Inanna Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Inanna/Ishtar
Queen of Heaven
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.
Abode	Heaven
Planet	Venus
Symbol	hook-shaped knot of reeds, eight-pointed star, lion, rosette, dove
Personal information
Consort	Dumuzid the Shepherd and many unnamed others, Baal
Children	usually none, but sometimes Lulal and/or Shara
Parents	Uruk tradition: An and an unknown mother Isin tradition: Nanna and Ningal Other traditions: Enlil and an unknown mother or Enki and an unknown mother
Siblings	Ereshkigal (older sister) and Utu-Shamash (twin brother) In some later traditions: Ishkur/Hadad (brother) In Hittite mythology: Teshub (brother)
Equivalents
Greek equivalent	Aphrodite, Athena
Roman equivalent	Venus, Minerva
Canaanite equivalent	Astoreth
Babylonian equivalent	Ishtar

Inanna is the goddess of love, beauty, desire, war and political power in Sumerian mythology; she is more commonly known as "Ishtar", the name under which she was worshipped by the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. Known as the "Queen of Heaven", Innana was one of the most popular deities in Sumerian religion, with the city of Uruk being the center of her cult. Her symbols included the lion, dove and the eight-pointed star.

Images for kids

The Uruk Vase (Warka Vase), depicting votive offerings to Inanna (3200-3000 BCE).
Ancient Sumerian statuette of two gala priests, dating to c. 2450 BCE, found in the temple of Inanna at Mari
Ancient Akkadian cylinder seal depicting Inanna resting her foot on the back of a lion while Ninshubur stands in front of her paying obeisance, c. 2334 – c. 2154 BCE
An ancient Sumerian depiction of the marriage of Inanna and Dumuzid
Original Sumerian tablet of the Courtship of Inanna and Dumuzid
Akkadian cylinder seal from c. 2300 BCE or thereabouts depicting the deities Inanna, Utu, Enki, and Isimud
The original Sumerian clay tablet of Inanna and Ebih, which is currently housed in the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago
Ancient Mesopotamian terracotta relief showing Gilgamesh slaying the Bull of Heaven, sent by Ishtar in Tablet VI of the Epic of Gilgamesh after he spurns her amorous advances
Original Akkadian Tablet XI (the "Deluge Tablet") of the Epic of Gilgamesh
Phoenician figure dating to the seventh century BCE representing a goddess, probably Astarte, called the "Lady of Galera" (National Archaeological Museum of Spain)
Altar from the Greek city of Taras in Magna Graecia, dating to c. 400 – c. 375 BCE, depicting Aphrodite and Adonis, whose myth is derived from the Mesopotamian myth of Inanna and Dumuzid
Illustration of Ishtar's Midnight Courtship from Leonidas Le Cenci Hamilton's 1884 book-length poem Ishtar and Izdubar, loosely based on George Smith's recent translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh
A modern illustration depicting Inanna-Ishtar's descent into the Underworld taken from Lewis Spence's Myths and Legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916)
Babylonian terracotta relief of Ishtar from Eshnunna (early second millennium BCE)
Life-sized statue of a goddess, probably Ishtar, holding a vase from Mari, Syria (eighteenth century BC)
Terracotta relief of Ishtar with wings from Larsa (second millennium BCE)
Stele showing Ishtar holding a bow from Ennigaldi-Nanna's museum (eighth century BCE)
Hellenized bas-relief sculpture of Ishtar standing with her servant from Palmyra (third century CE)

Inanna facts for kids

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See also