Kurr decided to kidnap Ereshkigal, so the underworld opened for him, and he emerged to the heights.
At night, he kidnapped Ereshkigal, placed her in his chariot
and headed towards the underworld, where the demons and evil spirits held a grand celebration for him
rejoicing at his arrival with Ereshkigal, Lady of the Earth.
They made Kurr the king of the underworld and Ereshkigal its queen.
However, the old Kurr died that night, causing them to mourn him, and Ereshkigal remained in her palace, a prisoner of the underworld and its ruler.
The demons, evil spirits, and gods of the underworld approached her, saying,
You are the queen of our world, so rule it with justice.
We will serve you, elevate your status among the gods, and grant you control over all corners of the underworld.
You will have authority over it, and you can reorganize and manage its affairs."
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| Ereshkigal Queen of the Underworld |
Ereshkigal agreed to what the demons of the underworld had decided.
She ascended the throne, placed the crown on her head, and held the scepter.
She said, I will manage the affairs of this world, establish its laws and maps. It belongs to me, and I am its mistress.
I will have a greater status here than in the upper world.
She met with the demons of the underworld and informed them of her plan to manage the affairs of the underworld, ensuring they worked day and night to make it a great world befitting a goddess like her.
The demons worked diligently, digging the borders of the underworld, which was topped by the waters of Apsu.
They dug the course of its great river (Ilurugu), which extends from the surface of the upper world, encircling the underworld.
Ereshkigal appointed Khumut-Tabal as the ferryman for this river.
His head resembled that of the bird (Zu), carrying the soul of the dead god in his boat.
After the great river, they built the seven walls of the underworld, each with a grand gate guarded by a mighty deity.
She appointed guardians from the demons and evil spirits, calling them the (Kala), who patrolled between the walls.
Beyond the seventh wall, they built a magnificent palace for Ereshkigal, unmatched in its grandeur, made of lapis lazuli, and named it the Palace of Justice (Egal-Kina).
Lesser gods and demons resided with her. They built smaller palaces for the priests and elders among the gods.
After organizing the entrances to the underworld, Ereshkigal granted ranks and honors, deciding on the forms, creations, and positions for the demons of the underworld.
She appointed Namtar as her minister, giving him a sword and authority over sixty types of diseases and plagues.
Namtar, whose head resembled that of a dragon, wore a crown on his head, had legs like those of a bird, and stood with his left foot on a crocodile.
The wicked Utuku had the head of a lion and hands like an eagle. Mamitu had the head of a goat and human hands and feet.
The god Ishum was appointed as the minister of Erra, holding the position of the great messenger and advisor of the gods.
She divided the hordes of demons and evil spirits that roamed and guarded the underworld into groups, including the soul-taker, the saboteur, the night spirit, or the night demon.
They were neither male nor female, destructive winds without wives or offspring, showing no compassion or mercy.
They were like wild spirits in the mountains, hostile to the god Ea, bearers of the gods' throne, standing in the paths and contaminating them.
They were pure evil, moving through thick high walls like a flood, passing from house to house, with no door or lock to stop them.
Some of them slipped through doors like snakes, rushing through openings like the wind, snatching wives from their husbands' arms, taking children from their fathers' laps, and taking gods from their families.
Each one of them attacked a body part. Ereshkigal gave great names to her kingdom, calling it the great land of Kiklu or Ki-Kal, Arali, and the underworld in Akkadian Arṣītu Šapiltu, and the middle earth in Akkadian Arṣītu Qablītu, the land of the dead, and the land of lamentation.
She gave these names to the demons and evil spirits, who chanted her name and gave her new titles:
Arkkalla, Laz, Mamitu, Nakru, Akhatu Rabbitu meaning their great sister, Rabātu Ṣīrttu meaning their exalted princess, Attu Rabbītu meaning their great goddess, Tamtu, and Lady of the Earth.
Everyone chanted her blessings, power, and strength, granting her absolute sovereignty over the underworld.
For those who prefer visual content, you can watch the video below that covers the same topic in detail.
Ereshkigal Queen of the Underworld │ Sumerian and Babylonian Mythology │ Myths of Mesopotamia