Ishtar’s Descent into the Underworld (Full Text)

Ishtar (Sumerian: Inanna) and her descent into the land of no return, to meet Erishkigal, the goddess of death and Queen of the Underworld. While Ishtar is there, all sexual activity on Earth ceases, and Ea, king of the gods, creates a eunuch with which to persuade Erishkigal to release Ishtar. Although the text read is from the Library of Ashurbanipal in the 7th century BC, the story is also known from much earlier Sumerian texts. Commentary on this text: Sources: Follow Ancient Recitations for extra content on Facebook: