Namtar

Namtaru ( Sum. dnam.tar, dna -am- tar, akkad. Namtaru, DNAM -ta- ru, NAM.TAR, Lil- lá -da -ra ) is a Sumerian and Akkadian god of the underworld. The Sumerian name means "fate". In the older literature it is sometimes regarded as the god of plague ..

Function

Is Namtaru, together with Nergal, Gilgamesh, Nin [ ... ], Dumuzi, Ningišzida and his wife Ḫušbiša one of the seven underworld gods ( lugal Kurra ) each of which lives from the Ur - Nammu text, in a separate palace. Namtaru is the vizier of the Underworld ( sukallu irsiti ), sometimes he is also regarded as the vizier of Ereškigal ( myth of Nergal and Ereškigal ), Nergal, or a Pestgott ( Atrahasis myth ). He is nicknamed "He who decides all destinies " ( lú nam - tar ta - ra), " great demon of the grave " and " runners of the Gods" ( LASIM ILI ). He reigns in the land of no return. His mouth is filled with poison. He brings diseases, heart pain and headaches.

The myth of Inanna's passage into the underworld describes the underworld, the place where Namtar lives: There is food, but it is not edible, there is water, but it is not safe to drink, arts and crafts are unknown, lips are covered in blood.

In the myth of Nergal and Ereškigal Namtar is the messenger of Ereškigal. As Nergal insulted him by not standing up in front of him, he has to justify himself to the goddess of the underworld.

In exorcism texts Namtaru considered as a daemon. In this aspect, it often occurs together with Asag.

Family

Namtaru is the son of Mardu'alanki and the husband of Ḫušbiša. Your daughter is Ḫedimmeku, this is however out as daughter of Enki (An - Anum myth ). Chance applies Namtaru also the son of Enki and Ereškigal ( Udug - HUL ). A later text called [ Na] mtartu as his wife. Sometimes Enki is invoked as Namtar or large Namtar.

History

Namtaru is attested in writings since the 3rd millennium BC. John Barclay Burns wants in the " firstborn of death" of the Book of Job (Job 18, 13 ), which consumes the ungodly, see the Namtaru. However, it was also considered an identification with Resef or Mot. When Namtar plant ( NAM.TAR. (IRA ) ) it might is the Mandragora. Here, however, it is unclear whether the name refers to the abstract on God or fate.

Adaptation

Namtar is mentioned in Thomas Mann's novel Joseph and his brothers, along with other demons like Labartu.