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Ereshkigal, in Mesopotamian mythology, is the goddess and queen of Irkulla, the Sumerian Underworld. The daughter of Nannar and Ningal, her siblings include Inanna (Ishtar) and Utu. Her husband is Nergal, her first husband being killed by Gilgamesh. Her son is Ninazu.

Comparations[]

The myth of Inanna's Descent into the underworld, was comapareted by theologists with other similar myths, example exist an obvious similarity between Inanna´s descent with the cicley of Baal, in this myth Baal (the king of the gods) travel to the underworld, where he would be killed by his brother Mot, and later will be revived. The similarities between are that two important deities that have a relation with the heaven, travel to the underworld in where will die against the overlord of the underworld that also are them siblings.

The myth of Persephone is similar to the Ereshkigal´s Marriage to Nergal, because in both myths a deity were capture by the ovelords of the underworld, and later the captured married the ruler. But also have much diferents, In the Ereshkigal myth was the Ereshkigal self who capture to Nergal (The god of war), meanwhile who was capture was a goddess (Persephone) by a god (Hades), the greahtess diferent between myths is that there is a gender role change.

In the Ugarit mythology exist a underworld goddess call Arsay, who have many similar to Ereskigal, but Arsay is a daughter of Baal, the mesopatamian equivalent of Baal was Adad who a Ereshkigal´s brother. In ugarit there is a change of genealogy.

When Kramer translated a fragment of the Epic of Gilgamesh Liltih is mentioned, in 1937 both Henri Frankfort like Emil Kraeling identified a Babylon relief as Lilith, however the nexts sources would deny this, and affirm that the relief could be a represetation of Inanna/Isthar or Ereshkigal.

But her role in the Inanna´desent is is similar to some extent to that of the Abrahmics Lucifer, Satan, Iblis and Mephistopheles, other deities similar to Ereshkigal are the Japanese Izanami, the hindues Yama and Yamuna, The estrucan Aita, the egyptians Anubis and Anput, the greco-egiptian Serapis, the gnostic Prince of Darkness, the germanic Hel, the celtic Arawn, the slavics Veles and Nyaja.

By her role as twin/equivalent of a heavenly deity, Ereshkigal was compared with the Zoroastrian Ahriman.

Family[]

In some versions Ereshkigal was a daughter and consort of Anu, but in others sources Ereshkigal was the daughter of Sin and Ningal, many sources say that the Ereshkigal´s brothers are Utu and Adad, but others text deny this, but all sources affirm that Inanna/Ishtar is her twin-sister. However in the Inanna´s Descent into the underworld is where it is stated that Inanna is yonger sister.

Ninazu was a benevolent deity of the underworld, in some versions he was the son of Ereshkigal and Nergal, and in others versions Ninazu was the consort of Ereshkigal rather than her son. But some versions Ninazu was a simple servan of Ereshkigal.

Etymoly[]

The name Ereshkigal means "Queen of the Great Earth" in sumerian.

Culture popular[]

  • Ereshkigal is a servan in Fate Grand Order.
  • Ereshkigal is a minor goddess in Marvel.

Gallery[]

Family[]

Anunnaki Genealogy in Mesopotamian mythology
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Abzu
 
Tiamat
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mummu
 
Kingu
 
Lahmu
 
Lahamu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anshar
 
Kishar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anu
 
Antu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Enki
 
Ninhursag
 
Enlil
 
Ninlil
 
 
Nusku
 
Dagon
 
Ninsun
 
 
 
 
Lugulbanda
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ashnan
 
Lahar
 
Ninsar
 
 
Ningal
 
Sin
 
Nidaba
 
Enkimdu
 
Gilgamesh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sarpanitam
 
Marduk
 
Shamash
 
Inanna
 
Tammuz
 
ʻAṯtartu
 
Ereshkigal
 
Nergal
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aruru
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ninazu
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