Inanna and An

Inanna decided to bring the temple of heaven, the temple E-ana, from heaven to earth and to claim it for herself. Her brother, the youthful Utu, the god of justice, supported her idea. The king for whom the E-ana was intended also, in his wisdom, supported it.

Inanna told Utu that she had already slept with An to ask him for the temple, but An would not give her the temple because he had tied his influence on earth to his E-ana temple. Nevertheless, she wanted to bring the temple to earth. As far as Utu was concerned, he was to follow her instructions, which he solemnly swore to do.

When Inanna set off in her boat, Adabgir, the fisherman, accompanied her on a Magur cargo ship. Meanwhile, the E-ana that Adabgir wants to tow is drifting on the ocean of heaven. [An?] raised the evil winds to prevent Adabgir from doing so. The E-ana sank in the process. The evil storms sank it in the thicket of reeds. Adabgir used his large net to rescue it from the floods on Inanna’s behalf.

Šul-a-zida, An’s shepherd, attached the e-ana to a rope so that it could be towed like an animal on a leash. Now the waters could no longer flood the e-ana and the evil winds could no longer harm it. Now the Udug gods of protection surrounded the E-ana and the distant sky god An could no longer reach it. Šul-a-zida handed over the E-ana to Utu.

Then they started to bring E-ana down to earth. While Inanna drank from the river Ulaja, the border river between heaven and earth, Utu transported the E-ana across this dangerous border. Next, the E-ana had to be transported along a narrow path to be brought out of the sky. This path was guarded by a giant scorpion. Inanna attacked the scorpion and chopped off its stinger. Then Inanna gave Utu a signal. The youthful Utu followed Inanna’s instructions, as he had promised with great oaths. When Utu, the sun god, set in the evening, he dropped it on the horizon through the narrow path and took the E-ana with him. Through this, Inanna actually succeeded in bringing the heavenly house E-ana down to earth.

Inanna has elevated herself by obtaining the E-ana. An realizes this and admits that Inanna has gained more influence on earth by obtaining the E-ana than he has. He also remarks that Inanna has shortened the light, the period of brightness, by procuring the E-ana. An remains in possession of the temple, but Inanna uses it from now on. An decrees that the E-ana should be enduring like the sky, and he decrees that Inanna should make people numerous. Inanna remarks that with the procurement of the E-ana a new era has been ushered in: the temple E-ana of Uruk becomes the nucleus and the innermost core of all Sumer.