Summary page for Gatumdug, the Sumerian goddess of healing.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Fertility, Healing
Archetype:
Protector: Guarded the city of Lagash and its rulers.
Sage: Possessed wisdom, especially in interpreting dreams and providing counsel.
Group:
Anunnaki
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Ama, Baba, Bau, Gatamdug, Gatumdag, Gatumdu, Gatundu, Great Mother, Gula, Ma, Ma-Bellone, Nin Ezen, Nininsina, Nininsinna, Ninisina, Ninku, Nintinugga, Nintu, Nintud, Ninudzalli, Ninunuga, Nungal, Parvati
Other Pantheons:
None Known
Gatumdug was known as the mother or founder of Lagash. Guided and protected the city’s rulers and citizens.
She was seen as holy and shining.
Gatumdug could interpret dreams. She was associated with divine wisdom and guidance.
Gatumdug (aka) Ninisina was skilled in medical arts and capable of expelling demons.
Ninisina is listed in several god lists and frequently invoked in incantations to vanquish demons.
She was believed to intercede with deities on behalf of people attacked by demons and use illnesses to punish transgressions.
Ninisina was associated with healing, referred to as an asû or “physician,” known for surgical procedures and familiar with medicinal plants.
Hymns and prayers to Ninisina emphasize her medical knowledge, her role as a midwife, and her warrior aspects in service to Enlil.
Gatumdug represented protection and motherhood for the city of Lagash.
Siblings:
Enki – god of Water, Fish, Justice, Wisdom, Magic, Shipmenders, Crafts, Healing, Fertility, Art, Exorcism
Enlil – god of Air, Earth, Storms, Wind, Agriculture
Ninhursaga – goddess of Earth, Animals, Wildlife, Birth, Fertility
Nunbarshegunu – goddess of Flood, Justice, Grain, Scribal Arts, Writing, Accounting, Surveying, Wisdom
Consorts:
Ninurta – god of Law, Scribal Arts, Writing, War, Healing, Hunting, Farming
Children:
Gangir – goddess of Protection of Lagash
Depicted as a seated figure, often accompanied by a dog.
Associated with the eight-rayed orb, reflecting her later link to Gula.
Early rulers of Lagash commissioned statues to honor her.
Mentioned in one of the oldest inscriptions referencing anthropomorphic deity statues.
Her visual portrayal emphasized nurturing and protective qualities.
Weapons:
None Known
Sacred Animals:
Associated with dogs, often depicted seated with one by her side.
Dogs symbolized protection, healing, and loyalty in her representations.
Symbolism:
Her emblem was the eight-rayed orb
Dog, commonly associated with healing goddesses in Mesopotamia
Tools and garments associated with practitioners of medicine.
Celestial Associations:
None Known
Realms:
Gatumdug was associated with the city of Lagash, acting as its protective mother or founder.
Worshiped in NINA, another city associated with her.
Honored with a temple in Girsu during King Gudea’s reign.
Worship Places:
Lagash: Central worship site as the tutelary goddess of the city.
NINA: Worshiped in this city, also linked to the Lagash state.
Girsu: Temple built during Gudea’s reign; honored by rulers like Ur-Nanshe.
Abu Salabikh: Mentioned in the Zame Hymns, indicating reverence in this location.
Ur III Period: Her temple in Lagash remained active during this period.
Destruction: Lugalzagesi burned her temple in Lagash and looted valuables.
Rituals & Divinations:
Votive offerings and temples dedicated to Ninisina highlight her association with healing and dogs.
People offered butter, cheese, flour, and dates to Gatumdug.
Her temple had statues, and people might have prayed or made offerings there.
Her clergy included a sanga (temple administrator) and a nin-dingir priestess.
Gatumdug was involved in dream interpretation, as seen in the story with King Gudea on the Gudea cylinders.
In the Gudea cylinders, she guided King Gudea in his dreams to rebuild a temple.
In the “Lament for Sumer and Ur,” Gatumdug was one of the deities who left their cities during a disaster.
Gatumdug met Nanna when he journeyed to Nippur and welcomed him to her city of healing, Shuruppag (Shuruppak).
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- Charles Russell Coulter and Patricia Turner, Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities (McFarland Myth and Legend Encyclopedias) (McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, 1997)
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- Matt Clayton, Sumerian Mythology: Captivating Myths Of Gods, Goddesses, And Legendary Creatures of Ancient Sumer and Their Importance To The Sumerians (Captivating History, 2019)
- Multiple Authors, Gatumdug (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, January 30, 2024) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatumdug
- Multiple Authors, Ninisina (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, December 1, 2023) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninisina