Ereshkigal

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word Ereshkigal. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word Ereshkigal, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say Ereshkigal in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word Ereshkigal you have here. The definition of the word Ereshkigal will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofEreshkigal, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

Ultimately from Sumerian 𒀭𒎏𒆠𒃲 (dereš-ki-gal /⁠Ereškigalak⁠/).

Proper noun

Ereshkigal

  1. (Mesopotamian mythology) The goddess of the underworld.
    • 1911, Morris Jastrow, Aspects of Religious Belief and Practice in Babylonia and Assyria, G. P. Putnam's Sons, page 369,
      A myth describes how Nergal invaded the domain of Ereshkigal, and forced her to yield her dominion to him. The gods are depicted as holding a feast to which all come except Ereshkigal.
    • 1988, Samuel A. Meier, The Messenger in the Ancient Semitic World, Scholars' Press, page 159,
      There still remains the problem of why the messenger from heaven bows while the messenger from below receives homage. In light of the suggestion earlier that Ereshkigal is depicted in a much more favorable light than the heavenly trinity of ruling gods, the issue of bowing messengers reaffirms this impression.
    • 1996, Tanya Wilkinson, Persephone Returns: Victims, Heroes and the Journey from the Underworld, PageMill Press, page 237,
      The dark sister is Ereshkigal, a Goddess with clear qualities and strong emotions. The myth describes in detail how Inanna surrenders to an excruciating, dismembering initiation into the Underworld.

Usage notes

  • In Late Antiquity, the Greeks appear to have applied the name Ereshkigal (as Ερεσχιγαλ (Ereskhigal)) to their own goddess Hecate. In the Michigan Magical Papyrus (dated to the late 3rd–early 4th century CE—after the era of cuneiform writing), Hecate is referred to as "Hecate Ereschkigal" and is invoked in spells to alleviate the fear of punishment in the afterlife. Analysis of other Greek texts that mention Ereshkigal reveals that the name was used merely to furnish Hecate with an exotic, foreign name and that the authors and transmitters of the texts had little interest in or knowledge of the associated Mesopotamian traditions. For more details, see Ereshkigal § Ereshkigal's name in Greek magical texts on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Translations

Further reading