Summary page for Ninhursag, the Sumerian goddess of earth, mountains, animals, wildlife, birth, and fertility.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Mountains, Earth, Animals, Wildlife, Birth, Fertility
Archetype:
Earth Mother: Embodied nurturing, creation, and fertility.
Creator: One of Sumer’s four primary creating deities.
Protector: Guarded families, women, and children.
Harvest Deity: Represented soil’s bounty and nature’s richness.
Group:
Member of the Anunnaki, a revered class of Sumerian gods.
Included among Sumer’s chief gods, alongside An, Enlil, and Enki.
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Aruru, Damgalnuna, Damgalnunna, Dingirmah, Lady of the Great Mountain, Lady of the Mountain, Lady of the Wild Hills, Mami, Nin Mar Ki, Nin Me En, Ningikuga, Ningikugal, Ningursag, Ninharsag, Ninhursag, Ninhursaga, Ninhursagga, Ninimma, Nin-Imma, Ninkharsag, Ninkhursag, Ninmah, Ninmar, Ninmena, Ninna, Ninsikil, Ninskilla, Nintu, Nintur, Nintua Kalamma, Nintuama Kalamma, Virgin Lady
Other Pantheons:
Linked to Gaia in Greek mythology.
Associated with Hathor in Egyptian beliefs.
Paralleled Cybele, or Magna Mater, in Roman traditions.
Known as a nurturing mother goddess of fertility and growth.
Featured among Sumer’s four chief creator gods with Anu, Enlil, and Enki.
Ranked highly among gods, second only to Enlil in some myths.
Depicted as all-powerful, able to both curse and heal gods.
Revered as the “Mother of Gods” and “Mother of Men.”
She was honored for creating divine and mortal beings.
Seen as the protector of women and children.
She held power over birth, conception, and family protection.
Influenced kingship, supporting rulers and their stability.
Governed productivity, bringing bounty from even rocky soil.
Commanded wildlife, especially in foothills and desert regions.
Siblings:
Enki – god of Water, Fish, Justice, Wisdom, Magic, Shipmenders, Crafts, Healing, Fertility, Art, Exorcism
Enlil – god of Air, Earth, Storms, Wind, Agriculture
Gatumdug – goddess of Fertility, Healing
Nunbarshegunu – goddess of Flood, Justice, Grain, Scribal Arts, Writing, Accounting, Surveying, Wisdom
Consorts:
Sulpae – god of Wildlife, Fertility, and Sky. Also, the Lord of Demons
Enki – god of Water, Fish, Justice, Wisdom, Magic, Shipmenders, Crafts, Healing, Fertility, Art, Exorcism
Enlil – god of Air, Earth, Storms, Wind, Agriculture
Children:
Children of Ninhursag and Sulpae
Ashshirgi – god of Protection – tutelary god of Adab and Kesh
Lisin – goddess of god or goddess of Fire
Mululil – god of Scholars, a Dying god, god of Adab
Children of Ninhursag and Enlil
Emes – god of Summer, Vegetation
Enten – god of Winter, Fertility, Farming
Ninurta – god of Law, Scribal Arts, Writing, War, Healing, Hunting, Farming
Children:
Children of Ninhursag and Enki
Ningal – goddess of the Moon
Ninsikila – god or goddess of Purity
Ninsar – goddess of Plants
Children:
Gods created by Ninhursag to heal Enki
Abu – god of Plants, Vegetation
Nintul – god of Protection of Magan
Ninsutu – goddess of Healing
Ninkasi – goddess of Fulfilling Wishes, Beer, Wine
Nanshe – goddess of Sea, Fish and Fishing, Marshlands, Divination, Dream Interpretation, Justice, Social Welfare
Azimua – goddess, a Scribe Of The Underworld
Ninti – goddess of Calendars
Enshagag – god of Dilmun, was appointed by Enki as Lord of Dilmun
Frequently associated with mountains, called the “Lady of the Mountain.”
Sat upon mountainous terrain in statues and reliefs.
Sometimes, she wore a flat crown and omega-shaped hairstyle.
The omega (Ω) symbol resembled a womb or uterus. Thus associating her with fertility and motherhood.
Depicted nursing or with infants’ heads emerging from her shoulders.
Often shown with a knife, symbolizing birth and umbilical cord cutting.
In temple art, she was featured in a horned headdress and tiered skirt.
The temple art also linked her to deer and rugged wildlife.
Weapons:
None Known
Sacred Animals:
Deer and other wildlife, especially those of the foothills and deserts, were sacred to Ninhursag.
- Onagers (wild asses) represented her power over desert wildlife.
- Foxes were sacred to her and aided her in myths.
- Deer appeared in temple art as symbols of her wild domain.
The lion-headed eagle, or Imdugud, symbolized strength and guarded her temples.
The Igmud eagle, also known as the Imdugud or Anzu bird, was a mythical creature in Mesopotamian mythology. Often depicted as a massive bird, sometimes with a lion’s head. It was a symbol of strength and power.
Symbolism:
The omega (Ω) symbol, resembling a womb, represented her role as a mother goddess.
Sumerians used the omega symbol (Ω) long before Greeks chose it for their alphabet. We call it omega symbol here, not because Sumerians called it omega, but because it is what its known as now.
Mountains symbolized her title as “Lady of the Mountain” and her connection to rugged, fertile lands.
Eight healing plants and deities symbolized her power to create life and heal.
Imdugud eagle friezes with deer highlighted her link to life and wilderness.
Celestial Associations:
Linked to Earth as an earth and fertility goddess.
Realms:
Ruled over Dilmun, a paradise-like realm and earthly garden.
Associated with mountains, symbolizing her title “Lady of the Mountain.”
Held dominion over foothills, deserts, and rugged, fertile terrains.
Revered as the city goddess of Adab and Kish, two ancient Sumerian cities.
Worship Places:
Once the highest-ranking female deity, Ninhursag’s status was later overtaken by Ninlil.
Eridu: E-Kur temple, called the “House of Mountain Deeps,” was associated with her.
Adab: Honored as the city goddess with temples and shrines.
Kish: Revered as a central deity with dedicated places of worship.
Ur: A’annepada, the ruler of Ur, built her a temple.
Lagash (Gigunu of Tirku): Lagash’s royal family dedicated this temple to her.
Kesh: Known as “Belet-ili of Kesh,” with shrines in her honor.
Nippur: Honored in temples during the Ur III period.
Other Cities: Worshiped in Ashur, Uruk, Eridu, Mari, and many Mesopotamian cities.
Rituals & Divinations:
Offerings and Hymns: Sumerians offered prayers, hymns, and gifts in her temples.
Curse of Enki: In myth, Ninhursaga cursed Enki for eating sacred plants, showing her power to afflict and heal.
Curses on Temple Artifacts: Inscriptions, like door sockets, included curses from Ninhursaga to ward off removal, displaying reverence and her protective role.
Mythology Themes:
Creation of Humans: Played a major role in human creation with gods An, Enlil, and Enki.
Companion to Gilgamesh: As Aruru, she created Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s wild companion.
Flood Myth: Participated in the divine council that decided to unleash a universal flood.
Death and Rebirth: Cured Enki of illnesses by creating eight healing deities from plants.
Mythology Stories With Mentions of Ninhursag:
Enki and Ninhursag: In the paradise of Dilmun, she healed Enki after he consumed forbidden plants, creating eight gods to cure his afflictions.
Atrahasis Epic: Cried for the loss of her children during humanity’s creation struggles.
Epic of Gilgamesh: As Aruru, she fashioned Enkidu from clay to be Gilgamesh’s equal.
In the “Anzu Epic,” she supported her son Ninurta, demonstrating her protective and nurturing nature.
Visit All Sumerian Gods & Goddesses
- Arthur Cotterell, Oxford Dictionary of World Mythology (Oxford University Press, 1997)
- Giovanni Pettinato, Ninhursaga (Encyclopedia of Religion, 2005)
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- Joshua J. Mark, Ninhursag (World History Encyclopedia, 26 January 2017))
- 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, Ningikuga (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, 20 November 2022)
- Multiple Authors, Ninhursag (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, 30 December 2023)
- Pettinato, Giovanni, Ninhursaga (Encyclopedia.com, 2005)
- Thinley Kalsang Bhutia, Ninhursag (Britannica Encyclopedia, 02 May, 2018)
- Faculty of Oriental Studies, Ninurta’s return to Nibru: a šir-gida to Ninurta (The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, 2003)