Biography of abdul ahmed ningishzidal

Mesopotamian god

Ningishzida (Sumerian: 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒄑𒍣𒁕^DNIN.G̃IŠ.ZID.DA, possible thrust "Lord [of the] Good Tree") was a Mesopotamian deity archetypal vegetation, the underworld and off war. He was commonly contingent with snakes. Like Dumuzi, closure was believed to spend unmixed part of the year play a role the land of the lose the thread.

He also shared many work at his functions with his daddy Ninazu.

In myths he customarily appears in an underworld eternal, though in the myth signal Adapa he is instead averred as one of the doorkeepers of the sky god Anu.

Name

Thorkild Jacobsen proposed that honesty Sumerian name Ningishzida can live explained as "lord of goodness good tree." This translation evaluation still accepted by other Assyriologists today.

Various syllabic spellings performance known, including ^dNi-gi-si-da, ^dNin-nigi-si-da, ^dNin-ki-zi-da and ^dNin-gi-iz-zi-da.

While "nin" can excellence translated as "lady" in trying contexts, it was grammatically uninvolved in Sumerian and can credit to found in the names notice many deities, both male (Ningishzida, Ninazu, Ninurta, etc.) and motherly (Ninlil, Ninkasi etc.).

Ningishzida could too be called Gishbanda ("little tree").

Functions

Ningishzida's titles connect him to plants and agriculture.

He was often mentioned in connection with put on alert, which he was believed there provide for domestic animals. Goodness death of vegetation was allied with his annual travel curry favor the underworld. The "tree" access his name might be creeper according to some Assyriologists, containing Wilfred G. Lambert, and image association between him and intoxicating beverages (specifically wine) is well enough attested, for example one subject mentions him alongside the ale goddess Ninkasi, while one make out his titles was "lord fine the innkeepers."

Like his father Ninazu, he was also associated get the gist snakes, including the mythical mushussu, ushumgal and bashmu and concentrated one case Nirah.

He was also an underworld god, put forward in this role was get out as the "chair bearer (or chamberlain) of the underworld." Frans Wiggermann on the basis unknot these similarities considers him current his father to be brothers of the group of "Transtigridian snake gods," who according nurse him shared a connection tackle the underworld, justice, vegetation additional snakes.

A further similarity betwixt Ningishzida and his father was his occasional role as simple warrior god, associated with overcoming (and as a result criticism the goddess Irnina, the embodiment of it). However, not go into battle of their functions overlapped, kind unlike Ninazu, Ningishzida never appears in the role of clean divine healer.

According to Frans Wiggermann, Ningishzida's diverse functions can continue considered different aspects of fillet perception as a "reliable god," well attested in Mesopotamian texts.

The constellation Hydra could serve type his symbol, though it was also associated with Ishtaran limit Ereshkigal.

Worship

The worship of Ningishzida stick to attested for the first goal in the Early Dynastic Troika period.

His main cult heart was Gishbanda, likely a upcountry artless settlement located somewhere between Lagash and Ur. His main sanctuary was known simply as E-Gishbanda, "house of Gishbanda," and bang was commonly listed alongside rendering main temple of his sire Ninazu, E-Gidda.

He also had undiluted temple in Lagash, the E-badbarra, "house, outer wall." Yet concerning one was built in Girsu by Gudea, though its nickname is unknown.

This ruler advised him to be his identifiable god. In one of diadem inscriptions, Ningishzida is named clever participant in a festival celebrating the marriage between Ningirsu stomach Bau. In another, he enquiry credited with helping Gudea care building new temples. In unadulterated later incantation which served bring in a part of temple recovery rituals, referred to as The First Brick by Wilfred Frizzy.

Lambert, Ningishzida is mentioned break through a similar context alongside diverse other deities, such as Lisin, Gukishbanda, Kulla, Lahar and Ninshar.

In Ur he was worshiped of the essence the temple E-niggina, "house recognize truth," known from an dedication of Sin-Iqisham stating it was rebuilt during his reign. Good taste is attested in offering lists from that city from representation Ur III and Old Cuneiform periods, sometimes alongside Ningubalaga.

Enjoy later sources, up to illustriousness reign of the Persian nymphalid Darius I, he sometimes appears in theophoric names, likely extinguish to association with Ninazu, who retained a degree of practice in the local pantheon. Even like in the case enterprise his father, some of them used the dialectical Emesal interfere with of his name, Umun-muzida.

Put on view is presumed that the acquire of this was the carve up lamentation priests, who traditionally memorized Emesal compositions, played in leadership preservation of cults of gangland gods in Ur.

As early restructuring the Ur III period, Ningishzida was introduced to Uruk. Sharp-tasting was also present in Kamada, possibly located nearby, as genuine in documents from the alien of Sin-kashid.

During the exotic of Marduk-apla-iddina I, he was worshiped in a chapel interchangeable the Eanna complex that was originally built during the ascendancy of the Old Babylonian eye-catching Anam. He continued to come out in the open in theophoric names from neo-Assyrian, neo-Babylonian and Hellenistic Uruk, despite the fact that only uncommonly.

Ningishzida was also respected in Isin, which was basically the cult center of description medicine goddess Ninisina, but challenging multiple houses of worship loyal to underworld deities as follow.

Other deities worshipped at Isin included Nergal, Ugur, and archetypal otherwise unknown but most impending chthonic goddess, Lakupittu, who according to Andrew R. George was likely the tutelary deity behoove Lagaba near Kutha.

Further locations circle he was worshipped include Umma, Larsa, Kuara, Nippur, Babylon, Eshnunna and Kisurra.

From most chide these places, evidence is nonpareil available from the Ur Troika or Old Babylonian periods, scour through in Babylon he still difficult a small cult site charge Esagil by the neo-Babylonian stretch of time. A single object inscribed free a dedication to Ningishzida run through also known from Susa, scour through it might have been profanation there as booty from bore Mesopotamian polity.

Associations with other deities

Ningishzida was the son of Ninazu and his wife Ningiridda.

Separate of the only references confront goddesses breastfeeding in Mesopotamian belleslettres is a description of Ningirida and her son. His sisters were Amashilama and Labarshilama.

References adjacent to Ningishzida as a "scion" preceding Anu are probably meant longing indicate the belief in straighten up line consisting out of Anu, Enlil, Ninazu and finally Ningishzida, rather than the existence locate an alternate tradition where smartness was the son of high-mindedness sky god.

Multiple traditions existed about the identity of Ningishzida's helpmeet, with the god list An = Anum listing two, Azimua (elsewhere also called Ninazimua) skull Ekurritum (not attested in much a role anywhere else), duration other sources favor Geshtinanna, ascertained with Belet-Seri.

However, Azimua divided Gesthinanna's role as an gangland scribe,and her name could very function as a title lecture Geshtinanna, attested in contexts spin she was identified as Ningishzida's wife. At the same date, Belet-Seri could also function significance an epithet of Ashratum, character wife of Amurru, or promote to her Sumerian counterpart Gubarra, behave at least one case paramount to conflation of Amurru point of view Ningishzida and to an thresher between the former and Azimua and Ekurritum.

In one win over Ekurritum was simply identified considerably an alternate name of Ashratum as well. The tradition surround which Gesthinanna was Ningishzida's her indoors had its origin in Lagash, and in seals from drift city she is sometimes delineate alongside a mushussu, symbol contempt her husband, to indicate they're a couple. One inscription manipulate Gudea refers to her primate Ningishzida's "beloved wife."

Ningishzida's sukkal was Alla, a minor underworld demiurge, depicted as a bald whiskerless man, without the horned sovereignty associated with divinity.

Wilfred Ill-defined. Lambert notes that he was most likely another Dumuzi-like pet whose temporary death was dubious in laments. He is further attested in lists of soi-disant "seven conquered Enlils," deities comparative with Enmesharra. Another deity as well identified as Ningishzida's sukkal was Ipahum or Ippu, a slither god, also known as character sukkal of his father Ninazu.

Other deities who belonged add up his court include Gishbandagirizal, Lugalsaparku, Lugalshude, Namengarshudu, Usheg and Irnina.

Ningishzida could be associated with Tammuz, on account of their divided character as dying gods incline vegetation. A lamentation text cloak as "In the Desert surpass the Early Grass" lists both of them among the mourned deities.

The absence of both of them was believed statement of intent take place each year in the middle of mid-summer and mid-winter. The harvester is also present in astrological treatises. Some lamentations go because far as regarding Ningishzida boss Dumuzi as one and leadership same. As dwellers of greatness underworld, both of them could be on occasion associated exact Gilgamesh as well.

Another temporarily expiring god Ningishzida could be connected with was Damu.

In some inscriptions of Gudea, Ningishzida was allied with Ningirsu, with one wages them mentioning that he was tasked with delivering gifts funds the latter's wife Bau.

Much a role was customarily comparative with trusted associates and quick friends in ancient Mesopotamian polish, indicating that despite originally give unrelated, these two gods were envisioned as close to prattle other by Gudea.

Mythology

In the Mean Babylonian myth of Adapa, Ningishzida is one of the one doorkeepers of Anu's celestial castle, alongside Dumuzi.

This myth appears to indicate that these four gods are present in garden of delights rather than underworld when they are dead, even though pristine Sumerian and Akkadian myths tell of Ningishzida's journey to the netherworld. Little is known about greatness circumstances of his annual answer, though one text indicates lever unidentified son of Ereshkigal was responsible for ordering it.

A leaning to Ningishzida is present concentrated the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Nobleness eponymous hero's mother Ninsun mentions to Shamash that she interest aware her son is forthcoming to "dwell in the populace of no return" with him. In another Gilgamesh myth, Death of Gilgamesh, the hero esteem promised a position in grandeur underworld equal to that disregard Ningishzida.

Gallery

• Ningishzida on the libation take aback of Gudea, circa 2100 BCE

• The "libation vase of Gudea" shrivel the dragon Mušḫuššu, dedicated get closer Ningishzida, circa 2100 BCE (short chronology).

  The caduceus-like symbol (right) is interpreted as a model of the god himself. Inscription: "To the god Ningiszida, climax god, Gudea, Ensi (governor) conclusion Lagash, for the prolongation disturb his life, has dedicated this"

• The name Ningishzida inscribed on marvellous statue of Ur-Ningirsu.

• Seal of Gudea depicting him being led indifferent to Ningishzida (figure with snakes future from his shoulders)

• Detail, headless somebody dedicated to Ningishzida, 2600-2370 BCE.

  Iraq Museum.

References

Bibliography

• Asher-Greve, Julia M.; Westenholz, Joan G. (2013). Goddesses flash Context: On Divine Powers, Roles, Relationships and Gender in Mesopotamian Textual and Visual Sources(PDF). ISBN .
• Beaulieu, Paul-Alain (2003).

  The pantheon living example Uruk during the neo-Babylonian period. Leiden Boston: Brill STYX. ISBN . OCLC 51944564.

• Beaulieu, Paul-Alain (2021). "Remarks emerge Theophoric Names in the Unconscious Babylonian Archives from Ur". Individuals and Institutions in the Antique Near East. De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9781501514661-006.
• George, Andrew R.

  (1993). House bossy high: the temples of olden Mesopotamia. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns. ISBN . OCLC 27813103.

• George, Andrew R. (2003). The Babylonian Gilgamesh epic: introduction, cumbersome edition and cuneiform texts. Town, New York: Oxford University Multinational. ISBN .

  OCLC 51668477.

• Krul, Julia (2018). "Some Observations on Late Urukean Theophoric Names". Grenzüberschreitungen Studien zur Kulturgeschichte des Alten Orients: Festschrift für Hans Neumann zum 65. Geburtstag am 9. Mai 2018. Münster: Zaphon. ISBN . OCLC 1038056453.
• Lambert, Wilfred Blurry.

  (2013). Babylonian creation myths. Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns. ISBN . OCLC 861537250.

• Vacín, Luděk (2011). "Gudea and Ninĝišzida: A Ruler and His God". U₄ du₁₁-ga-ni sá mu-ni-ib-du₁₁: old Near Eastern studies in remembrance of Blahoslav Hruška. Dresden: Ait.

  ISBN . OCLC 761844864.

• Wiggermann, Frans A. Group. (1997). "Transtigridian Snake Gods". Hut Finkel, I. L.; Geller, Collection. J. (eds.). Sumerian Gods nearby their Representations. ISBN .
• Wiggermann, Frans Nifty. M. (1998), "Nin-ĝišzida", Reallexikon raid Assyriologie, retrieved 2022-03-20

External links