Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Storm, Wind
Archetype:
Storm God
Destroyer
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Hadad, Haddad, Immer, Immes, Ishkur, Iskur, Martu, Mer, Mir, Mur, Wer
Other Pantheons:
Assyrian = Mer
Babylonian = Marduk
Ishkur was known as the storm god.
He controlled rain and thunderstorms.
Ishkur brought both life-giving rain and destructive storms.
He had power over nature, shown through weather control.
Displayed duality as a bringer of both growth and destruction.
Had a connection to agriculture, due to his control over rain.
Siblings:
Ereshkigal – goddess of Underworld as Queen of The Dead
Inanna – goddess of Fertility, Love, War, Procreation
Numushda – god of Flooding
Utu – god of Sun, Justice
Consorts:
Shala – goddess of Storm, Fertility of Crops
Possibly also
Adgarkidu – goddess of Mountains
Children:
None Known
Depicted in iconography with lightning bolts, often riding a bull, symbolizing his stormy nature.
Ishkur held the title “Lord of the Good Tree.”
Portrayed as a god of rain and thunderstorms.
Visualized in the form of a great bull.
When depicted in human form, he often held a lightning fork.
Known for his ambivalent nature, beneficial for agriculture or harmful through storms.
Associated with both life-giving and destructive properties of rain and flood.
Represented standing on or beside a bull, brandishing lightning bolts.
Involved in warfare, depicted as a warrior god due to his control over storms.
Played a role in divination and justice alongside the sun god Shamash.
Weapons:
Lighting Bolt or Lighting Fork
Ishkur often held a lightning fork. This was his symbol and weapon.
Sacred Animals:
The great bull was his visual representation.
Ushumgal, the lion-dragon was associated with him.
Symbolism:
The lightning fork was a key symbol for Ishkur.
He represented the powerful and dual nature of storms, both nurturing and destructive.
Celestial Associations:
No planets were found to be associated with Ishkur
Realms:
Ishkur was connected to the sky and storms.
He ruled over rain and thunder, influencing agriculture and weather.
Worship Places:
People worshipped Ishkur all over Mesopotamia.
His main temple was in Karkar, called the “House of Great Storms.”
He had temples in cities like Babylon, Sippar, Nippur, Ur, and Uruk.
Rituals & Divinations:
Generally, he was worshipped to bring rain for crops and to prevent destructive storms.
Ishkur was linked to divination, especially in predicting weather and agricultural outcomes.
He worked with the sun god Shamash in divination practices.
Ishkur played a role in the myth of ‘Enki and Sumer: The Organization of the Earth and Its Cultural Processes’ and in ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’.
In myths, Ishkur destroyed rebellious lands with wind and made them barren.
He was also seen as a protector, bringing rain to help crops grow.
In stories, Ishkur was also a warlike figure, showing his destructive side.
Visit All Sumerian Gods & Goddesses
- Emily Rodriguez, Ishkur Mesopotamian god (Britannica Encyclopedia, May 17, 2023)
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- Kathryn Stevens, Iškur/Adad (god) (Oracc and the UK Higher Education Academy, 2019)
- Multiple Authors, Hadad (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, 22 February 2024)
- Multiple Authors, Wer (od) (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, 11 March 2023)
- Samuel Noah Kramer, Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual And Literary Achievement in the Third Millenium B.C. (General Press, 2021)