The Ancient Tales of Sumer
Explore the oldest written myths in human history - cuneiform tales from ancient Mesopotamia that shaped the foundations of Western mythology, literature, and religious thought.
Death and the Underworld
Inanna's Descent to the Underworld
The goddess Inanna descends through the seven gates of the underworld, stripped of her divine powers at each threshold, to confront her sister Ereshkigal, Queen of the Dead. A profound myth of ego dissolution, death, and resurrection that established the pattern for all subsequent descent journeys.
Epic Heroes and Quests
The Epic of Gilgamesh
The oldest epic poem in human history follows Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, on his quest for immortality after the death of his beloved friend Enkidu. A timeless exploration of friendship, mortality, legacy, and what it means to be human.
Related Content
Cross-Cultural Parallels
- Babylonian Myths - Enuma Elish, Atrahasis
- Greek Myths - Olympian tales
- Egyptian Myths - Osiris cycle
Related Archetypes
See Also
- Inanna's Descent - Journey to the underworld
- Epic of Gilgamesh - The quest for immortality
- Sumerian Deities - The Anunnaki pantheon
- Cosmology - Structure of the universe