The Mesopotamian underworld was considered to be the lowest part of the cosmos and a separate dark, dreary, and cavernous world not dissimilar from the Greek Tartarus. There, people lived lives that parallelled their mortal existence, except that no drink could quench thirst, and no food could sate hunger. Therefore, living family members would have to make offerings of mortal food to sustain the dead. This made it important to have many children, and those who did not have family to look after them would often haunt the living.
There was no final judgment or separate underworlds for the good and the wicked. The deceased would simply present themselves and be pronounced dead and their name would be recorded in the book of the dead. Nevertheless, what was buried with a person could be transported into the afterlife with them and used to receive special treatment. Proper burial was considered important, and those who did not receive one – such as burning up in a fire or dying in the desert – simply ceased to exist.
It was believed that an enormous staircase led down to the underworld, which lay beyond Lake Abzu, but while far in the west (where the sun sets), the underworld was connected to the world of the living. Upon arrival, there were seven gates through which the deceased must pass to reach the final palace.
The underworld was known variously as Kur, Kukku, Kigal, Irkalla, and Arali in ancient Sumerian and as Ersetu in Akkadian. But it was equally often referred to by words simply meaning “earth” or “sand,” indicating its location below the earth.
Many gods were associated with the underworld with different functions and at different times. Below are some of those gods.
Ereshkigal: Ruler of the Underworld
Ereshkigal was the queen of the underworld and lived in a palace called Ganzir. She was considered one of several snake gods in the area around the Tigris, known as “transtigridian snake gods.”
In mythology, the goddess Inanna is described as Ereshkigal’s sister and descending to the underworld to try and extend her power there. Ereshkigal orders the seven gates of the underworld locked and that Inanna should only be allowed to pass each one when she removes a piece of clothing. As Inanna passes through the gates, she loses her clothes and many magical items, eventually finding herself standing before Ereshkigal, naked and powerless. She is struck dead and her corpse is hung from a hook in the underworld for everyone to see as a lesson. She is later rescued from the underworld by Enki.
Another story described Ereshkigal being invited to a banquet of the gods but being unable to attend, and therefore sending someone in her place. He representative was treated well by everyone except the god Nergal, and therefore she demanded that he best to the underworld to atone for his behavior. He is warned in advance not to eat or drink anything in the underworld, or sleep with the goddess, but he gives into temptation and sleeps with Ereshkigal. He lies with her for six days and then escaped back to the mortal realm. She forces him to return by threatening to open the gates of fell and letting demons swarm the mortal world.
Nergal: King of the Underworld
Nergal was sometimes considered the husband of Ereshkigal and ruled the underworld at her side, but in later times he also usurped her position either as the son of Enil and Ninlil, or as the husband of Ereshkigal depending on the tradition. He was considered the god who inflicted death.
He was also a god of war and was believed to accompany rulers on campaign, but also to guarantee peace due to his fearsome nature serving as a deterrent. He was also associated with disease and forest fires. He was commonly invoked to protect houses. He was often depicted with mace with three lion heads, dagger, and bow.
Nergal was associated with the planet Mars, which was also linked with disease among the Mesopotamians, and often called the Elam star.
Associated with forest fires, fevers, plagues, and war. In myths, he causes destruction and devastation. He was also associated with bulls and lions.
Ninazu: Son of Ereshkigal
Ninazu is often described as the son of Ereshkigal and Gugalanna, who was the inspector of the canal of Anu, the sky god. Ninazu was considered a snake god of vegetation, and his name means “divine healer.” He was also called the “stewart of the great earth,” which was a euphemism for the underworld.
In the Zame Hymns, Ninazu is compared with a black dog, which were considered to be omens of death.
Ningishzida: Fertility and Death
Ningishzida was the son of Ninazu and was both a god of fertility and the underworld. He was linked with the grass used to feed domestic animals and vines, which linked him with the production of alcohol. It was believed that he traveled to the underworld for six months of the year, leading to the death of vegetation.
He was also called the chair-bearer of the underworld. He was also sometimes considered one of the two doorkeepers of the celestial palace, but it is unclear whether this was in the underworld or the heavens.
Neti: The Gatekeeper
Neti, also known as Bitu or Bidu, guarded the seven gates of the underworld. He was often invoked in incantations to compel demons and ghosts to return to the underworld.
Namtar: Divine Attendant
Namtar was the “sukkal” or divine attendant of Ereshkigal, sometimes considered a minor goddess and sometimes considered a demon. Some incantations invoke him to keep evil forces trapped in the underworld. He was associated with disease and sickness, especially headaches and heart pain. He is usually described as having twisted hands and a mouth full of venom.
Dumuzi: The Dying God
Dumuzi was called the shepherd and associated with agriculture and shepherds. He was associated with what makes plants grow, so in the summer when the land was dry and barren, it was believed that he had died, and people mourned his death.
Geshtinanna
Geshtinanna was the sister of Dumuzi and was associated with dream interpretation. She was sometimes described as the goddess who recorded people’s names as they arrived in the underworld. This role was sometimes associated with Belet-Seri.
Demons of the Underworld
As well as gods, many demons occupied the underworld, and they had the ability to pass into the mortal world to terrorize the living.
Some of the most frequently referenced underworld demons were Galla, who are often mentioned in magical texts and may have been seven in number. They were believed to drag mortals down into the underworld.
Next was Lamashtu, and demoness with the head of a lion, the teeth of a donkey, naked hairy breasts, blood-stained hands with long fingers and fingernails, and the feet of a bird. She was believed to feed on the blood of babies and was often considered responsible for miscarriages and infant deaths. People protected themselves against her with amulets and talismans.
Pazuzu was another monstrous demon with a canine face, bulging eyes, scaly body, snake-headed penis, and the talons and wings of a bird. He was considered the personification of destructive winds, but could also be called upon to protect from other demons.
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