| Ninshubur 𒀭𒎏𒋚 | |
|---|---|
 Sargonic cylinder seal depicting Inanna resting her foot on the back of a lion while Ninshubur stands in front of her paying obeisance, c. 2334-2154 BCE[1] | |
| Major cult center | Akkil, Uruk, Girsu |
| Symbol | staff |
| Genealogy | |
| Spouse | usually none, but rarely Nergal |
| Equivalents | |
| Akkadian | Ilabrat |
| Seleucid Uruk | Papsukkal |
Ninshubur (𒀭𒎏𒋚,; Ninšubur, "Lady of Subartu" or "Lady of servants"[2]), also spelled Ninšubura,[3] was a Mesopotamian goddess regarded as the sukkal (divine attendant) of the goddess Inanna. While it is agreed that in this context Ninshubur was regarded as female, in other cases the deity was considered male, possibly due to syncretism with other divine messengers, such as Ilabrat. No certain information about her genealogy is present in any known sources, and she was typically regarded as unmarried. As a sukkal, she functioned both as a messenger deity and as an intercessor between other members of the pantheon and human petitioners.
Due to the belief that she could intercede with higher ranking deities, Ninshubur was popular in everyday religion, and many theophoric names invoking her and other references to personal worship are known. Her original cult center was Akkil, but in the Early Dynastic Period she was already worshiped in nearby Uruk. She was also introduced to the pantheon of the state of Lagash, where her cult center was Girsu. Multiple kings of this area regarded her as their personal deity. In the Ur III period she was also introduced to Ur. Further cities where Ninshubur was worshiped include Adab, Nippur, Malgium, and more.
In myths, Ninshubur is portrayed as a companion of Inanna and helps her during various exploits. In Inanna's Descent to the Netherworld, she is responsible for securing Inanna's return by pleading with Enlil, Nanna and Enki. After being resurrected, Inanna protects her from the galla demons sent to find someone to replace her in the land of the dead. Ninshubur's mourning is contrasted with Dumuzi's attitude which leads to his death in this composition. In Inanna and Enki, Ninshubur helps Inanna escape from Enki's servants after theft of the me.
- ^ Wolkstein & Kramer 1983, p. 92, 193.
- ^ Wiggermann 1998b, p. 490.
- ^ Asher-Greve & Westenholz 2013, p. 18.