Summary page for Namtar, the Sumerian god of disease, plagues, fate, and death.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Fate, Plagues, Disease, Death
Archetype:
Underworld Servant: Served as vizier and attendant to Ereshkigal and Nergal. Kept evil spirits imprisoned below
Destroyer: Spread disease, especially headaches and heart pain. Personified fate and unavoidable death
Group:
Underworld Deities: He was one of the Seven Gods of the Netherworld. Honored alongside deities like Nergal, Gilgamesh, and Dumuzi.
Disease Demons – Worked with Asag to spread plagues and afflictions.
Other Names (a.k.a.):
dnam-ta-ru, Lugal-namtarra, Namtar, Namtaru
Other Pantheons:
Babylonian Pantheon: Linked to Irra, the Babylonian plague god
Canaanite Pantheon: Compared to Mot, the god of death.
God of Fate: Represented unavoidable destiny and death.
Bringer of Disease: Spread plagues, headaches, and heart pain
Underworld Messenger: Served as Ereshkigal’s vizier and divine herald.
Gatekeeper of the Underworld: Controlled spirits and imprisoned malevolent forces
The Ultimate Executioner: Using his sword of judgement he delivered the final blow of the fate.
Parents:
Mardula’anki a.k.a Ḫumussiru: Was mentioned in early god lists as his mother.
Alternate Parentage: One incantation calls him the son of Enlil and Ereshkigal
Enlil: god of Air, Earth, Storms, Wind, Agriculture, Fate, and Destiny
Ereshkigal: goddess of Underworld as Queen of The Dead
Siblings:
None Known
Consorts:
Husbishag: goddess of the Underworld, Keeper of Person’s Time of Death
Children:
Hedimmeku: Was sometimes listed as Namtar’s child, but she was also linked to Enki
Limited Artistic Evidence: No known sculptures or reliefs of Namtar.
Demonic Presence: In texts he was described as terrifying and ominous.
Fearsome Features: Had twisted hands and a mouth filled with venom.
Underworld Slayer: Described as a killer with a sword.
Weapons:
Sword of Death: Was depicted slaying a man with a sword. Symbolized death’s inescapable grip.
Sacred Animals:
Possible Mouse Association – His mother’s name, Ḫumussiru, meant “mouse” in one source. However, no other direct links between Namtar and the mouse exists.
Symbolism:
Fate and Death: Represented unavoidable destiny, mortality, and predestined suffering.
Celestial Associations:
None Known
Realms:
The Underworld (Irkalla/Kur): He served as Ereshkigal’s vizier and enforcer. Oversaw spirits and maintained order in the underworld.
The Realm of Plagues and Disease: Spread plagues and afflictions in the mortal world.
Worship Places:
No Dedicated Temples: There are no records of temples or worship centers that were dedicated to Namtar.
Rituals & Divinations:
Funerary Offerings: Namtar received posthumous gifts in the underworld, including animals, jewels, and weapons.
Healing & Exorcistic Rituals: Ninisina and Asalluhi were invoked to counteract diseases linked to Namtar, showing his role as a destroyer in protective magic and exorcisms.
Festivals:
No Known Festivals – No recorded holidays, seasonal rites, or celebrations dedicated to him.
Namtar – Mythology Themes
Descent to the Netherworld: Served as Ereshkigal’s messenger in underworld myths.
Specters and Spirit: Controlled malevolent spirits and oversaw death-related rituals.
Bringer of Divine Punishment: Inflicted diseases and enforced the will of the gods.
Underworld Offerings: Received gifts in funerary rites for the dead.
Namtar – Mythology Story Mentions
Nergal and Ereshkigal: Summoned Nergal after he insulted Ereshkigal.
Atrahasis: Chosen by Enlil to punish humanity through death.
Enki and Ninmah: Attended a divine banquet celebrating human creation.
Death of Gilgamesh: Received offerings as part of death rituals.
Death of Ur-Namma: Honored in the underworld among the seven gods of the dead.
Visit All Sumerian Gods & Goddesses
- Matt Clayton, Sumerian Mythology: Captivating Myths Of Gods, Goddesses, And Legendary Creatures of Ancient Sumer and Their Importance To The Sumerians (Captivating History, 2019)
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- Multiple Authors, Namtar (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, 31 October 2024)
- Samuel Noah Kramer, The Sumerians Their History, Culture, and Character (The University of Chicago Press, 1963) Pages 130-131
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Ereshkigal Mesopotamian goddess (Encyclopedia Britannica, Jul 20, 1998)