The World of the Sumerian Mother Goddess

356 Pages·2014·18.2 MB·English

by  Therese Rodin

ACTA UNIVERSITATIS UPSALIENSIS
Historia Religionum

35

The World of the
Sumerian Mother Goddess
An Interpretation of Her Myths

Therese Rodin
Dissertation presented at Uppsala University to be publicly examined in Ihresalen, Tun-
bergsvägen 3L, Uppsala, Saturday, 6 September 2014 at 10:00 for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. The examination will be conducted in English. Faculty examiner: Professor Britt-
Mari Näsström (Gothenburg University, Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and
Religion, History of Religions).

Abstract
Rodin, T. 2014. The World of the Sumerian Mother Goddess. An Interpretation of Her Myths.
Historia religionum 35. 350 pp. Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. ISBN 978-91-554-
8979-3.

The present study is an interpretation of the two myths copied in the Old Babylonian period in
which the Sumerian mother goddess is one of the main actors. The first myth is commonly
called “Enki and Nin(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)a”, and the second “Enki and Ninma(cid:2474)”. The theoretical point of
departure is that myths have society as their referents, i.e. they are “talking about” society,
and that this is done in an ideological way. This study aims at investigating on the one hand
which contexts in the Mesopotamian society each section of the myths refers to, and on the
other hand which ideological aspects that the myths express in terms of power relations.
The myths are contextualized in relation to their historical and social setting. If the myth for
example deals with working men, male work in the area during the relevant period is dis-
cussed. The same method of contextualization is used regarding marriage, geographical points
of reference and so on. Also constellations of mythical ideas are contextualized, through
comparison with similar constellations in other Mesopotamian myths. Besides the method of
contextualization, the power relations in the myths are investigated. According to this latter
method, the categories at issue, their ranking, as well as their changed ranking, are noted.
The topics of the myths is issues important for the kingship and the country, such as irriga-
tion, trade, health and healing, birth, collective work, artisanry and rivalry. All these aspects
are used in order to express what the power relations between the goddess
Nin(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:18)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:68)(cid:2474) and the god Enki look like. The relations are negotiated and recalibrated,
which leads to the goddess getting a lowered status. Part of the negotiations and recalibrations
is gender behavior, which is related to historical developments in society. The present work
points to the function of these myths as tools of recalibrating not only deities, but also men
and women in society.

Keywords: Sumerian mother goddess, Mesopotamia, myth, Nin(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:15)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:68)(cid:2474), Enki, king-
ship, midwifery, birth-giving, creation, death, sexual intercourse, gender, ideology, contextu-
alization

Therese Rodin, Department of Theology, History of Religions, Box 511, Uppsala University,
SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden.

© Therese Rodin 2014

ISSN 0439-2132
ISBN 978-91-554-8979-3
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-(cid:21)(cid:21)(cid:27)(cid:28)(cid:22)(cid:21)(cid:3)(cid:11)(cid:75)(cid:87)(cid:87)(cid:83)(cid:29)(cid:18)(cid:18)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:81)(cid:17)(cid:78)(cid:69)(cid:17)(cid:86)(cid:72)(cid:18)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:82)(cid:79)(cid:89)(cid:72)(cid:34)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:81)(cid:32)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:81)(cid:29)(cid:81)(cid:69)(cid:81)(cid:29)(cid:86)(cid:72)(cid:29)(cid:88)(cid:88)(cid:29)(cid:71)(cid:76)(cid:89)(cid:68)-228932)
For my mother
Inger Emma Eufrosyne Rodin

Contents
Preface .......................................................................................................... 13
Abbreviations ................................................................................................ 15
List of figures ................................................................................................ 18
List of tables .................................................................................................. 19
1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 23
1.1. Aim and questions ............................................................................. 25
1.2. Theoretical framework ...................................................................... 26
1.2.1. Myth as ideology ....................................................................... 26
1.2.2. Summary of the theoretical framework ..................................... 30
1.3. Method .............................................................................................. 31
1.4. Central concepts ................................................................................ 34
1.4.1. Mother goddess .......................................................................... 34
1.4.2. Pantheon .................................................................................... 38
1.4.3. Patriarchy/patriarchal society .................................................... 40
1.4.4. Gender ....................................................................................... 43
1.4.5. Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian and
Mesopotamian ..................................................................................... 43
1.5. Sources .............................................................................................. 44
1.6. Previous Research ............................................................................. 46
(cid:20)(cid:17)(cid:25)(cid:17)(cid:20)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:179)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:180) .............................................................. 46
(cid:20)(cid:17)(cid:25)(cid:17)(cid:21)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:179)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:68)(cid:2474)(cid:180) .................................................................... 48
1.6.3. Patriarchy and gender scholarship ............................................. 50
1.6.4. My contribution ......................................................................... 52
2. Historical setting and context of the myths ............................................... 54
2.1. History of early Mesopotamia ........................................................... 54
2.1.1. Development of states and script ............................................... 54
2.1.2. The historical change of the status of goddesses and women .... 58
2.1.2.1. The successive subordination of goddesses ....................... 58
2.1.2.2. The status of queens and royal women over time .............. 59
2.1.2.3. The status of priestesses over time ..................................... 64
2.1.2.4. Ordinary women ................................................................ 69
2.1.2.5. The enslaved working women ........................................... 74
2.1.2.6. Conclusions on the status of goddesses and women .......... 75
2.2. The context of the Sumerian myths ................................................... 77
2.2.1. The physical context: evidence from the texts themselves ........ 78
2.2.2. Literature and performance ........................................................ 79
2.2.3. The eduba and scribal education ................................................ 80
2.2.3.1. The relationship between scribes and the state..................80
2.2.3.2. The teachers and their status..............................................83
2.2.3.3. The pupils and their status..................................................86
2.2.3.4. The function of the eduba..................................................88
3. The protagonists of the myth....................................................................90
(cid:22)(cid:17)(cid:20)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:18)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:68)(cid:2474)..........................................................................90
3.1.1. Cultic cities, dates of attestations and godlists..........................90
3.1.2. Birth-giver, midwife, wet-nurse and nurturer............................95
3.1.3. Family relations.........................................................................99
3.1.4. Relation to power and kingship...............................................100
3.1.5. Traces of cultic expressions.....................................................102
3.1.6. Natural environment................................................................105
3.1.7. Destruction...............................................................................107
3.2. Enki................................................................................................. 109
3.2.1. Enki’s element: water..............................................................109
3.2.2. The wise Enki..........................................................................110
3.2.3. Enki’s competition with the mother goddess...........................111
3.2.4. The family relations of Enki....................................................112
3.2.5. Enki’s relation to power and kingship.....................................113
3.2.6. Enki’s relation to the me:s and the destinies............................114
(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)...............................................................................115
4.1. Introduction.....................................................................................115
(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:20)(cid:17)(cid:20)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:51)(cid:85)(cid:82)(cid:89)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:76)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:70)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:82)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:70)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:82)(cid:3)(cid:179)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:180)............115
4.1.2. A short summary of the content of the myth...........................116
4.2. Dilmun, the setting of the myth.......................................................117
4.2.1. Contextualization of Dilmun...................................................117
4.2.2. Ideological aspects of Dilmun.................................................118
4.3. The role of Utu................................................................................119
4.3.1. Contextualization of Utu..........................................................119
4.3.2. Ideological aspects of the role of Utu......................................123
(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:55)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:53)(cid:431)(cid:80)-Sîn interpolation...............................................................124
(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:20)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:38)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:91)(cid:87)(cid:88)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:76)(cid:93)(cid:68)(cid:87)(cid:76)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:53)(cid:431)(cid:80)-Sîn interpolation.......................124
(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:21)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:44)(cid:71)(cid:72)(cid:82)(cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:74)(cid:76)(cid:70)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:86)(cid:83)(cid:72)(cid:70)(cid:87)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:53)(cid:431)(cid:80)-Sîn interpolation.....................133
4.5. Enki’s copulation with the earth and the creative act of the
mother goddess.......................................................................................133
(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:24)(cid:17)(cid:20)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:38)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:91)(cid:87)(cid:88)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:76)(cid:93)(cid:68)(cid:87)(cid:76)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:182)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:182)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:72)(cid:91)(cid:88)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:3)
encounter...........................................................................................133
(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:24)(cid:17)(cid:21)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:44)(cid:71)(cid:72)(cid:82)(cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:74)(cid:76)(cid:70)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:86)(cid:83)(cid:72)(cid:70)(cid:87)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:182)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:182)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:72)(cid:91)(cid:88)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:3)
encounter...........................................................................................136
4.6. The goddess Ninnisi, daughter of Nintu..........................................137
4.7. The goddess Ninkura, daughter of Ninnisi......................................140
4.8. The goddess Ninimma, daughter of Ninkura..................................141
4.9. The question of virginity and intercourses with boat imagery........143
4.9.1. Contextualization of boat imagery...........................................143
4.9.2. Ideological aspects of intercourses with boat imagery............148
4.10. The goddess Uttu, daughter of Ninimma......................................149
4.10.1. Contextualization of Uttu......................................................149
4.10.2. Ideological aspects of the passage on Uttu............................156
4.11. The advising mother (goddess).....................................................158
4.11.1. Contextualization of the “advising theme”............................158
4.11.2. Ideological aspects of the “advising theme”..........................163
4.12. The irrigating Enki........................................................................164
4.12.1. Contextualization of Enki’s irrigation...................................164
4.12.2. Ideological aspects of Enki’s role as irrigator........................166
4.13. The sin of Enki..............................................................................166
4.13.1. The incest theme....................................................................167
4.13.2. The decreeing of destinies.....................................................169
4.13.3. Ideological aspects of Enki’s sin...........................................177
4.14. The role of the fox.........................................................................177
4.14.1. Contextualization of the fox..................................................177
4.14.2. Ideological aspects of the role of the fox...............................183
4.15. The mother goddess as healer.......................................................183
4.15.1. Healing practitioners and the comprehension of illnesses
applied to our myth............................................................................185
4.15.1.1. Ideological considerations on healing practitioners and the
comprehension of illnesses...........................................................193
4.15.2. Healing goddesses – (cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:3)(cid:70)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:91)(cid:87)(cid:88)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:76)(cid:93)(cid:72)(cid:71)...................193
4.15.2.1. Ninisina..........................................................................194
4.15.2.2. Ningirima.......................................................................196
4.15.2.3. Conclusion and ideological aspects of the healing
goddesses......................................................................................199
4.15.3. The plants and the body parts................................................200
4.15.3.1. The plants.......................................................................200
4.15.3.2. The usage of plants in a wider mythological context.....202
4.15.3.3. The body parts................................................................204
4.15.3.4. The eight deities.............................................................207
4.15.3.5. Ideological aspects of the plants and the body parts......211
4.15.4. The relation between midwifery and healing.........................212
4.15.4.1. Contextualization of the relationship between
midwifery and healing..................................................................212
4.15.4.2. Ideological aspects of midwifery and healing................214
4.16. Discussions on the structure of the myth.......................................215
4.16.1. The interpretation of Alster – evaluation and discussion.......215
4.16.2. The creative acts – male and female behavior in a structural
analysis..............................................................................................218
(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:20)(cid:26)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:36)(cid:3)(cid:70)(cid:82)(cid:80)(cid:83)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:76)(cid:86)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:69)(cid:72)(cid:87)(cid:90)(cid:72)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:179)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:2474)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:68)(cid:419)(cid:68)(cid:180)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:179)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:79)(cid:76)(cid:79)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)
Ninlil”.....................................................................................................221
4.18. Conclusions...................................................................................227
(cid:24)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:68)(cid:2474)....................................................................................229
5.1. Introduction.....................................................................................229
5.1.1. Provenience of (cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:82)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:70)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:82)(cid:3)(cid:179)(cid:40)(cid:81)(cid:78)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:68)(cid:2474)(cid:180)..................229
5.1.2. A short summary of the content of the myth...........................229
5.2. Who are the minor gods and why do they complain?.....................230
5.2.1. Contextualization of the minor gods........................................230
5.2.1.1. The male workers.............................................................231
5.2.1.2. The conscription and work per year................................. 234
5.2.1.3. The tasks of the male workers..........................................236
5.2.1.4. The income of the male workers......................................237
5.2.1.5. Summary regarding grounds for complaint.....................239
5.2.1.6. The working men as husbands and fathers.......................240
5.2.2. Ideological aspects of the minor gods......................................240
5.3. The wives of the minor gods...........................................................241
5.3.1. Contextualization of the wives of the minor gods...................241
5.3.1.1. The female workers géme................................................242
5.3.1.2. The géme working part-time and women not working
for the state....................................................................................247
5.3.2. Ideological aspects of the wives of theminor gods.................248
(cid:24)(cid:17)(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:43)(cid:82)(cid:90)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:75)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:79)(cid:3)(cid:90)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:88)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:87)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:2473)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:76)(cid:15)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:83)(cid:79)(cid:68)(cid:70)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:90)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:80)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:82)(cid:85)(cid:3)(cid:74)(cid:82)(cid:71)(cid:86)(cid:3)
work?......................................................................................................250
5.4.1. The concept “door” as part of a constellation of ideas in
Mesopotamian myths.........................................................................250
5.4.2. Linguistic and geographic considerations................................253
(cid:24)(cid:17)(cid:23)(cid:17)(cid:22)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:44)(cid:71)(cid:72)(cid:82)(cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:74)(cid:76)(cid:70)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:86)(cid:83)(cid:72)(cid:70)(cid:87)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:79)(cid:68)(cid:87)(cid:76)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:69)(cid:72)(cid:87)(cid:90)(cid:72)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:49)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:80)(cid:68)(cid:2474)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)
(cid:2473)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:76)................................................................................................. 256
5.5. Namma, the mother of Enki............................................................257
5.6. The creative acts of Namma and her assistants...............................258
5.6.1. The potter theme......................................................................259
5.6.1.1. Contextualization of the potter theme..............................259
5.6.1.2. Ideological aspects of the potter theme............................262
5.6.2. The womb goddesses...............................................................263
5.6.2.1. Contextualization of the womb goddesses.......................263
5.6.2.2. Ideological aspects of the womb goddesses.....................270
5.6.3. Ninmug, the metalworker........................................................271
5.6.3.1. Contextualization of Ninmug, the metalworker...............271
5.6.3.2. Ideological aspects of Ninmug.........................................275
5.6.4. Ninmada, the snake charmer....................................................275
5.6.4.1. Contextualization of Ninmada, the snake charmer..........275
5.6.4.2. Ideological aspects of Ninmada.......................................279