Ninḫursaĝ, also known as Damgalnuna or Ninmah, was the ancient Sumerianmother goddess of the mountains, and one of the seven great deities of Sumer. She is principally a fertility goddess. Temple hymn sources identify her as the "true and great lady of heaven" and kings of Sumer were "nourished by Ninhursag's milk". Sometimes her hair is depicted in an omega shape and at times she wears a horned head-dress and tiered skirt, often with bow cases at her shoulders. Frequently she carries a mace or baton surmounted by an omega motif or a derivation, sometimes accompanied by a lion cub on a leash. She is the tutelary deity to several Sumerian leaders.
Names
Nin-hursag means "lady of the sacred mountain" at Eridu. She had many names including Ninmah ; Nintu ; Mamma or Mami ; Aruru, Belet-Ili According to legend, her name was changed from Ninmah to Ninhursag by her son Ninurta in order to commemorate his creation of the mountains. As Ninmenna, according to a Babylonian investiture ritual, she placed the golden crown on the king in the Eannatemple. Some of the names above were once associated with independent goddesses, who later became identified and merged with Ninhursag, and myths exist in which the name Ninhursag is not mentioned. Possibly included among the original mother goddesses was Damgalnuna or Damkina, the consort of the godEnki. The mother goddess had many epithets including shassuru or 'womb goddess', tabsut ili 'midwife of the gods', 'mother of all children' and 'mother of the gods'. In this role she is identified with Ki in the Enuma Elish. She had shrines in both Eridu and Kish.
Mythology
In the legend of Enki and Ninhursag, Ninhursag bore a daughter to Enki called Ninsar. Through Enki, Ninsar bore a daughter Ninkurra. Ninkurra, in turn, bore Enki a daughter named Uttu. Enki then pursued Uttu, who was upset because he didn't care for her. Uttu, on her ancestress Ninhursag's advice buried Enki's seed in the earth, whereupon eight plants sprung up. Enki, seeing the plants, ate them, and became ill in eight organs of his body. Ninhursag cured him, taking the plants into her body and giving birth to eight deities: Abu, Nintulla, Ninsutu, Ninkasi, Nanshe, Azimua, Ninti, and Enshag. In the text 'Creator of the Hoe', she completed the birth of mankind after the heads had been uncovered by Enki's hoe. In creation texts, Ninmah acts as a midwife whilst the mother goddess Nammu makes different kinds of human individuals from lumps of clay at a feast given by Enki to celebrate the creation of humankind.
Worship
Her symbol, resembling the Greek letteromegaΩ, has been depicted in art from approximately 3000 BC, although more generally from the early second millennium BC. It appears on some boundary stones—on the upper tier, indicating her importance. The omega symbol is associated with the Egyptian cow goddess Hathor, and may represent a stylized womb. The symbol appears on very early imagery from Ancient Egypt. Hathor is at times depicted on a mountain, so it may be that the two goddesses are connected. Her temple, the Esagila + SAG + ILA ) was located on the KUR of Eridu, although she also had a temple at Kish.
