#Sumerian polytheism

[florian-luster]

I’d like to present to you all, my beloved Gilagmeš shrine!

———

Yes, I am fully aware Fate Gilgamesh is not the intended idol for Sumerian hero worship but separate to that devotion I also love Fate Gilgamesh so for the aid of my altar I have conflated the two 😌

[thescarlettbitch]

Y'all I'm about to start crying (positively) there is a man who has tried to recreate recipes from Mesopotamia and is sharing stories and he wrote a whole cookbook and he is talking about the gods!! He's talking about Inanna! Here is his website it's called Table Of The Gods! The cookbook isn't out yet but I've got the recipe for cookies and I can't wait to make them because they! May have been made her honor!!

[sag-dab-sar]

🎊🌎 Earth Day 2025 🌍🎊

April 22, 2025

Happy Earth Day!

Gods on Altar: Sunerian Uraš, represented by her cuneiform 𒀭𒅁 and the left candle; Hellenic Gaia, represented by her name in Greek Γαῖα and the right candle. A globe sits between them representing the physical Earth.

Individual libations of water given to each and a joint offering of strawberries and blue berries.

The "entertainment" for this ritual was reading various bits of the Smithsonian Earth book to appreciate its history and composition.

•Literature used

The Homeric Hymn 33 to Gaia — Link

•Original Writing

A Hymn to Uraš — Link

[temple-of-inanna]

Goddess Ishtar on an Akkadian Empire seal, 2350–2150 BCE. She is equipped with weapons on her back, has a horned helmet, places her foot in a dominant posture upon a lion secured by a leash and is accompanied by the star of Shamash. 𒌋𒁯👸🏻⚔️❤️🌿⋆⁺‧₊₊‧⁺⋆𒌋𒁯👸🏻⚔️❤️🌿⋆⁺‧₊₊‧⁺⋆𒌋𒁯👸🏻⚔️❤️🌿⋆⁺‧₊₊‧⁺⋆

source: wikipedia

[lady-of-heaven]

In light of unfolding international events, I would like to weigh in on the situation and hopefully cut through the chaotic flurry of breaking news stories meant to keep everyone too overwhelmed to respond.

Firstly, I'd like to state the obvious misdirection from the United States President in order to take control of the narrative. These tactics, including declaring the protests in L.A. an insurrection, deploying American military personnel to American cities to fight American citizens, and now waging an unprompted war with Iran over fictional nuclear weapons, are all to distract you from the Big Beautiful Bill on its way to the U.S. Senate, which would establish a dictatorship and abolish their beloved democracy. It also serves to drown out the nationwide protests, plummeting approval rating, embarrassing 'military parade,' and the fact that he was involved with Jeffrey Epstein.

On an international scale, there is an active genocide in progress in Gaza and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as in-progress genocides planned for Armenia, India, and Lebanon.

My thoughts have continuously been with the people of Gaza, who have faced generations of cruel erasure at the hands of European settlers and suffered the consequences of colonial power in the region for decades. What I see happening in Palestine now, as it has been since the 1940s, is what happens when the rest of the world is complicit in the sadistic, hostile takeover of land from its native inhabitants for the sake of nationalist and imperialist agendas. The modern Israeli state is built on the ruins of Palestinian villages and the mass graves of the Palestinian people.

Many of you have probably been watching this evil unfold before your own eyes through social media, and feel unsure of how you can help the situation. Unfortunately, there is no easy or safe way to support Palestine. It is, by nature, a discouraged path to tread. You will be called anti-semitic and violent for protesting or speaking out. You will have to do the research and take the risk if you want to try and donate to Palestinians. And if you try to go there yourself to help, you will be detained, bombed, shot, or deported by the illegal Israeli occupation forces.

While I encourage as many people to do as much as possible, I know that not everyone has the privilege to be able to drop everything and campaign 24/7 or hop on the next flight to Israel. Many of you are just trying to survive, day by day, across the world. If nothing else, live, and make sure that everyone knows that the atrocities committed in Gaza will not be swept under the rug anymore.

✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎ ✴︎

I would now like to address the Mesopotamian polytheist community specifically. I would like to share with you a prayer that I have written that addresses the injustices of any state or entity and asserts the belief that injustice is an abomination to the Children of An. I will provide the Sumerian version with a Latinised transliteration, as well as an English translation below:

𒆠 𒀭 𒅗 𒋗 𒉡𒌦𒉈𒅁          𒈠𒀠𒇷𒀀 𒀾 𒌈𒁄                               𒆠 𒂟 𒃻 𒉡𒌒𒁀𒂊𒉈𒀀 𒉌𒋻𒊑                    𒆠 𒆬𒄀 𒆬𒌓𒌓 𒅇 𒀭𒈾                          𒂵𒆜 𒉡𒌒𒉘𒉈 𒆠𒇭𒀀                               𒆠 𒇽𒃻𒉡𒌇𒁉 𒀉 𒉡𒌦𒈾𒉌𒌈𒌓𒁺𒂊𒉈𒀀 𒉌𒄤𒂊     𒆠 𒈗 𒅆𒌨 𒀉 𒉣 𒌈𒋫𒀊𒈠𒀠 𒇷𒀀 𒉌𒊒𒁍                                        𒀭𒂗𒆤 𒅎𒈠𒉌 𒉡𒌦𒉈𒅆𒄄𒄄 𒀭𒌓 𒄑𒉢 𒌓𒉈 𒉡𒌓𒄀                              𒀭 𒈪𒈨 𒉡𒌓𒁺𒉈                                 𒀭𒂗𒆠 𒀀𒁉 𒉡𒌦𒉈𒇻                      𒀭𒈹 𒍠𒁉 𒉡𒌦𒉈𒅆𒈠𒀠𒇷 𒀭𒎏𒅁 𒄒𒁉 𒉡𒀳                                      𒋗 𒉽 𒋗𒉈𒉈 𒉌𒉌𒌈𒆪𒁉𒉈 𒂍𒃲𒂊𒉈 𒅆𒆸 𒌨𒅂 𒃻���𒈠𒉈𒊏 𒉌𒅔𒅊𒁕𒀀𒀀𒀭

Ki diŋir giri šu nunebmaleya aš ibala,

Ki erin ninda nuba’eneya itare,

Ki kusig, kubabbar, še, u anna ga’eš nubaŋne kisuwa,

Ki luniŋnutukubi a nunanibedeneya igaze,

Ki lugal ḫul a nun ibtabmaleya išubu.

Enlil imani nunešigigi,

Utu ŋešnu ude nuzalage,

An mime nuwede,

Enki abi nunelu,

Inana zagbi nunešimale,

Ninurta alalbi nuru,

Šu kur šunene inibdabene,

Egalene iginiŋin uridim niŋkimanera insedayam.

"The land that does not honour the gods shall be cursed, the land that does not feed its people shall be torn apart, the land that does not trade its gold, silver, barley, or tin shall become barren, the land that does not care for its poor shall crumble, the land that is ruled by a wicked king shall fall. Enlil shall not send his rain upon it, Utu shall not shine his light upon it during the day, An shall not watch over it at night, Enki shall not make its waters abundant, Inana shall not defend its borders, Ninurta shall not tend its fields, a foreign hand shall be upon it, and its palaces shall become ruins for wild dogs and vermin to dwell in."

For anyone concerned about the possible repercussions of anything that could be construed as a curse, I will leave the following proverb for consideration:

"To a curse that is uttered, a curse is not reciprocated. A curse which is reciprocated will be retaliated against with yet another curse."

𒁲 • SILIM • salīmu • Peace

𒀭𒈹

[diana-thyme]

I’ve started working on my Greek Gods 101 project again. I am a little over halfway done, with only 120 posts left to make. So, when I am done, which pantheon would you like to see next?

For context, I would complete 101 projects on these pantheons the same way I have done with my Greek Gods 101 series. Name, domain, offerings, devotional acts, and holidays.

There are a few I will not be doing. This includes any closed religions and any non-pagan religions (like Hinduism or Shintoism). Most of these religions are closed to me and/or I do not experience the culture surrounding them (as in Shintoism, since it’s so connected to the typical culture).

[religious-access]

welcome to religious-access! this is an account to provide accessbility to people for religion.

tags on this post will be the commonly used tags for this account!

if you see a tumblr post you'd like to be made accessible, please tag us!

note, we are a system and do not have a dni. we refuse to have one as accessibility is for everyone

this account is run by @borderschizo

[alephskoteinos]

Hmm, Nimrod ("rebel") as the demonisation of the Mesopotamian god Ninurta is an interesting theory. It would comport with the demonology of the Old Testament and later Christianity, though I think I would need to examine it more. Still, the signifance of Ninurta himself would expand tremendously.

[tron-a-thon]

Today I'm hosting the return of one of the weirdest, drunkest, most entertaining events I get to be a part of: BEER LARP. Breweries compete for the fabled Chalice of Ninkasi by bribing arcade regulars with beer and swag to play in their names. There are no losers

[thescarlettbitch]

Grabbed a pomegranate for Lady Ereshkigal today at the store and when I turned onto the highway I realized I didn't yet have a specific offering dish for her, and started worrying about how I was going to give it to her properly.

Only to be interrupted mid panic with an image flashing in my mind of a brand new still in the plastic glass candle holder I bought literally years ago and never used, and the exact place that it was in my room. Again, hadn't seen the thing in years.

Lady Ereshkigal now has an offering dish.

[only-fragments]

#2726

I can’t believe I forgot to post this! I drew this shrine to the goddess Inanna and based the statue on a (much smaller) alabaster statue of Ishtar in the Louvre. 🕯️ Hail Inanna, Queen of Heaven! 🕯️

[sag-dab-sar]

☀️🌷 Emesh 2025 ☀️🌷

Celebrated March 28, 2025

Happy Spring Equinox!

Gods on Altar: Inana, Dumuzid (black beads), Ĝeštinana (white beads)

Here is the full altar set up pre-ritual on the actual Spring Equinox — Link

I gave praise prayer to Inana, a prayer of joy for Dumuzid, and a lament for Ĝeštinana. I supplicated for global food security. Did readings for foundation of Emesh, one for Inana & Dumuzid's initial marriage, and one for their reunion. I played a recording of historical-informed Spring & Summer by Vivaldi. A libation was poured out for Dumuzid & Ĝeštinana separately as one is ascending and one is descending. The food offering was cut peaches. Dumuzid's black beads were placed on Inana his wife and will stay for the duration of Spring/Summer. Ĝeštinana's white beads are on Gugal-ana, My Queen Ereškigal's husband for now. It seemed the most appropriate place. The beads will switch at the Fall Equinox— Enten (Winter).

This is a modern ritual celebrating the arrival of Emesh (Sumerian Summer). There were historical festivals of Dumuzid's dying cult but I have found nothing I could use as a basis. [Edit: within Mesopotamian proper there seems to be no evidence of any "rising" cult based on Ayali-Darshan Noga, so this is fully based on Inana's descent]

•Literature used

All literature is altered to remove missing pieces or to fill them in with logical conclusions

Inana’s Descent ETCSL 1.4.1 Line 403-410

Disputation between Summer and Winter, with the seasons swapped ETCSL 5.3.3

A Babble to Inana ETCSL 4.07.1

Dumuzid’s Wedding as found in The Harps That Once by Thorkild

Hymn to Inanna as Warrior, Star, and Bride, found in The Harps That Once by Thorkild

•Original Writing

Praise for the Return of Dumuzid — Link

Lamentation for Ĝeštinana — Link

Emesh Prayer for Global Food Security — Link

•Music

The Spring & Summer historical informed performance of Vivaldi that I used — Link

•Information

I localized this practice to celebrate my Spring/Summer and the arrival of Dumuzid because Spring/Summer is the planting and growing season in my region. Unlike Sumer which was the exact opposite; Dumuzid would die at this time in their climate and agriculture cycle. I did ask the Diĝirene in ritual to allow me to swap them.

Localizing Practice — Link.

[florian-luster]

it rained today and i didn’t have to dig in the heat, o gilgameš sweet is your praise

｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡

[temple-of-inanna]

Mušḫuššu dragon from the Isthar Gate 𒈲𒍽

[i-am-theseeker]

Sumerian Gods: February/March

Since the Sumerian year starts at the Spring Equinox, the period starting from the Winter Solstice could contain from three to four months. The lunar months of the calendars of the cities have to fit within the solar year of equinoxes. The fourth month (intercalary) was usually inserted by a decree from the King. In […]Sumerian Gods: February/March

[sag-dab-sar]

Sumerian names are almost entirely theophoric/religious:

and could be straight up sentences and phrases that had to be abbreviated:

So you end up getting a list like this:

Note: The name list contains both Akkadian and Sumerian there is like 2 or 3 pages worth of context about that in the section.

Meaning if you want to create a Sumerian name that includes colorful or joyous. You would have a name that means "[Deity title/name] is joyful" or "[Deity title/name] makes joyous" or "[Deity title/name] is colorful" something along those lines.

Looking at the examples I can't figure out how the grammar would work but "lugal" and "gunu" would probably both show up in a Sumerian name meaning "The King is colorful"

Words that fall under the deity/name title I have seen throughout various name lists include: King, Lady, sister, mother, 'the man', 'my god', 'the protective deity' or just the actual particular god's name. "King" could mean your personal god or the chief god of the city— such as Nanna if you were born in Ur. A specific name, like An or Enlil, could mean your personal god if they are identifiable or a god your parents ask to watch over you, and so forth.

I haven't noticed any gender differences. I would assume Ur-Nammu, Servant of Nammu, could be either a woman or a man if you didn't already know that its the name of a king. It could have easily been the name of his queen.

Source: You have to scroll to page 191 (as shown on the top corner of the scanned page not the google page) after clicking "read free of charge." The Sumerian Names are in the "third volume". https://href.li/?https://www.google.com/books/edition/Lists_of_Personal_Names_from_the_Temple/SA8TAAAAYAAJ?hl=en

I link other sources of Mesopotamian (not just Sumerian) name lists in this post about how I chose my own one.

*The alt text for the photos is iPhone generated since I don't have the energy to transcribe.

Hello!

What is a female mesopotamian name or title that means colorful and joyous?

Hello! I'm not sure of a name specifically, as there aren't comprehensive sources on Sumerian names (see my Sumerian onomastics tag for more) - and Sumerian words often weren't gendered the way vocabulary in many European languages is. But I can translate these words for you!

"Colorful" in Sumerian is gunu 𒁯, also meaning "speckled, spotted, multicolored, variegated, decorated," etc.

Hul 𒄾 means "joy, joyful, joyous, joyously, to be joyful" - basically "joy" as any part of speech. It's not to be confused with its homophone, hul 𒅆, which means "evil, hostile, malicious, violently, to destroy".