GODS AND GODDESSES
OF MESOPOTAMIA
Gods, Goddesses, Demons and Monsters
• The people of Mesopotamia believed that their world was controlled
by gods and goddesses, demons and monsters.
• There were hundreds of gods who were responsible for everything
in the world, from rivers and trees to making bread and pottery.
• Each city was protected by its own special god or goddess and their
family. Large temples were built in the centre of the city for these
gods to live in. Priests looked after the gods with special rituals.
There were also smaller temples throughout the city where ordinary
people could make offerings.
•
Demons were created by the gods with human bodies and animal
or bird heads. They could be either evil or good. Monsters were a
mixture of animals and birds.
What did the world look like?
• One story believed by early Mesopotamians that
the universe was a dome, and the god of the
firmament was called An.
• Earth, or Ki, was at the bottom of the inside of
the dome, with an underworld called Kigal,
under which was seawater, called Apsu.
• The dome was surrounded by seawater, called
Nammu
As for humans…
• One origin myth tells how the gods and
goddesses inhabited the earth. They grew
tired of doing all the work, and asked Enki,
the wise, to help them.
• He made humans, out of clay and
breathed life into them, but limited their life
span.
• That way the humans could work and
serve the gods and goddesses.
The gods and goddesses
• Originally, there were as many as 3600 of
them, from Ur. You will not be tested on all
of them 
• An (heavens) + Ki (earth) = Enlil (their
son)
• He was the leader of the Sumerian
pantheon (group) of gods/goddesses
Who were they?
• The ANUNNAKI , or offspring of An and Ki
• From Sumer to Akkadia to Babylonia, a lot
changed. Each group adapted new
names and twists on the myths.
• Some information also got lost in
translation.
• Some stories that stayed consistent
though, were Gilgamesh and the flood
deluge story.
Who were the Anunnaki?
The
Anunnaki
major players
included:
Anu (god of heaven)
Enlil (god of air)
Enki (god of freshwater, male
fertility and knowledge)
Inanna (goddess of love, female
fertility and warfare)
Ki (goddess of earth)
Nanna (god of moon)
Ninlil (air goddess, wife of Enlil)
Ninurta (god of war, agriculture)
Babylon changed many names…
• Enlil became Marduk
Inanna became Ishtar (sound familiar?)
Tower of Babel
Information found from:
• www.mesopotamia.co.uk
• www.crystalinks.com/sumergods