Ĝatumdug () was a Sumerian goddess worshiped in

Lagash Lagash (cuneiform: LAGAŠKI; Sumerian: ''Lagaš''), was an ancient city state located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah, Iraq. Lagash (modern Al-Hiba) w ...

. The meaning of her name is unknown. She was described as the mother of the city-state of Lagash, or as its divine founder. According to inscriptions of

Gudea Gudea ( Sumerian: , ''Gu3-de2-a'') was a ruler ('' ensi'') of the state of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia, who ruled circa 2080–2060 BC ( short chronology) or 2144-2124 BC (middle chronology). He probably did not come from the city, but had marr ...

she assigned a ''lamma'' (tutelary protective deity) to him. The early king

Ur-Nanshe Ur-Nanshe ( sux, , ) also Ur-Nina, was the first king of the First Dynasty of Lagash (approx. 2500 BCE) in the Sumerian Early Dynastic Period III. He is known through inscriptions to have commissioned many buildings projects, including canals and ...

built a temple dedicated to her. Some of the later Lagashite kings, notably

Enanatum I Enannatum I ( sux, , ), son of Akurgal, succeeded his brother E-anna-tum as '' Ensi'' (ruler, king) of Lagash. During his rule, Umma once more asserted independence under its ensi Ur-Lumma, who attacked Lagash unsuccessfully. After several ba ...

and

Enmetena Entemena, also called Enmetena ( sux, , ), lived circa 2400 BC, was a son of En-anna-tum I, and he reestablished Lagash as a power in Sumer. He defeated Il, king of Umma, in a territorial conflict, through an alliance with Lugal-kinishe-dudu of ...

, designated her as their divine mother, though sometimes this role was fulfilled by a different local goddess, Bau, instead (as in the case of

Eanatum Eannatum ( sux, ) was a Sumerian '' Ensi'' (ruler or king) of Lagash circa 2500–2400 BCE. He established one of the first verifiable empires in history: he subdued Elam and destroyed the city of Susa as well as several other Iranian cities, and ...

Lugalanda Lugalanda, also Lugal-anda ( sux, ) was a Sumerian king of Lagash during the 24th century BC. Lugalanda was the son of the high priest of Lagash, who appointed him as king. At this time the high priests of Lagash were very influential, and ei ...

and

Urukagina Uru-ka-gina, Uru-inim-gina, or Iri-ka-gina ( sux, ; 24th century BC, middle chronology) was King of the city-states of Lagash and Girsu in Mesopotamia, and the last ruler of the 1st Dynasty of Lagash. He assumed the title of king, claiming to ...

). It's possible both goddesses were later synretised. She continued to be worshiped during the reign of the

Third Dynasty of Ur The Third Dynasty of Ur, also called the Neo-Sumerian Empire, refers to a 22nd to 21st century Common Era, BC (middle chronology) Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state which some historians c ...

, and documents list offerings of butter, cheese, flour and dates to her.

References

Bibliography

* * * Mesopotamian goddesses Mother goddesses Tutelary deities {{MEast-myth-stub