Summary page for Uttu, the Sumerian goddess of plants, weaving, and earth.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Plants, Weaving, Earth
Archetype:
Harvest Deity: Linked to fertility and the abundance of crops.
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Uttu, Uttukki, Uttukku, Uttuku, Utukku
Goddess of weaving, skilled in crafting textiles and colored wool.
Revered as a deity of fertility for crops, plants, and livestock.
Associated with agricultural abundance and the earth’s growth.
Played a key role in myths about the cycle of life and order.
Depicted as a calm, diligent, and conscientious force in myths.
Helped restore order by ending harmful cycles in mythological stories.
Honored for her contributions to both craftsmanship and agriculture.
Parents:
Enki – god of Water, Fish, Justice, Wisdom, Magic, Shipmenders, Crafts, Healing, Fertility, Art, Exorcism
Ninkurru – goddess of Land, Artisans, Sculptors
Siblings:
None Known
Consorts:
Ninkurra – god of Artisans
Children:
None Known
Often portrayed as a spider goddess symbolizing weaving and intricate craftsmanship.
Depicted symbolically through weaving tools, such as looms and threads.
Early Dynastic seals featured spider motifs linked to female weavers.
Her name’s writing connected her to weaving and textile production.
Collaborated with Inanna in spinning yarn in incantations, reinforcing her weaving role.
Spiders in art symbolized her influence, though this interpretation is debated.
Associated with colored wool and its significance in weaving traditions.
Weapons:
No weapons were associated with Uttu in myths or iconography.
Sacred Animals:
No sacred animals, birds, or creatures were linked to Uttu.
Symbolism:
Spiders symbolized weaving, reflecting her role as the goddess of weaving.
Spider motifs appeared on Early Dynastic seals connected to female weavers.
The loom and weaving tools represented her craftsmanship and creative skills.
Colored wool is associated with her, indicating her domain over weaving and creation.
Associated with plants, symbolizing fertility, growth, and agricultural abundance.
Celestial Associations:
No associations with celestial bodies, stars, moons, or the sun were recorded.
Her symbolism focused on weaving, fertility, and plants, not celestial elements.
Realms:
Uttu was associated with the earth and plants, indicating her influence over the natural world and vegetation.
Her realms were tied to sacred urban spaces rather than cosmic domains.
Worshiped in the E-ešgar, part of the Esagil temple complex in Babylon.
She was associated with an Umma temple built during the Early Dynastic period.
Worship Places:
Worshiped in the E-ešgar, part of the Esagil temple complex in Babylon.
She was also honored in a temple in Umma, built during the Early Dynastic period.
Rituals & Divinations:
Mentioned in two bilingual Sumero-Akkadian incantations from the neo-Assyrian period.
Participated in rituals with Inanna involving spinning yarn and weaving.
Incantations suggest ceremonial acts seeking blessings for weaving or textile production.
Mythology Themes
Divine Roles: Highlighted in myths assigning domains and organizing the pantheon.
Civilization’s Dawn: Symbolized technological progress in stories about weaving and early societies.
Mythology Stories With Mentions of Uttu
Enki and Ninhursag: Uttu was seduced by Enki. Ninhursag, Enki’s wife, saved Uttu by removing Enki’s influence and growing plants.
Enki and the World Order: Depicted as awaiting her assigned domain, emphasizing divine order. Uttu’s role concluded the narrative shifts, highlighting the distribution of power and domains among gods.
The Debate between Grain and Sheep: Represented a pre-civilization age before weaving began.
Visit All Sumerian Gods & Goddesses
- 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)
- Samuel Noah Kramer, Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual And Literary Achievement in the Third Millenium B.C. (General Press, 2021)
- Multiple Authors, Uttu (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, 12 July 2024)