural world (sky, air, and water)

Love, War, Sun, and Moon Deities

• Inanna, the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and war, one of the most prominent and complex deities in the Sumerian pantheon
• Utu, the sun god, associated with justice, truth, and the regulation of time and seasons
• Nanna, the moon god, often depicted as the father of Utu and the god of wisdom and knowledge
• These deities represented important aspects of human life and the natural world, with Inanna embodying both love and war, while Utu and Nanna were linked to the sun and moon, respectively

Divine Beings and Decrees

Anunnaki and the Divine Assembly

• Anunnaki, a group of powerful deities who formed the divine assembly and were responsible for making important decisions affecting the world and humans
• The Anunnaki were believed to reside in the heavens and the underworld, and their decisions were considered binding and irreversible
• The divine assembly, headed by An and Enlil, would gather to discuss and decide on matters such as the creation of humans, the allocation of roles and responsibilities among the gods, and the determination of fates

Me and the Divine Order

• Me, divine decrees or ordinances that governed the fundamental aspects of civilization, such as kingship, priesthood, warfare, justice, and craftsmanship
• The me were believed to be held by the gods, particularly Enki, who was responsible for distributing them among the other deities
• The possession and control of the me were seen as essential for maintaining the divine order and the proper functioning of the world, with cities and temples often associated with specific me (Uruk with the me of kingship)

Cosmology

Creation Myth and the Primordial Sea

• The Sumerian creation myth involves the primordial sea, personified as the goddess Nammu, giving birth to the sky (An) and the earth (Ki)
• An and Ki were originally joined together, but were separated by their son Enlil, the god of air, who then created the world as we know it
• The creation of humans is attributed to the combined efforts of Enki, who fashioned them from clay, and the mother goddess Ninmah, who gave them life, with the purpose of humans being to serve the gods

Underworld and the Afterlife

• The Sumerian underworld, known as Kur, was believed to be a dark, dreary place located beneath the earth, where the souls of the deceased would reside for eternity
• The underworld was ruled by the goddess Ereshkigal and her consort Nergal, and was guarded by demons and gateways that the deceased had to pass through
• The Sumerians believed that all souls, regardless of their actions in life, would end up in the underworld, where they would lead a shadowy existence, dependent on offerings and libations from their living relatives (kispu ritual)