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| Goddess Ishtar on an Akkadian Empire seal, 2350–2150 BC. She is equipped with weapons on her back, has a horned helmet, and is trampling a lion held on a leash. Source. |
Inanna Steals the Divine Decree
The Goddess Inanna took pride in her conquests, as is wont of a god of war. However, due to her station as a woman, many of the Gods lacked the proper respect she knew she deserved — the god Enki among them. Enki was the God of Creation, and holder of the mes. Inanna snuck into Eridu and stole the mes — fleeing back to her city, Uruk. When Enki awoke, he was infuriated by the mes’ disappearance. He sent his legion after Inanna, but they were too late. She entered the safety of Uruk, claiming the mes as her own.
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Inanna Takes Command of Heaven
The siblings Inanna and Utu discussed the temple Eanna. It being so near to Uruk, Inanna lamented that it was not in her domain. She resolved to claim it and journeyed to the temple. On the way, Inanna landed in a marsh. She became lost and unable to find her way. A passing fisherman saw her and guided her through. Upon exiting, she walked through the desert and came upon the temple’s steps. At the top stood her father, An. An was angry at her arrogance, but understood that she had overcome hardships. He gave her ownership of Eanna.
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Inanna and Shukaletuda
Inanna rested underneath a poplar tree. The tree belonged to Shukaletuda who discovered the sleeping goddess. Unable to contain his lust, he took her as she slept. The Goddess awoke in a rage and vowed to destroy he who had violated her. She stormed through the earth in search of her prey, unleashing plagues and turning water into blood. In fear, Shukaletuda hid in Uruk. Losing her target, Inanna asks Enki for help. He sends her across the sky as a rainbow to Shukaletuda. Shukaletuda makes excuses for his crime, but Inanna is unrelenting, and she cuts off his head.
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Author's Note: I read about Inanna a few weeks ago, and thought she was the coolest goddess I had never heard of. I wanted to try out microfictions, and it was really hard! I like detail, so I had trouble trying to include enough, but not too much. I think it worked out OK, but I would have loved to include more!
Bibliography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inanna
Hi Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how hard it is to write microfictions. I haven't attempted it yet because I know how much I can talk and I imagine that I also write too many details as well, so it would be extremely difficult. Inanna is a super cool goddess, what a feminist queen! I love how the microfictions read like tiny chapters of a book. Great job!
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteInanna seems like a really cool goddess. Is she related to Ishtar? I am unfamiliar with Mesopotamian deities, so I am not sure why you have a picture of Ishtar. I have noticed many pantheons have a war goddess in them. For example, Athena and my lady Freyja are both war deities among many other things. What else is in Inanna’s domain?
Microfictions can be hard because of the balance, but I think you did a great job. The three stories that you depict here show a lot about her as a god. We learn about her ambitions and dedication as well as her fury and strength. Not just any god can take control of the heavens after all. Good work!
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