The Sumerian Netherworld

  The Sumerian Netherworld may seem fairly unrelated to jewelry. However, I challenge you to stick with me as I take you on a deeper journey into Sumerian mythology.  

Sumerian Mythology

Historically, Sumer resides at the heart of Middle Eastern mythology. As such, it profoundly influenced much of our western mythologies and the subsequent religious practices stemming from said mythologies. For example, if you read my previous article about the goddess Inanna, then you know that from this one goddess sprang many complementary goddesses. These include Ishtar, Astarte, Venus, Aphrodite, and more. Access to ancient Sumerian texts remains sparse. Sadly, those relics that remain relics endured significant damage, while many others just got lost. However, a few accessible hymns and poems demonstrate just how enduring these early myths prove throughout human history. Just as the underworld shows up in many ancient belief systems, the Sumerian Netherworld played an important role as the place for souls to await final judgment. In early Sumer, they called this netherworld Kur.

Kur - The Mountainous Sumerian Netherworld

Early geography was surmised quite differently than it is today. Most Sumerians remained fairly contained within the lush and fertile deltas of the four great rivers. (source) To the north and northeast, beyond the boundaries of "our country" (kalam, as they called it), rose the treacherous mountains. They called these mountainous regions kur, which translates to "mountain land" or "foreign country." Here, the deities of the netherworld, as well as their servants, demons, and the souls of the departed, lived a type of shadow existence distinctly separate from the land of the living. Indeed, only the demons and other evil spirits enjoyed free passage between the two realms. Therefore, over time, the name Kur became synonymous with "The Land of No Return." Eventually, people grew more adventurous, exploring further beyond the reaches of this Edenic homeland. Hence, the notion of these now not-so-distant mountains being the home of their gods and the souls of the dead became less tenable. As a result, the geography of the Netherworld transformed into the Underworld, a realm demoted to a metaphysical plane beneath the lowest regions of the earth. Truly, no living soul could find their way to such a deep, dark place. (source) Next time, we will explore the Sumerian Netherworld as it becomes the Underworld. Don't worry, I promise we are getting to the good stuff - by that I mean the gemstones and jewels. Bear with me as I lay an important foundation by discussing the realm that the goddess Inanna eventually invades, dressed in royal blue and carrying objects made of lapis lazuli. ~Angela Magnotti Andrews