History/Culture
The civilization that wrote Inannas Descent
What is Sumer?
The goddess of the underworld who traps Inanna
Who is Erishkigal?
This god was taken to the underworld in Inanna's place.
Dumuzi
This goddess took Dumuzi's place in the underworld for half of the year.
Who is Geshtinanna?
Name one event in the story that supports the inevitability of death.
Discuss
The civilization that united Sumerian city states with northern Mesopotamia.
What is Akkad?
What did the goddess of the underworld do to Inanna when she got there?
This goddess was the sister of Dumuzi and did not divulge his hiding place.
Who is Geshtinanna?
This creature was given the right to hang around beer houses and taverns, among other things, by Inanna.
What is a fly?
Inanna's journey shows that even the goddess of love cannot escape this.
What is death
The sumerian and akkadian names for the sun god
Who are Utu (Sumer) and Shamash (Akkad)?
Number of gates to the underworld
What is seven?
These creatures intended to bring Dumuzi to the underworld?
What are the galla?
This person weeps for Dumuzi and is not Inanna or Dumuzi's sister.
Who is Sirtur?
Which natural phenomenon could this story have helped ancient sumerians explain?
What are seasons?
A huge, stepped platform made of mudbrick. Holds a temple on top
What is a ziggurat?
These genderless creatures were created by Enki to rescue Inanna from the underworld.
What are the kurgarra and galatur?
This god transformed Dumuzi's hands and feet into those of a gazelle to allow him to escape the galla.
Who is Utu?
Dumuzi was hidden here.
What is the edge of the steppe?
This event in the story ties love to mortality and sacrifice.
What is Dumuzi replacing Inanna in the underworld?
or
What is Geshtinanna spending half the year in the underworld to spare Dumizi?
or
What is Geshtinanna's refusal to divulge her brother's location to the demons?
Technological achievement of Sumer that also eventually led to a shift of central power northward
What is irrigation?
This item was taken from Inanna at the fifth gate.
What is a gold ring (bracelet)?
The demons bound these when they caught Dumuzi.
What are his hands and neck?
Another name Dumuzi is reffered to.
What is the Wild Bull?
This greek myth may have been influenced by Inanna's Descent and explores similar themes of love and death.
What is the story of Persephone and hades?