Ereshkigal's Appearance
Ereshkigal is often depicted in a regal and exalted posture, symbolizing her authority and power as ruler of the netherworld. Her clothing is often described as dark and solemn. Ereshkigal has a powerful and serious aura. She often wears a crown, which emphasizes her position as ruler of the netherworld. Her portrayal conveys an impression of authority and aloofness. Ereshkigal is Enki's sister and is therefore of a similar age to him. It would therefore make sense to depict her at the age of 60.
Ereshkigal's Personality
Ereshkigal is the strict and authoritarian ruler of the netherworld. She is serious and unapproachable and is regarded as a just but strict judge. Ereshkigal is respected and feared by both the gods and humans. Her power and her role in the world beyond make her a central and inescapable figure in Mesopotamian mythology.
Ereshkigal's Duties as a Goddess
Ereshkigal rules the netherworld and is responsible for the order and administration of the realm of the dead. She ensures that the laws of the netherworld are adhered to. She receives the souls of the deceased and oversees their passage into the netherworld. Her decisions determine the fate of the dead in the afterlife. She protects the netherworld from intruders and ensures that only the dead and those authorized to do so have access.
The Career of Ereshkigal
According to the myth Enki and Ereshkigal, Ereshkigal is a daughter of Nammu, the primordial sea and the sky god An. She is therefore a sister of Enki. As Enki's sister, she certainly has the same rights as him. However, as she rules over the netherworld and not over the living humans, she is not counted as one of the Anunnaki.
Even before the first cities were built in Sumer, around 5400 BCE, Ereshkigal left the middle world for the netherworld together with her half-brother Kur. There, Ereshkigal became the ruler of the netherworld, while Kur became one of the guardians of the netherworld. Ereshkigal had a huge lapis lazuli building erected in the netherworld, which served as her palace or temple. In the myth Enki and Ereshkigal, Ereshkigal explained to Enki the reason why she had gone to the netherworld:
"There was a great need for a presence here. So many come to this realm with pain and suffering and miss so much that they have never experienced or achieved in the worlds above. They need to learn about balance and healing. I am here to ensure that all who seek the essence beyond appearances will seek it and find it, if only they are willing to bare and reshape their souls to achieve this. For so many will never see the netherworld as the land of balance. As you did when you arrived, who saw this land and its beings as spirits and life here as labor and tears."
Ereshkigal gave Enki the seed of the Huluppu tree, the tree that has the magical property of connecting the middle world with the netherworld and heaven.
In the myth of Inanna's Descent to the Netherworld, it becomes clear that although Ereshkigal may generally be a strict but just judge, she sometimes also pursues her own interests. In this myth, Ereshkigal had resolved to strip Inanna of the magical powers she carried on her body and claim them for herself. To do this, it was necessary to stop Inanna from leaving the netherworld. It seems that the laws of the netherworld have changed since the time Enki visited it. While Enki was able to leave the underworld without any problems, Inanna had to offer a replacement for herself.
