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Nergal (Sumerian: NE.IRI.GAL β€” "Lord of the Underworld")

Sumerian name: NE.IRI.GAL

Nergal (Sumerian: Nergal; Akkadian: Nergal or Erra) was the god of war, plague, the underworld, and destruction. In Zecharia Sitchin's Anunnaki narrative, Nergal was a son of Enki who became the ruler of the underworld and consort of Ereshkigal.

Role in the Anunnaki Hierarchy

Attribute Detail
Father Enki (in Sitchin's reading; sometimes Enlil)
Mother Damkina or another consort
Consort Ereshkigal
Domain The underworld (Irkalla), war, plague, fire
Sacred Number 14 or 40
Symbol The lion-headed mace, the sword

Nergal was a fearsome and destructive deity, often depicted as a lion-headed being with weapons of war. His primary temple was at Kutha.

Sitchin's Interpretation

Sitchin cast Nergal as a complex figure in the Anunnaki drama:

  1. Son of Enki β€” As Enki's son, Nergal was aligned with Marduk's faction in the Pyramid Wars
  2. The Underworld Lord β€” Nergal became the ruler of the underworld after conquering Ereshkigal's domain
  3. The Destroyer β€” Nergal was associated with plague, pestilence, and the "evil wind" that destroyed Sumer
  4. The Nuclear Connection β€” Sitchin linked Nergal to the nuclear weapons used in the destruction of Sippar and Ur

The Epic of Nergal and Ereshkigal

The story of how Nergal came to rule the underworld is told in the epic Nergal and Ereshkigal:

  1. The gods throw a feast, but Ereshkigal cannot attend because she is queen of the underworld
  2. Nergal is sent as an emissary but disrespects Ereshkigal
  3. Ereshkigal demands his punishment
  4. Nergal conquers the underworld and becomes Ereshkigal's consort
  5. They share the rule of the underworld together

The Name Nergal

The name Nergal may mean "Lord of the Great Dwelling" or "the great man of the house of the dead." He was also known as Erra in Babylonian tradition, where he was associated specifically with plague and destruction.

Cuneiform Evidence

The name NE.IRI.GAL (π’€­π’Žπ’„Šπ’ƒ², "Lord of the Underworld") is attested in Sumerian and Akkadian god lists and mythological texts. Nergal was the god of war, plague, and the underworld.

  • CDLI Corpus: NE.IRI.GAL β€” Browse tablets mentioning Nergal
  • Key tablet: Nergal and Ereshkigal β€” An Akkadian poem found at Tell el-Amarna (c. 14th century BCE) that describes Nergal's journey to the underworld and his marriage to Ereshkigal. Multiple copies exist, including CDLI P345321 from Sultantepe.
  • Nergal and Ereshkigal Neo-Assyrian tablet of the Nergal and Ereshkigal epic, recounting Nergal's conquest of the underworld. (CDLI P345321)

See Also

Sources

  • Sitchin, Z. (1985). The Wars of Gods and Men.
  • Sitchin, Z. (2007). The End of Days.
  • Dalley, S. (1989). Myths from Mesopotamia.
  • Black, J. & Green, A. (1992). Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia.