Ninhursag

Ninhursanga (Lady of the stony desert and Ninhursag, Ninhursaja, Ninmah, Nintu, Mom sometimes Ninlil, Damkina and the Akkadian Aruru ) is a Sumerian mountain - and mother goddess. It is one of the leading female gods and is also named with the epithet " mother of the gods ". In her role as the goddess of women giving birth it is referred to as the " mother of all children."

• 3.1 Enki and Ninhursaja
• 3.2 Enki and Ninmah
• 3.3 Ninurta and Ninlil / Ninhursag

Genealogy

In the Old Babylonian period she is equated with Ninlil the wife of Enlil and is considered the mother of war and fertility god Ninurta and the moon god Nanna. In her role as " Mother of All gods " it is equated with Ki and is the wife of the god An. In the myth Enuma Eliš she is considered the mother of Marduk and thus identified as Damkina and in the myth Enki and Ninhursaja she is the wife of Enki and bears witness with him other gods. In Nippur and Susa, she was the wife of Šulpa'e, the god of wild animals, worshiped and is thus responsible as mistress of the desert for the wild and tamed beasts of the field.

History

Their main shrines were in the cities of Kish, Lagash and Tell Ubaid. Many Mesopotamian rulers as Eannatum, Entemena, Uruinimgina and I Nebuchadnezzar described themselves as lovers or children of Ninhursanga and built in her honor temple.

Function

Their function changed over time. Some of them took over the function of other, less popular or goddesses were equated with these, depending on how the power structures of their main sanctuaries changed.

Myths

Enki and Ninhursaja

Enki definitely want a son, but his wife gives birth Ninhursaja only daughter Ninisiga, the goddess of the new moon. He then impregnates his daughter, the daughter Ninkur gives birth to him, the mistress of the highlands. Since Enki still has no son, he impregnates his granddaughter Ninkur and this gives birth Uttu, the goddess of flax and weaving. Ninhursaja the whole thing is now too much. She advises Uttu how she could resist the advances of Enki. But Enki disguises himself as a handsome gardener and so he is able to copulate Uttu. As Uttu noticed the deception, she begs Ninhursanga for help. This removes the semen of Enki and throws him to the ground. This gives rise to eight plants that Ninhursaja Enki set before eating. Then Enki fell seriously ill. The Anunna see this with concern and Enlil Ninhursaja can persuade to help Enki. Ninhursaja is made out to Enki, takes the seeds into itself and gives birth to it, the gods: Abu, Ninsikila, Ninkatu, Ninkasi, Nanse, Azimua, Ninti and ENSAG.

Enki and Ninmah

Enki and Ninmah have a contest to see who could create the better person. Ninmah then creates different people with disabilities. Enki is, however, a task all in society. Then Enki creates the essence Umuul, with the Ninmah nothing knows what to do, since it is a non-viable miscarriage. You must admit defeat.

Ninurta and Ninlil / Ninhursag

As Ninurta had defeated the demon Asag, he created a huge dam, which prevented the Tigris from east to flow. Then the land was fertile and bursting with fruit and cereal and all the gods praised Ninurta. His mother Ninlil want to personally congratulate him and follows him into the mountains. Impressed by as much motherly love he left her the mountains and the desert, which he had taken away the demon Asag. He named his mother therefore Ninlil, the mistress of the air to Ninhursag, the mistress of the stony desert to.