The Anunnaki - Gods of Heaven and Earth
The Sumerian pantheon consists of the Anunnaki ("those who came from heaven to earth"), divine beings who created humanity to serve them and maintain their temples. These gods controlled every aspect of life—from the movements of celestial bodies to the flooding of rivers. Each city-state had its patron deity, and the ziggurats served as literal houses where the gods dwelled among their people.
The Anunnaki Council
The Anunnaki are the great gods who determine destinies. They meet in council to decide the fate of humanity and the cosmos. Seven of them are the supreme judges who decree fates: An, Enlil, Enki, Ninhursag, Nanna, Utu, and Inanna.
Divine Hierarchy:
- An - King of the gods, supreme authority
- Enlil - Most powerful active god, king of heaven and earth
- Enki - God of wisdom, water, and magic
- Ninhursag - Mother goddess, earth and fertility
- Nanna (Sin) - Moon god, father of Utu and Inanna
- Utu (Shamash) - Sun god, judge of justice
- Inanna (Ishtar) - Queen of heaven, love and war
Major Deities
Explore the gods and goddesses who shaped Sumerian civilization.
An (Anu)
Sky God, King of Gods
Supreme deity personifying the heavens. Father of the gods. Authority who decrees destinies. Distant but supreme, delegates power to Enlil.
Domains: Sky, authority, kingship, heaven
Symbol: Horned crown, star, bull
Enlil
Lord Wind and Storm
Most powerful active god. Separated heaven and earth. Commanded the great flood. King of gods in practice. Patron of Nippur, religious capital.
Domains: Wind, storms, earth, kingship, authority
Symbol: Horned crown, seven tablets of destiny
Inanna (Ishtar)
Queen of Heaven and Earth
Goddess of love, sex, warfare, and political power. Descended to underworld and returned. Stole the Me (divine powers) from Enki. Most widely worshipped.
Domains: Love, war, sex, fertility, power
Symbol: Eight-pointed star, lion, rosette
Enki (Ea)
Lord of Wisdom and Waters
God of fresh water (Abzu), wisdom, magic, crafts. Created humanity from clay with Ninhursag. Warned Ziusudra of the flood. Clever and benevolent trickster.
Domains: Water, wisdom, magic, creation, crafts
Symbol: Goat-fish (Capricorn), flowing water
Status: Coming Soon
Utu (Shamash)
Sun God, Judge of Justice
God of the sun and justice. Travels across sky daily, seeing all deeds. Punishes wicked, rewards righteous. Twin brother of Inanna. Patron of law.
Domains: Sun, justice, law, truth, divination
Symbol: Solar disk with rays, saw
Status: Coming Soon
Nanna (Sin)
Moon God
God of the moon, time measurement, and wisdom. Father of Utu and Inanna. Patron of Ur. Travels across night sky in barque. Controls monthly cycles.
Domains: Moon, time, wisdom, night
Symbol: Crescent moon, bull
Status: Coming Soon
Ereshkigal
Queen of the Underworld
Goddess who rules Kur (Land of No Return). Sister of Inanna. Keeper of the dead. Married to Nergal. None escape her realm. Dark and fearsome.
Domains: Death, underworld, darkness, finality
Symbol: Crown of the dead, darkness
Status: Coming Soon
Ninhursag (Ninmah)
Mother Goddess
Goddess of the earth, mountains, and fertility. Mother of all living things. Created humanity with Enki. Patron of mothers and childbirth.
Domains: Earth, fertility, childbirth, mountains
Symbol: Omega symbol (womb), mountain
Status: Coming Soon
Nergal
God of War and Plague
God of war, death, disease, and the scorching sun. Husband of Ereshkigal. Rules underworld alongside his queen. Brings destruction and pestilence.
Domains: War, plague, death, summer heat
Symbol: Mace, lion
Status: Coming Soon
Ninurta
God of War and Hunting
Warrior god, son of Enlil. Defeated the stone demon Asag. Champion of the gods. Patron of farmers (plow) and soldiers (mace). Protector of irrigation.
Domains: War, hunting, agriculture, heroism
Symbol: Plow-mace, lion-headed eagle (Anzu)
Status: Coming Soon
Dumuzi (Tammuz)
God of Shepherds and Fertility
Consort of Inanna. Shepherd god of vegetation and fertility. Sacrificed to underworld so Inanna could return. Dies and rises annually with seasons.
Domains: Shepherds, fertility, vegetation, renewal
Symbol: Shepherd's crook, grain
Status: Coming Soon
Nabu (Nebo)
God of Wisdom and Writing
Divine scribe, keeper of tablets of destiny. Son of Marduk (Babylonian). Patron of scribes and wisdom. Records destinies of all beings.
Domains: Writing, wisdom, prophecy, scribes
Symbol: Clay tablet, stylus
Status: Coming Soon
Nammu
Primordial Mother
Goddess of the primeval sea. Mother of An (heaven) and Ki (earth). Existed before creation. Cosmic womb from which all emerged. Primordial waters of chaos.
Domains: Primordial waters, creation, chaos
Symbol: Waters of chaos, primeval sea
Status: Coming Soon
Nisaba
Goddess of Writing and Grain
Patron goddess of scribes, writing, and grain. Keeper of accounts. Sister of Nidaba. Associated with wisdom and learning. Measurement and calculation.
Domains: Writing, accounting, grain, learning
Symbol: Stylus, grain stalk
Status: Coming Soon
Pazuzu
Demon King of Wind
King of wind demons. Paradoxically invoked for protection against other demons. Brings fever and plague but also drives them away. Protective demon.
Domains: Wind, plague, protection, exorcism
Symbol: Winged demon form
Status: Coming Soon
Ashnan
Goddess of Grain
Goddess of grain and agriculture. Created by Enlil to feed the gods. Sister of Lahar (cattle god). Represents cultivated grain and civilization.
Domains: Grain, agriculture, bread, beer
Symbol: Grain stalks
Status: Coming Soon
Understanding Sumerian Deities
The Me - Divine Powers
The Me (pronounced "may") are divine decrees or powers that govern all aspects of civilization and nature. They include:
- Kingship - Right to rule and make laws
- Priesthood - Authority to perform rituals
- Truth and Justice - Moral order
- Crafts - Weaving, metalworking, building
- Sexual Union - Fertility and reproduction
- Music and Art - Cultural refinement
- Warfare - Power to conquer
Inanna famously tricked Enki into giving her over 100 Me, which she brought to Uruk.
City Patron Deities
Each Sumerian city-state had a patron deity who "owned" the city:
- Nippur - Enlil (religious capital of Sumer)
- Uruk - An and Inanna (largest city)
- Ur - Nanna (wealthy port city)
- Eridu - Enki (oldest city, source of wisdom)
- Lagash - Ningirsu (warrior god)
- Kish - Zababa (war god)
Divine Attributes
Sumerian gods were anthropomorphic but immortal and superhuman:
- Physical Needs: Gods ate, drank, slept, and required care
- Emotions: Gods felt love, anger, jealousy, pride
- Family Relations: Complex family trees with marriages and rivalries
- Morality: Gods were not necessarily moral examples; they acted on desire
- Power: Each god had specific domains and divine powers (Me)
The Purpose of Humanity
Unlike some traditions where humans are beloved creations, Sumerian humans were created to serve:
- Gods grew tired of working the land and maintaining the world
- Enki and Ninhursag created humans from clay mixed with divine blood
- Humans were made to cultivate fields, build temples, and feed the gods
- This service relationship defines the Sumerian worldview
- Proper worship and offerings maintain cosmic order
Related Content
Cross-Cultural Parallels
- Babylonian Pantheon - Successor tradition
- Akkadian Deities - Semitic adaptations
- Persian Deities - Mesopotamian influences
Related Archetypes
See Also
- The Anunnaki - Divine council
- The Me - Divine powers
- Sumerian Myths - Divine stories
- Rituals - Temple worship