About this deity
Ninḫursaĝ (Sumerian: 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒉺𒂅) was a common Mesopotamian deity assumed under various names and the fertility role. In some traditions, she was the consort of Enki.
Also known as
Parent belief system
Sumerian Religion · Polytheistic · 7 mythsSumerian religion refers to spiritual beliefs practiced from ca. 4500-1900 BCE in Mesopotamia, or modern-day southern Iraq. Many deities were diffused into other Mesopotamian cultures.
Top myths
 | |
| Epic of Anzu | |
| Prestige myth | |
| Unknown author | |
| Read myth | |
Ninhursag's many names
Notably, Ninhursag has seemingly operated through Mesopotamian literature under many names. According to Jeremy Black, this has partially to do with the actions of other deities.
"Damgalnuna seems earlier to be a mother
goddess but later to have a more specialised
role as the wife of Enki (and hence mother of
Marduk). Ninmah's name was changed by her
son Ninurta to Ninhursaga (lady of the
mountains') to commemorate his creation of
the mountains. Nammu is usually creatrix of
An and Ki, and of the early gods, including
Enki, but she also creates mankind in one poem
(see creation)." [1]
Other credible sources indicate that Ninhursag belongs to the "Mother Goddess" category of deities.[2]
Mythological stories including Ninhursag
- Epic of Anzu Prestige myth
Nuthsell
The winged eagle-lion monster named Anzu steals the Tablet of Destinies. No other deity wants to chase him down other than Ninurta, a warrior deity known for hunting. After a failed attempt, Ninurta captures Anzu, ends his life, and recovers the Tablet of Destinies.
AMGG data for Ninhursag
Ninhursag has a dedicated entry page on AMGG with the name 'Mother Goddess (Ninmah, Nintud/r, Belet-ili).' Included data from this source may provide the deity's background, function, divine genealogy, cult places, attested time periods, iconography, and more.
About the AMGG project
AMGG Est. 2010The Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses (AMGG) project is an extension of the ORACC project by the University of Pennsylvania. It provides a list of the fifty most common deities in Mesopotamia. The tool is intended to be a useful starting point for researchers.
Record numbers
| AMGG Title | Mother Goddess (Ninmah, Nintud/r, Belet-ili) |
Deity profile
| Deity name | Mother Goddess (Ninmah, Nintud/r, Belet-ili) |
| Introduction | The Mesopotamian mother goddess is known under many names, the most prominent of which is the Sumerian name Nintud/Nintur. Other frequent names are Ninmah and Belet-ili. She was in charge of pregnancy and birth and, especially in earlier periods, appears as the creator of humankind. |
Record notes
About these data
| Retrieval date | Jun. 21, 2020 |
| Entry author | Nicole Brisch |
| Copyright | AMGG @ UPenn |
Cite this page
OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. "Ninhursag." OMNIKA – World Mythology Index, OMNIKA Foundation, 21 Jun. 2020, omnika.org/stable/687. Accessed 11 May. 2024.
OMNIKA (2020, June 21). Ninhursag. Retrieved from https://omnika.org/stable/687
OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. "Ninhursag." Las Vegas, NV: OMNIKA Foundation. Created June 21, 2020. Accessed May 11, 2024. https://omnika.org/stable/687.
