Creatures and Companions / Sumerian Myths

Nanshe and The Birds: A Journey Through Ancient Sumerian Realms

By Mifologia.com | Published June 17, 2024 | No Comments

In the following short tale of Nanshe and The Birds we will journey into the heart of ancient Sumerian realms.  This story gives us a deeper understanding of Sumerian goddess Nanshe and her relation to the natural world.  Additionally, this tale provides a glimpse into the Sumerian beliefs. It reveals how they viewed nature with reverence and awe. Birds were seen as messengers and symbols of the divine, bridging the gap between the mortal and the celestial.

The story is simple and yet profound.  It tells us of a goddess that descended to earth and called the birds to her.  This is where the simple tale becomes profound.  The story then weaves the natural and the mythical birds into one narrative.  The mythical Anzu bird is listed right along side the raven and the ostrich. It paints a world where the natural and supernatural coexist, each enhancing the other’s beauty and mystery. This perspective reveals the ancient Sumerians’ deep connection to and respect for both the natural and the supernatural worlds.

Jump To the Myth Nanshe and The Birds

Introduction to Goddess Nanshe

In the ancient Sumerian pantheon, Nanshe stood as a beacon of compassion and wisdom. As the daughter of Enki and Ninhursag, she inherited a rich legacy of divine powers and responsibilities.

Enki, her father, was the god of water, wisdom, justice, magic, crafts, and healing. He ruled over both fresh and salty waters, symbolizing the flow of life and knowledge. His expertise in crafts and healing showcased his multifaceted role in Sumerian belief, weaving artistry and wellness into society.

Ninhursag, Nanshe’s mother, was the goddess of earth and fertility. Her nurturing presence ensured the flourishing of animals, wildlife, and humans. Her connection to birth and fertility represented the cyclical nature of life. Through Ninhursag, Nanshe was linked to the essence of growth and nurturing, echoing the life-giving energies of the earth.

Nanshe’s domain encompassed water, fertility, and justice. She was revered as the protector of the vulnerable, watching over orphans, widows, and the poor. Her sacred animals, the fish and birds, symbolized her nurturing spirit and her connection to both land and water.

Nanshe bridged the realms of the divine and the earthly, guiding her followers with gentle yet powerful grace.

In the tale of Nanshe and The Birds we gain a deeper understanding of this goddess and her interconnection of the natural and the mythical.

The Myth: Nanshe And The Birds

The Arrival and Praise of the Pelican

From the sacred reedbeds, a pelican emerges. Its feathers glisten in the morning light. All day, it soars high in the skies, singing a sweet, enchanting melody. The song, a tribute to the heavens. The pelican’s beauty reflects the grace of Nanshe, the divine mistress. She, the guardian of the waters and land, delights in the bird’s presence.

Nanshe stands tall in her heavenly realm, her aura shimmering with divine authority. She gazes upon the pelican, her voice firm and clear. “I am Nanshe, the mistress!” she declares. “How can my pelican be anything but holy?” Her words resonate through the air, a reminder of her sacred power. The pelican, a symbol of her divine beauty, reinforces her dominion over the natural world. The goddess and her bird embody a union of celestial and earthly realms, a testament to her divinity.

The Descent of Nanshe

Nanshe descends from the heavens, transforming into a large pelican by the water’s edge. Her presence is majestic and serene. She drinks from the water, embodying purity and divinity. Revered by the Anunnaki gods, Nanshe constructs a shrine of lapis lazuli. This blue gem shines brightly, a tribute to her celestial beauty. At her feet, the holy pelican stands, a symbol of her grace and connection to the natural world.

Nanshe’s voice echoes across the land. She calls all birds to gather where the sheaves are collected. “I am Nanshe!” she proclaims. “Birds of heaven and earth, come to me!”

The birds respond to her call, arriving with offerings. They flock to her, acknowledging her divine authority. In this gathering, the unity between the goddess and the creatures of the sky is clear. Each bird plays a part in honoring Nanshe, creating a tapestry of reverence and devotion.

The Gathering and Attributes of Birds

Next the tale goes on to list the various attributes of the different creatures of the air as they approach the call of the goddess.  Intertwining the mythical and the natural.  

• The voiceless bat flits silently through the skies.
• The mythical Anzu bird, majestic and wise, plays a role in deciding the fates.
• Another mythical bird, a sharp-toothed bird whispers ancient wisdom, secrets of the ages.
• The fierce lammergeier (a bearded vulture), a true hunter, brings down wild bulls and stags with ease.
• Ravens, their eggs shining like treasures, guard their precious nests.
• Ostriches watch over their eggs with fierce dedication.
• The peacock, a living jewel, dazzles with feathers of red cornelian and blue lapis lazuli, crafted by the gods themselves.
• Vultures, known as weavers, craft intricate patterns with their flights.  
• Another bird lost to the sands of time, the misaz bird, though shrouded in fragments of the ancient writings, hints at hidden tales.    
• The mythical green snake-eater bird moves like a shadow among the reeds. It glides gracefully through the air, a flash of emerald in the skies.  
• Another bird of lost or mythical origin, the gubi bird, adds layers to this tapestry of winged beings.  

Each bird, with its unique song and story, contributes to the living, breathing narrative of the skies, forever intertwined with the goddess’s grace and power.

In Nanshe’s mystical domain, the birds are as varied as the stars. This is a world where every bird holds a key to the divine mysteries of nature.

The Niggurmudum Birds’ Lament

In the desolate desert of Keš (Kish), the mythical or now extinct niĝgurmudum bird appears.  This mythical bird appears, a bearer of property and sorrow. It roams the desolate desert of Kish, its cries a haunting lament. Its lament echoes across the sands, a haunting melody of longing and loss. This bird’s tale is one of eternal search and melancholy, touching the soul with its poignant call.

Niggurmudum bird symbolized loss and the search for what was once treasured. Its mournful song echoed through the sands, weaving a tale of longing and the relentless pursuit of what is dear. In the silent expanse, the niĝgurmudum’s call is a poignant reminder of the ties that bind the past to the present.

The Gathering Of Birds Continues

Other birds fill the skies with their stories.

• A mysterious salsal bird mourns its fate with a soft, mournful cry.
• The egret, a graceful heron, dressed in fine linen, graces the quayside. This heron, a resident of reedbeds, stands tall and silent.
• Mythical giri-ilu bird instills fear with its presence.
• The stork moves with gentle precision.
• Mythical or lost sa bird names its young with care.
• The mythical dubdubu bird sings a song of sorrow, shedding tears like a child.
• The mysterious šegšeg bird’s cries are as heartfelt as a weeping infant, each note a reminder of life’s fragility and beauty.
• Tigilu bird, though only partially described, hints at hidden powers.
• The dove, gentle and serene, coos softly in the fields.
• Pigeon, a humble creature, flutters in the vacant lots.
• The ubi bird and the udar bird move like whispers among the reeds, their presence almost ghostly.
• The heron stands gracefully, a sentinel by the waters.
• Girgid bird, a mythical storm bird, flits through the air, its movements swift and precise.
• Another mythical creature, the dar bird, guardian of secrets, is ever watchful.
• The mythical adardara bird and the very real swallow dart through the marshes, their calls a melody of joy.
• The enigmatic sleep bird sings ‘dilibipila’ as it drifts into slumber.
• Mysterious shepherd bird, bright and crested, cries ‘uludig uludig’.
• The unknown to us, tirida bird echoes its name in the reedbeds.

Concluding Praise for Nanshe

Together, these birds, both real and mythical, create a living symphony, each note a tribute to Nanshe’s sacred realm. Their presence is a testament to the goddess’s boundless love for all creatures, great and small. The harmony of their songs and the beauty of their forms paint a vivid picture of a world where divinity and nature were one.

The tale of Nanshe and The Birds ends with praise to the goddess.  Exclaiming that praising Nanshe is sweet indeed.  “To you who loves the fish and the birds! You who does not belittle! Mistress, Mother Nanshe, it is sweet to praise you!”

Conclusion of Nanshe and The Birds

In the mystical realms, where the sacred meets the earthly, Nanshe reigned as a protector. She guarded the fish that swam in her waters and the birds that soared through her skies. Her divine presence ensured harmony and balance. Each creature sung her praises, their songs sweet and full of reverence.

Nanshe’s role was not just of a goddess, but of a loving guardian. To praise Nanshe was to celebrate the beauty and mystery of life itself.

Through this tale we discover the rich natural and mythical world of ancient Sumer.  Some birds we recognize today, like raven and the swallow.  Some like Anzu Bird we have met in other myths.  Other birds are lost to the sands of time.  It is now up to us to determine and discover if these birds actually existed in our realm and are now extinct.  Or were they just visiting us from a different realm, the realm of the gods.

This myth invites us to look beyond the physical and into the mystical.  To look at creatures, both known and unknown, and to see the cosmic balance and  listen to the celestial harmony of the seen and the unseen.

References

Faculty of Oriental Studies, Nanše and the birds (Nanše C) (The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, 2006) https://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=t.4.14.3