Sumerian Religion and Mythology

          The Sumerians were a non-Semitic, non-Indo-European people who lived in southern Babylonia from 4000-3000 B.C.E. Sumerians believed that their religion revolved around nature, such as wind and water. They did not understand how Earth worked therefore, they came to the conclusion that there was a greater force at work.

At first the “greater force” was worshiped in the form of wind and water, however over time the human figure became the God that controlled nature. Sumerians believed in an a under world, called “nether world” the soul of a person would enter this nether world by their grave.After descending into the nether world a soul had to cross a river with the aid of a boatman who ferried them across. They then confronted Utu, who judged their soul. If the judgment was positive the soul would live a life of happiness. It was, however, generally believed by Sumerians that life in the nether world was dismal. The nether world was ruled by Nergal and Ereshkigal. The Gods of sumer were seen as human figures, they breathed, ate, drank, married and fought. Even though Gods were seen as all powerful they were still able to be hurt and killed.

          The temple was staffed by priests, priestesses, musicians, singers, castrates and hierodules. Various public rituals, food sacrifices, and libations took place there on a daily basis. Ziggurats were built by the Sumerians, each ziggurat was part of a temple complex which included other buildings. The precursors of the ziggurat were raised platforms that date from the Ubaid Period during the fourth millennium BC. Only priests were permitted on the ziggurat or in the rooms at its base, and it was their responsibility to care for the gods and attend to their needs. The priests were very powerful members of Sumerian society.

          Their primary deities included Nammu the Goddess of the watery abyss. An god of heaven, Great Father of the Gods, the king of the Gods, the God of the Sun. Ki, Lord of water, wisdom, creation, and fertility, keeper of the divine laws, and created the first humans. Ninhursag Great Mother Goddess, Goddess of childbirth, queen of the mountains.  Enlil the air-god and leader of the pantheon.

          Sumerian Mythology talks about the relationships between their Gods. Their creation Myth involes their Gods and is very similar to most creation myths told around the world. They use nature to understand how they got to where they are today, like most civilizations did during this time. Their myth begins with Heaven and Earth and how they were once a mountain that rose out of the primeval Sea. The mountain's peak reached into Heaven and its base was the Earth. An was heaven, and Ki was Earth. Nammu is the Sea goddess that surrounded the Earth. She was also the original dark chaos out of which everything formed. The mountain rose up out of the blackness of the deep sea. Enlil, the Air god, separated Heaven and Earth and gave birth to the dawn. Enlil raped Ninlil the Air Goddess, and she gave birth to the Moon god, Nanna. Nanna and Ningal, his consort, gave birth to Utu, the Sun. Thus the Moon was born out of the darkness, before the Sun. This may be an indicator of the earlier matriarchal religion. Nanna and Ningal also gave birth to Inanna, the Evening Star. Not only do they Myths of creation but they have one on Afterlife and how each God falls in love. 

            The religion of the ancient Sumerians has left its mark on the entire middle east. Not only are its temples and ziggurats scattered about the region, but the literature, cosmogony and rituals influenced their neighbors to such an extent that we can see echoes of Sumer in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition today.