Ereshkigal

Sumerian Goddess of the Underworld

  Ereshkigal is the Sumerian Goddess and ruler of the Underworld. She shares her throne with the war god , Nergal. She is the one who makes the laws, passes judgment, and holds all power in the underworld.

She represents the dark, the unseen, and the shadow side of the soul.

Her father is Anhar Sky god and her mother is Kishar the Earth goddess. She has many brother and sisters but she killed her sister, Inanna the Goddess of Love and Queen of the Heavens.

The story is that when Inanna went to the Underworld to see her sister and find out why no one ever returned, she dressed up with her finest garments and jewels.

Her sister, Ereskigal became suspicious and ordered that at each of the seven gates to the Underworld, Inanna would have to give up one garment and piece of jewelry.

By the time she met her sister, Inanna was naked and powerless. At this point Ereshkigal in a rage killed her sister.

Soon, Inanna’s father became concerned because she didn’t return. So he created two special beings to save her.

They found Ereshkigal in the Underworld in great pain. In exchange for easing her pain, they received the corpse of Inanna. They returned to the world with it where it was revived by being sprinkled with the bread and water of life.

It seems that the Goddess of the Underworld can be influenced when you can offer an exchange she wants.

If you wish to make sure your time in the Underworld is not too bad, you might consider honoring the Goddess Ereshkigal while you can. Use a black tourmaline, jet, hematite, or obsidian on your altar.

- article by Jessica Sitarik, age 14; art by conejovlanco user on Fiverr