Ereshkigal
Irkalla
Queen of the Mesopotamian underworld and sister of Inanna.
Ereshkigal rules the 'land of no return', where the dead live in dust and darkness. When her sister Inanna descends uninvited, Ereshkigal has her stripped at seven gates and killed. In a later myth, the god Nergal comes to the underworld and becomes her husband and co-ruler.
Symbols
In the ancient sources
Sumerian and Akkadian texts
- Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld, prologue At the beginning of the world, the underworld is given to Ereshkigal as her share.
- Descent of Inanna 114–122 Told that her sister is at the gate, she slaps her thigh, bites her lip and orders the seven gates bolted.
- Descent of Inanna 226–272 Enki's two beings find her lying in anguish 'on account of her children', and win her favor by echoing her cries.
- Descent of Ishtar (Akkadian) Hearing that Ishtar has come, Ereshkigal's face turns pale as a cut tamarisk.
- Nergal and Ereshkigal (Akkadian) Nergal storms her throne room and drags her by the hair; she offers to be his wife and share the kingship of the underworld, and he accepts.
'Irkalla' is usually a name for the underworld itself, though it is sometimes used for its queen. The Descent of Inanna ends with praise of Ereshkigal.
Cross-checked against these texts and records, in public-domain or freely available versions where they exist. Line, section and chapter numbers follow the standard editions, so a particular translation may differ slightly.
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These mix ancient attributes with modern associations from contemporary pagan and magical practice; the modern ones weren't part of her original worship.