The Divine Powers (Me) in Sumerian Mythology

Definition and Basic Understanding of the Me

The Me belong to the most fascinating concepts of Sumerian culture. They are divine objects that can set cultural processes in motion. They are transferable from one god to another and allow their possessor to introduce cultural innovations. As the myth “Inanna and Enki” makes clear, these cultural innovations encompass the entire spectrum of civilizational achievements: from the high arts of priesthood and kingship to the basic skills of craftsmanship, from the sublime principles of justice to the complex arts of music and writing.

Each Me is closely linked to a civilizational achievement. The existence of a Me presupposes that humans have acquired the cognitive abilities they need to integrate this achievement into their lives and appreciate it. However, the Me describes neither the civilizational achievement itself nor the cognitive ability of humans necessary for it. Rather, the Me gives its possessor the divine legitimation to make and use the respective civilizational innovation. If a god possesses the Me of “kingship,” for example, he can not only establish a kingdom with human rulers but also has the divine right to do so.

The Nature of the Me and Their Mode of Operation

The Me appear paradoxical at first glance: Although they are concrete, transferable objects, their effect is of an abstract nature. They grant their possessor the legitimation to introduce certain cultural innovations. This can be compared to modern symbols of authority: Just as an official chain or state seal grants its bearer the authority to exercise an office, a Me gives its possessor the divine authorization to introduce specific cultural innovations.

This property of the Me is particularly clear in the myth “Inanna and Enki”: The Me are described there as concrete objects that can be transported on a boat. At the same time, their possession empowers Inanna to introduce various aspects of civilization in her city of Uruk. The Me thus function as divine legitimation objects that authorize the introduction of cultural innovations.

Significance of the Me for Sumerian Culture

The Me play a central role in Sumerian culture because they order and legitimize the process of cultural innovation. They ensure that new civilizational achievements are only introduced when humans and gods are ready for them. The existence of a Me indicates that humans have already developed the cognitive prerequisites for a certain cultural innovation. The possession of the Me by a god then legitimizes the actual introduction of this innovation.

This system also explains the spread of cultural achievements between different cities. The transfer of a Me from one god to another was understood as divine legitimation to introduce an already existing permission for making an innovation in another area. The myth “Inanna and Enki” describes, for example, how Inanna through acquiring various Me was authorized to introduce numerous cultural achievements first in Uruk.

Transmission of the Me in Various Mythical Sources

The most detailed information about the Me as divine legitimation objects comes from the myth “Inanna and Enki.” The clay tablets of this myth were written down in the Isin-Larsa period (about 2000-1800 BC) but describe events from a much earlier time — around 3500 BC.

Other important sources such as “Inanna and the Huluppu Tree” or “Inanna Brings the House of Heaven to Earth” show further aspects of the Me. They make clear that Me can not only be transferred between gods but also newly created. The Huluppu Tree myth describes, for example, how new Me (throne and bed) were created from an original Me (the tree itself), which enabled new forms of connection between the divine and human spheres.

These sources show the Me as a dynamic system of divine objects through which the gods could control and legitimize humanity’s cultural development.

The Activation of Temples

Temples served as portals through which gods could interact with humans. In Mesopotamian conception, creating a temple is by no means completed with the end of construction work. The actual process of transforming a building into a temple — into a divine power — only begins after its material completion. This happens through a special activation process: The temple must be endowed with special abilities through divine praise.

This process is transmitted in various Sumerian sources. As a Göttingen working group has found out, this becomes particularly clear in the praise song to Nintu for the sanctuary of Keš and in the praise song to Enki for the sanctuary of Eridu. Through powerful-evocative words, the gods speak the temple’s special efficacy into it. Only through this act of divine empowerment does the building become a true sanctuary — a Me that enables communication between divine and human spheres.

The Communication Functions of the Temple

As an activated divine power, a temple enables various forms of communication between humans and gods:

• The most immediate form is direct telepathic communication between deity and human. This can occur in the form of visions or inner inspirations. The temple creates a consecrated space in which such direct contacts become possible.
• Another form is communication through sacrificial offerings. Humans bring sacrifices to the gods — not necessarily because the gods need them materially, but as a sign of the effort humans make to contact the gods and thus as a sign of the importance humans attach to the gods’ actions.
• The third form occurs through priestly mediation. Specially trained priests and priestesses can receive and interpret divine messages as well as convey their concerns to humans in ritual form.

The Transformative Power of the Temple

An activated temple is more than the sum of its communication functions. It is also a place of transformation where divine and human spheres interpenetrate. This is shown in several aspects:

• The temple itself is transformed matter: transformed from a building into a divine power through divine praise
• It transforms space, making sacred land from profane territory
• It transforms humans who enter it by creating a framework for cyclical repetition of sacred actions and enabling humans to step from their everyday existence into the presence of the divine.

Particularity of Temples as Me

The temple as Me is thus a portal for communication with a god and forms the basis for all other religious and cultural Me connected with temple worship. A peculiarity stands out here: a temple gives a god the possibility to communicate with humans, while the other Me give a god the possibility to introduce social innovations. Another peculiarity also stands out: While most Me are brought from heaven to earth as finished divine powers, temples must first be erected by humans from earthly materials before they can be transformed into Me through divine praise. This is probably due to their physical size — with the exception of some legendary cases like the ‘House of Heaven’ that Inanna brought to earth, temples are too large to be transported as complete objects.

Me for Religious and Cultic Functions

Contact between divine and human spheres requires special divine powers that regulate and legitimize different aspects of this exchange. The high priesthood is such a Me that encompasses more than just an office or function — it is a divine empowerment that can bridge the realm between divine and human. Similar applies to the priesthood in general, which encompasses various specialized offices. Without these divine Me, correct mediation between the spheres would not be possible.

The ritual actions themselves also require divine powers to be effective. Purification rites, for example, can only be performed because a corresponding Me exists that enables the actual transformation from impure to pure state.

Cultic places also need divine Me. Besides the already treated temples, there are other sacred spaces like the Gipar, the ritual sleeping chamber. These places are not sacred in themselves but become so only through the effect of the corresponding Me.

Me for Rulership and Social Order

The legitimation of rule by human kings is fundamentally based on divine powers in Mesopotamian understanding. Kingship is not simply a human institution but a Me that the gods make available to humans. This Me allows humans to exercise power. This is something that was previously reserved for the gods.

Jurisprudence is also legitimized through divine Me. Justice is not a human invention but a divine power made available to humans. It enables distinguishing right from wrong, making truly just judgments, and maintaining a just order.

The shepherd’s office as Me embodies the caring dimension of rule. It grants the divine ability to guide humans and care for their welfare. Without this Me, leadership would only be exercise of power, not true guidance for the good of all.

Me for Culture and Civilization

Craft skills such as metalworking, carpentry, or leather processing are in themselves only technical abilities, but their introduction required divine Me. These Me gave the gods permission and legitimation to teach humans these innovations. Without the corresponding Me, the gods would not have been allowed to pass on this knowledge and humans would have had to make the innovations themselves.

The arts, especially music, represent another case. The existence of the Me of music reflects humans’ ability to perceive music as such. Without this ability, humans would hear a sequence of tones only as unconnected noises. Only through this cognitive improvement brought about by the gods do humans become capable of grasping music as an ordered, meaningful whole.

Similar applies to the art of writing. The gods needed a special Me to be allowed to teach humans this skill. At the same time, the existence of this Me implies that humans had developed the cognitive prerequisites to learn reading and writing. The introduction of writing was thus a complex process that required both divine permission and human capability.

Me for Human Coexistence

Basic human ways of life are also catalyzed through special Me. Thus there exists a Me that gives gods the power to give humans an interest in either sedentary or nomadic lifestyle. This explains why some ethnic groups prefer nomadism while others are drawn to sedentary life.

Another important Me grants humans the ability to accept transformation and change. Without this Me, humans would probably reject any change. Only through this Me does cultural development become possible, as it allows humans to accept innovations and continue developing.

Certain behaviors and character traits also seem to be controlled by Me. The ability to use qualities like friendliness and constancy, but also deception and rebellion in a targeted manner could go back to corresponding Me. This would explain why humans not only possessed these qualities but could also use them increasingly better in situation-appropriate and purposeful ways.

The Felling of the Tree

Around 2600 BC, during Gilgamesh’s lifetime, Sumerian civilization had already firmly established itself. It can be assumed that at this time the original function of the Huluppu tree as future portal between underworld and heaven had been forgotten. What remained in collective memory was knowledge of its magical nature and the conviction that special objects could be made from its wood.

The myth “Inanna and the Huluppu Tree” describes how Inanna makes the decision to fell the tree. She first asked her brother Utu, the god of justice, for help in vain. His refusal suggests that felling the tree was to be seen as problematic. When Utu refused, Inanna turned to Gilgamesh:

“Oh Gilgamesh, in the days when destiny was decided, when the land bloomed in abundance, when the territories of the great gods were divided, I pulled the tree from the Euphrates, I planted it in my sacred garden and cared for it and have been waiting since then for my shining throne and my luxurious bed.”

Inanna thus concealed the tree’s actual function from Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh therefore agreed to fell the tree and proceeded to act. The felling had far-reaching consequences for the tree’s inhabitants. The myth reports:

“Gilgamesh slew the snake that could not be enchanted. The Anzu bird flew with his young to the mountains, and Lilith smashed her house and fled to the wild, uninhabited regions.”

Lilith’s expulsion to uninhabited regions meant that the gods no longer had the possibility to incarnate in human bodies with her help. Therefore, the gods could no longer rule on earth as kings. Instead, human kings had to exercise rule. The killing of the Usumgallu snake ended its guardian function, and the eagle Anzu had to seek a new home. This marked the end of an era in which the gods wandered directly among humans.

Transformation of the Tree

After felling the tree, the myth reports:

“Gilgamesh loosened the tree’s roots, and the sons of the city who accompanied him cut off its branches. He gives it to holy Inanna for her throne, gives it to her for her bed.”

From the magical wood of the Huluppu tree, which was once supposed to serve as a connection between worlds, new divine powers (Me) were thus created. Through them, a new form of connection between divine and human spheres was to become possible.

The throne was to secure Inanna’s rule over all kingdoms. She probably planned to set it up in her palace in the cedar forest, from where she wanted to rule over all kingdoms — a place that plays a central role in the Gilgamesh Epic. There she asks Gilgamesh to rule at her side over the kingdoms:

“You shall move into our house that stands among the fragrant cedars. When you come into our house, you shall sit on an exalted throne, and people shall kiss your feet. Kings and princes and rulers shall bow before you.”

However, Gilgamesh refused and even planned to cut down the cedar forest, which doomed Inanna’s project to failure.

The bed became the central element of another ritual: the sacred marriage. This bed enabled Inanna to establish a special form of connection with human kings that was to replace the earlier direct incarnation of gods.

The Ritual of the Sacred Marriage

The sacred marriage was a complex ritual of highest state importance. The king took on the role of the god Dumuzi, while a priestess or sacred prostitute embodied the role of Inanna. Who this woman was only mattered insofar as she certainly had to be good-looking. Inanna probably took over and controlled her body during the sacred marriage. The woman whose body Inanna took over during the sacred marriage probably experienced nothing of the union with the king. The ritual followed a precisely established sequence:

First, the king traveled in a procession to the Gipar of Inanna’s temple. The bride was prepared through washing, anointing, and adorning. These preparations were accompanied by love songs and festivities.

The central act of the ritual was the sexual union between the king and Inanna’s embodiment on the bed made from the Huluppu tree. The king approached “with raised head” — not as a supplicant but as an expected partner. The bed was specially prepared for the ritual, strewn with grasses and arranged for Inanna.

This union had deep symbolic meaning for the people: It established the connection between human sexuality and cosmic fertility. Through the act, the land’s fertility was to be secured — the fields should bear grain, herds multiply, and gardens bear fruit.

A Paradigm Shift

The transition from the time of incarnated gods to the rule of human kings legitimized through the ritual of sacred marriage marks a fundamental change in Sumerian history. The immediate presence of gods was replaced by a more subtle but no less effective form of leadership.

Through the emotional bond created in the ritual of sacred marriage, Inanna could guide and influence kings. This was a new kind of connection between divine and human spheres that respected human autonomy while enabling divine guidance.

The felling of the Huluppu tree did not mean the failure of Ereshkigal’s original plan. The tree would have fulfilled its function as connection between underworld and heaven only symbolically anyway — the actual process of soul transformation was to take place on a different level. The creation of a path for souls from underworld to heaven was continued. This is also shown by the fact that the Tree of Life exists again in the Bible.