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Shara ( Sumerian: 𒀭𒁈, '' dšara2'') was a Mesopotamian god associated with the city of
Umma Umma ( sux, ; in modern Dhi Qar Province in Iraq, formerly also called Gishban) was an ancient city in Sumer. There is some scholarly debate about the Sumerian and Akkadian names for this site. Traditionally, Umma was identified with Tell J ...
and other nearby settlements. He was chiefly regarded as the
tutelary deity A tutelary () (also tutelar) is a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety and ...
of this area, responsible for agriculture, animal husbandry and irrigation, but he could also be characterized as a divine warrior. In the third millennium BCE his wife was Ninura, associated with the same area, but later, in the
Old Babylonian period The Old Babylonian Empire, or First Babylonian Empire, is dated to BC – BC, and comes after the end of Sumerian power with the destruction of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and the subsequent Isin-Larsa period. The chronology of the first dynasty ...
, her cult faded into obscurity and Shara was instead associated with Usaḫara or Kumulmul. An association between him and Inanna is well attested. In Umma, he was regarded as the son of Inanna of
Zabalam Zabala, also Zabalam ( ''zabalamki'', modern Tell Ibzeikh (also Tell el-Buzekh), Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq) was a city of ancient Sumer in what is now the Dhi Qar governorate in Iraq. In early archaeology this location was also called Tel el-Buz ...
and an unknown father, while in the myth ''Inanna's Descent to the Underworld'' he is one of the servants mourning her temporary death. He also appears in the myth of
Anzû Anzû, also known as dZû and Imdugud ( Sumerian: ''AN.IM.DUGUD MUŠEN''), is a lesser divinity or monster in several Mesopotamian religions. He was conceived by the pure waters of the Apsu and the wide Earth, or as son of Siris. Anzû was dep ...
, in which he is one of the three gods who refuse to fight the eponymous monster.


Character

While the original
etymology Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...
of Shara's name is unknown, according to Fabienne Huber Vuillet, in
Akkadian Akkadian or Accadian may refer to: * Akkadians, inhabitants of the Akkadian Empire * Akkadian language, an extinct Eastern Semitic language * Akkadian literature, literature in this language * Akkadian cuneiform Cuneiform is a logo- syllabi ...
it was reinterpreted as a derivative of the word ''šārum'', "wind." Shara was the god of the city of
Umma Umma ( sux, ; in modern Dhi Qar Province in Iraq, formerly also called Gishban) was an ancient city in Sumer. There is some scholarly debate about the Sumerian and Akkadian names for this site. Traditionally, Umma was identified with Tell J ...
, corresponding to the modern Tell Jokha in
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. Documents from this city also record the existence of multiple secondary local manifestations of him. It is assumed he was the main god in the pantheon of the area under the influence of his cult center, and his position in the Early Dynastic god list from Shuruppak (Tell Fara) might reflect his status as a major deity. His primary function was that of a
tutelary deity A tutelary () (also tutelar) is a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety and ...
of the area believed to belong to him. As such, he was responsible for agriculture, animal husbandry and maintaining the irrigation network. This role was exemplified by his epithet ''gugal-An-negara'', "canal inspector appointed by An." A plow dedicated to him (gišapin-''dŠará-da-sù-a'', possibly to be understood as "the plow named 'Marching with Shara'") is attested in documents from Umma. He could also be described as a warrior deity, in which case his attribute was a barbed arrow. It has been proposed that lions present on
seals Seals may refer to: * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impress an emblem, used as a means of a ...
from Umma might be an emblem of the city, and that a lion accompanying the figure of a god on seals from this city might designate it as a representation of Shara. Similarly, goddesses accompanied by lions might represent Shara's spouse
Ninura Ninura ('' dNin-ur4(-ra)''; also transcribed Ninurra) was a Mesopotamian goddess associated with the state of Umma. The god Shara, worshiped in the same area, was regarded as her husband. She is only attested in sources from the third millennium ...
. In god lists from the first millennium BCE, Shara could be reinterpreted as a female deity.


Worship

Shara's principal
temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
was the Emaḫ, whose ceremonial Sumerian name means "exalted house." It is first attested in an inscription of Bara-irnun, the wife of Giššakidu of Umma, who reigned in the Early Dynastic period, most likely as a contemporary of
Enannatum II Enannatum II ( sux, , ), son of Entemena, was '' Ensi'' (governor) of Lagash. Only a few inscriptions of Enannatum II are known, suggesting a short reign. One of these inscriptions, of which four nearly identical instances are known, appears o ...
and
Enentarzi Enentarzi (, ''en-en₃-tar-zid'', also , ''en-e-tar-zi'' was '' Ensi'' (governor) of Lagash. He was originally a chief-priest of Lagash for the god Ningirsu. He succeed Enannatum II who only had a short reign and was the last representative of t ...
of the First Dynasty of
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 ...
. Textual sources also mention the existence of a
ziggurat A ziggurat (; Cuneiform: 𒅆𒂍𒉪, Akkadian: ', D-stem of ' 'to protrude, to build high', cognate with other Semitic languages like Hebrew ''zaqar'' (זָקַר) 'protrude') is a type of massive structure built in ancient Mesopotamia. It has ...
dedicated to him which bore the name Sigkuršaga, "brick, mountain of the heart." Both the temple and the ziggurat were located in KI.ANki (reading uncertain), a site in the proximity of Umma. It has been proposed that while Umma was the main cult center of Shara in historical times, KI.ANki was the settlement originally associated with him, while Umma's tutelary deity was at first
Ninura Ninura ('' dNin-ur4(-ra)''; also transcribed Ninurra) was a Mesopotamian goddess associated with the state of Umma. The god Shara, worshiped in the same area, was regarded as her husband. She is only attested in sources from the third millennium ...
, his wife. Ebursasa, "the house which prepares the jars," was either its another alternate name of Emaḫ or a designation of a specific part of it. The name might specifically refer to ''bursasa'', a type of vessel into which wine or honey were poured during rituals. Another temple of Shara, located in Umma itself, was the Ešagepadda, "house chosen in the heart," known from inscriptions of
Shu-Sin Shu-Sin, also Šu-Suen ( akk, : '' DŠu D Sîn'', after the Moon God Sîn", the "𒀭" being a silent honorific for "Divine", formerly read Gimil-Sin) was king of Sumer and Akkad, and was the penultimate king of the Ur III dynasty. He succeeded ...
and
Ibbi-Sin Ibbi-Sin ( sux, , ), son of Shu-Sin, was king of Sumer and Akkad and last king of the Ur III dynasty, and reigned c. 2028–2004 BCE ( Middle chronology) or possibly c. 1964–1940 BCE (Short chronology). During his rei ...
, who both rebuilt it. Shara is invoked on
stele A stele ( ),Anglicized plural steles ( ); Greek plural stelai ( ), from Greek , ''stēlē''. The Greek plural is written , ''stēlai'', but this is only rarely encountered in English. or occasionally stela (plural ''stelas'' or ''stelæ''), whe ...
s from the reign of
Lugalzagesi Lugal-Zage-Si ( ; frequently spelled ''Lugalzaggesi'', sometimes ''Lugalzagesi'' or "Lugal-Zaggisi") of Umma (reigned c. 2358 - 2334 BCE middle chronology) was the last Sumerian king before the conquest of Sumer by Sargon of Akkad and the rise o ...
delineating the border of the kingdom of Umma. He also represents Umma in an inscription of
Entemena 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 U ...
, according to which the border between him and
Ningirsu , image= Cropped Image of Carving Showing the Mesopotamian God Ninurta.png , caption= Assyrian stone relief from the temple of Ninurta at Kalhu, showing the god with his thunderbolts pursuing Anzû, who has stolen the Tablet of Destinies from En ...
, representing the state of
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 ...
, had to be demarcated by
Enlil Enlil, , "Lord f theWind" later known as Elil, is an ancient Mesopotamian god associated with wind, air, earth, and storms. He is first attested as the chief deity of the Sumerian pantheon, but he was later worshipped by the Akkadians, Bab ...
, and subsequently measured and confirmed by the historical king Mesalim of
Kish Kish may refer to: Geography * Gishi, Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, a village also called Kish * Kiş, Shaki, Azerbaijan, a village and municipality also spelled Kish * Kish Island, an Iranian island and a city in the Persian Gulf * Kish, Iran, ...
at the command of the god
Ištaran Ištaran (Ishtaran, sux, ) was a Mesopotamian god who was the tutelary deity of the city of Der, a Sumerian city state positioned east of the Tigris on the border between Sumer and Elam. It is known that he was a judge deity, and his positi ...
. Shara was also worshiped in various smaller settlements in the proximity of Umma, often in his own temples. AKA-sal (reading of the first half of the name uncertain) and Anzu-babbar (part of the territory which was an object of conflicts between Umma and nearby Lagash) are particularly well attested. Kings 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 ...
, especially
Shulgi Shulgi ( dŠulgi, formerly read as Dungi) of Ur was the second king of the Third Dynasty of Ur. He reigned for 48 years, from c. 2094 – c. 2046 BC (Middle Chronology) or possibly c. 2030 – 1982 BC (Short Chronology). His accomplishme ...
, worshiped Shara in the latter of these two locations. Two temples of Shara which are attested in the ''Canonical Temple List'', but whose location is unknown, are the Eburdudu, "house which prepares the jars," and the Eusakarra, "house of the crescent." Clergy of Shara is well attested, and included various types of priests, as well as purification specialists, singers, flutists and snake charmers. Also attested is a class of priestesses referred to as ''lukur''. Evidence regarding this group is scarce, but according to Tonia Sharlach they were most likely expected to remain unmarried, and were recruited chiefly from among daughters of lesser clergy, clerks of the state administration, animal husbandry specialists and even farmers. She considers it possible that they were similar to '' naditu'' of
Shamash Utu (dUD "Sun"), also known under the Akkadian name Shamash, ''šmš'', syc, ܫܡܫܐ ''šemša'', he, שֶׁמֶשׁ ''šemeš'', ar, شمس ''šams'', Ashurian Aramaic: 𐣴𐣬𐣴 ''š'meš(ā)'' was the ancient Mesopotamian sun god. ...
and Aya from Sippar, but admits not enough data is available to make a definite statement regarding their role. References to some of the ''lukur'' fleeing from their posts are known, but the reasons behind this are unknown, and there is no indication that they were slaves. There is also no indication that the role of priestesses described with the same term from other cities was similar, for example there is no indication that the ''lukur'' of Ningirsu from
Girsu Girsu ( Sumerian ; cuneiform ) was a city of ancient Sumer, situated some northwest of Lagash, at the site of modern Tell Telloh, Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq. History Girsu was possibly inhabited in the Ubaid period (5300-4800 BC), but sign ...
were expected to remain unmarried and both wives and mother are attested among them, while ''lukur'' of Ninurta from
Nippur Nippur (Sumerian language, Sumerian: ''Nibru'', often logogram, logographically recorded as , EN.LÍLKI, "Enlil City;"The Cambridge Ancient History: Prolegomena & Prehistory': Vol. 1, Part 1. Accessed 15 Dec 2010. Akkadian language, Akkadian: '' ...
came from families of very high status and functioned more like ''en'' priestesses of other gods. Some attestations of Shara come from outside Umma and its immediate surroundings. He was apparently worshiped in Girsu and Nippur as a deity from the circle of
Inanna Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, Divine law, divine justice, and political p ...
. He is also attested in sources from Ur. However, according to Ran Zadok
theophoric names A theophoric name (from Greek: , ''theophoros'', literally "bearing or carrying a god") embeds the word equivalent of 'god' or God's name in a person's name, reflecting something about the character of the person so named in relation to that deit ...
invoking him are largely limited to Umma. Lu-Shara is a particularly common example. In the past it was also assumed that a temple of Shara existed in
Tell Agrab Tell Agrab (or Aqrab) is a tell or settlement mound southeast of Eshnunna in the Diyala region of Iraq. History Tell Agrab was occupied during the Jemdet Nasr and Early Dynastic periods through the Akkadian and Larsa periods. It was during ...
, despite the location of this settlement making his presence in the local pantheon implausible, but subsequent studies showed that the excavated house of worship belonged to the local god Iluma'tim, while the theonym written as dLAGABxIGI-''gunû'' on a fragment of a vase should most likely be read as
Ishara Ishara (Išḫara) was the tutelary goddess of the ancient Syrian city of Ebla. The origin of her name is unknown. Both Hurrian and West Semitic etymologies have been proposed, but they found no broad support and today it is often assumed that ...
instead. Umma's loss of political influence resulted in the decline in the worship of Shara as well, which mirrors processes attested in the case of other cities of Mesopotamia and their deities, for example Girsu and Ningirsu,
NINA Nina may refer to: * Nina (name), a feminine given name and surname Acronyms *National Iraqi News Agency, a news service in Iraq * Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, on the campus of Norwegian University of Science and Technology *No income, ...
and
Nanshe Nanshe ( sux, ) was a Mesopotamian goddess in various contexts associated with the sea, marshlands, the animals inhabiting these biomes, namely bird and fish, as well as divination, dream interpretation, justice, social welfare, and certain admin ...
or Shuruppak and Sud. According to Fabienne Huber Vulliet, the last reference to Shara as an actively worshiped deity in a text of known provenance comes from a document from
Old Babylonian Old Babylonian may refer to: *the period of the First Babylonian dynasty (20th to 16th centuries BC) *the historical stage of the Akkadian language Akkadian (, Akkadian: )John Huehnergard & Christopher Woods, "Akkadian and Eblaite", ''The Camb ...
Ur which mentions a temple in an unspecified location. However, according to Andrew R. George a temple of Shara located in
Babylon ''Bābili(m)'' * sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 * arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel'' * syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel'' * grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn'' * he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel'' * peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru'' * elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
is attested in the late school exercise ''Tintir = Babylon'', which based on the
Marduk Marduk (Cuneiform: dAMAR.UTU; Sumerian: ''amar utu.k'' "calf of the sun; solar calf"; ) was a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon. When Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of ...
-centric theology its compilers ascribed to most likely is no older than the reign of
Nebuchadnezzar I Nebuchadnezzar I or Nebuchadrezzar I (), reigned 1121–1100 BC, was the fourth king of the Second Dynasty of Isin and Fourth Dynasty of Babylon. He ruled for 22 years according to the ''Babylonian King List C'', and was the most prominent monar ...
. It bore the name Ebursasa, which was associated with a temple in Umma in earlier periods. A reference to either a joint temple of Shara and Belili or an instance of pairing the Shara temple from ''Tintir = Babylon'' with one dedicated to this goddess is also present in a fragment of a topographical text which is most likely no older than the Neo-Babylonian period, though its
provenance Provenance (from the French ''provenir'', 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody or location of a historical object. The term was originally mostly used in relation to works of art but is now used in similar senses i ...
is unknown. Belili was a sparsely attested goddess who was regarded as one of Dumuzi's sisters, and in most known cases she was instead worshiped in temples of her brother. No other references to a temple of Shara in Babylon are known.


Outside Mesopotamia

Theophoric names invoking Shara are attested in documents from
Susa Susa ( ; Middle elx, 𒀸𒋗𒊺𒂗, translit=Šušen; Middle and Neo- elx, 𒋢𒋢𒌦, translit=Šušun; Neo-Elamite and Achaemenid elx, 𒀸𒋗𒐼𒀭, translit=Šušán; Achaemenid elx, 𒀸𒋗𒐼, translit=Šušá; fa, شوش ...
in
Elam Elam (; Linear Elamite: ''hatamti''; Cuneiform Elamite: ; Sumerian: ; Akkadian: ; he, עֵילָם ''ʿēlām''; peo, 𐎢𐎺𐎩 ''hūja'') was an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of modern-day Iran, stretc ...
from the Old Babylonian period, which might indicate their bearers or their families originally came from Umma, either as immigrants or as prisoners of war, possibly as early as in the Ur III period. An analogous argument has been made for people with names invoking Nasi (Nanshe) and her respective cult center. Shara is also attested as a divine witness in legal texts from Susa, though only rarely.


Associations with other deities

Shara's original wife was the goddess
Ninura Ninura ('' dNin-ur4(-ra)''; also transcribed Ninurra) was a Mesopotamian goddess associated with the state of Umma. The god Shara, worshiped in the same area, was regarded as her husband. She is only attested in sources from the third millennium ...
, who was associated with the place name Ĝiša (GIŠ.KUŠU2), and in the Early Dynastic document referred to as the ''City
Gazetteer A gazetteer is a geographical index or directory used in conjunction with a map or atlas.Aurousseau, 61. It typically contains information concerning the geographical makeup, social statistics and physical features of a country, region, or co ...
'' in modern scholarship she is described as its "birthing mother" (''ama-tu-da Ĝišaki''). It is often assumed Ĝiša (or Ĝišša) is simply an alternate name of Umma. Hartmut Waetzoldt proposes that originally it was Ninura who was the tutelary deity of Umma, while Shara was primarily associated with the nearby settlement KI.ANki. A possible depiction of Ninura is present on the seal Ninḫilia, who was the wife of Aakala, who served as the governor of Umma during the reign of
Shu-Sin Shu-Sin, also Šu-Suen ( akk, : '' DŠu D Sîn'', after the Moon God Sîn", the "𒀭" being a silent honorific for "Divine", formerly read Gimil-Sin) was king of Sumer and Akkad, and was the penultimate king of the Ur III dynasty. He succeeded ...
. Her cult already had a small scope in this period, and she is absent from later sources. In sources from the
Old Babylonian period The Old Babylonian Empire, or First Babylonian Empire, is dated to BC – BC, and comes after the end of Sumerian power with the destruction of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and the subsequent Isin-Larsa period. The chronology of the first dynasty ...
, Shara's spouse is instead the goddess Usaḫara. Fabienne Huber Vuillet proposes that her name might mean "dust day" or "dust storm." It has also been pointed out that it resembles the Sumerian term ''usakar'' and its Akkadian form ''uskāru'', both of which refer to the
crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often shown wearing a crescent moon on his ...
, and that it shows phonetic similarity to the name of
Ishara Ishara (Išḫara) was the tutelary goddess of the ancient Syrian city of Ebla. The origin of her name is unknown. Both Hurrian and West Semitic etymologies have been proposed, but they found no broad support and today it is often assumed that ...
. She was referred to as the "child of the ''nu-gig'' woman (''dumu nu-gig-ga''). A further goddess who could appear alongside Shara as his wife was Kumulmul (also spelled Kumul), and the Old Babylonian forerunner of the god list ''
An = Anum ''An = Anum'', also known as the Great God List, is the longest preserved Mesopotamian god list, a type of lexical list cataloging the deities worshiped in the Ancient Near East, chiefly in modern Iraq. While god lists are already known from the ...
'' places both of them alongside Shara at once.
Inanna of Zabalam Inanna of Zabalam (also Supālītum, Sugallītu, Nin-Zabalam) was a hypostasis of the Mesopotamian goddess Inanna associated with the city of Zabalam. It has been proposed that she was initially a separate deity, perhaps known under the name Nin- ...
was regarded as Shara's mother. Julia M. Asher-Greve notes that it is possible Shara was assigned as a son to
Inanna Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, Divine law, divine justice, and political p ...
, usually regarded as childless, only to make it possible to apply the epithet ''ama'' ("mother") to her. She states that its primary purpose was to serve as a "metaphor for divine authority, particularly over cities and states." According to Manuel Molina, it simply reflected the close political relation between Umma and
Zabalam Zabala, also Zabalam ( ''zabalamki'', modern Tell Ibzeikh (also Tell el-Buzekh), Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq) was a city of ancient Sumer in what is now the Dhi Qar governorate in Iraq. In early archaeology this location was also called Tel el-Buz ...
. The latter city corresponds to modern Tell Ibzeikh in Iraq. Next to Inanna of
Uruk Uruk, also known as Warka or Warkah, was an ancient city of Sumer (and later of Babylonia) situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates River on the dried-up ancient channel of the Euphrates east of modern Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Harm ...
,
Nisaba Nisaba was the Mesopotamian goddess of writing and grain. She is one of the oldest Sumerian deities attested in writing, and remained prominent through many periods of Mesopotamian history. She was commonly worshiped by scribes, and numerous Su ...
and
Ezina Ashnan or Ezina ( dŠE.TIR; both possible readings are used interchangeably) was a Mesopotamian goddess considered to be the personification of grain. She could also be called Ezina-Kusu, which lead to the proposal that the goddess Kusu was initi ...
, its tutelary deity is one of the oldest goddesses attested in Sumerian texts.
Joan Goodnick Westenholz Joan Goodnick Westenholz (1 July 1943 – 2013) was an Assyriologist and the chief curator at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem. She held positions related to academic research at the Oriental Institute (University of Chicago), Harvard Univ ...
concluded that the tutelary goddess of Zabalam most likely initially had distinct character from Inanna. She proposed that the goddess Nin-UM (reading and meaning of the second sign are unknown), who in an Early Dynastic '' zame'' hymn is identified with Inanna of Zabalam, might have been the original deity of this city. Nin-UM also shows affinity with the god of Der,
Ištaran Ištaran (Ishtaran, sux, ) was a Mesopotamian god who was the tutelary deity of the city of Der, a Sumerian city state positioned east of the Tigris on the border between Sumer and Elam. It is known that he was a judge deity, and his positi ...
. In a later collection of temple hymns, Inanna of Zabalam, Inanna of Uruk, and "Inanna of Ulmaš" (Ishtar of
Agade Akkad (; or Agade, Akkadian: , also URI KI in Sumerian during the Ur III period) was the name of a Mesopotamian city. Akkad was the capital of the Akkadian Empire, which was the dominant political force in Mesopotamia during a period of abo ...
, whose temple was the E-Ulmaš) are treated as separate goddesses. At the same time, Inanna of Zabalam was associated with
Ninshubur Ninshubur (; Ninšubur, "Lady of Subartu" or "Lady of servants"), also spelled Ninšubura, was a Mesopotamian goddess whose primary role was that of the ''sukkal'' (divine vizier) of the goddess Inanna. While it is agreed that in this context N ...
and
Nanaya Nanaya (Sumerian language, Sumerian , Dingir, DNA.NA.A; also transcribed as "Nanāy", "Nanaja", "Nanāja", '"Nanāya", or "Nanai"; antiquated transcription: "Nanâ"; in Greek language, Greek: ''Ναναια'' or ''Νανα''; Aramaic: ''ננױ ...
in Umma, much like Inanna of Uruk was in her city. Both Inanna of Zabalam and Shara were also worshiped alongside Dumuzi. An association between this god and Shara is also attested in a ritual text from the Ur III period, but its character is unknown. The identity of Shara's father in the tradition of Umma cannot be determined with a certainty, as the most direct reference to him, the phrase ''aia DINGIR ù-TU-zu'' in a hymn, has two possible translations: "your father An who engendered you," or "your divine father who engendered you." In god lists, Shara consistently occurs in the circle of Inanna and Dumuzi after the Ur III period. The Old Babylonian forerunner of ''An = Anum'' places him next to a group of deities associated with the steppe:
Lulal Lulal, inscribed dlú.làl in cuneiform(𒀭𒇽𒋭), was a Mesopotamian god associated with Inanna, usually as a servant deity or bodyguard but in a single text as a son. His name has Sumerian origin and can be translated as "syrup man." In the ...
,
Latarak Latarak (Lātarāk) was a Mesopotamian god. He was most likely depicted as a figure clad in a lion's skin, or perhaps as a lion-like monster. He was regarded as a protective deity, invoked to defend doorways and ward off diseases. He was closely ...
and Lugaledinna. A single Neo-Babylonian god list equates him with
Adad Hadad ( uga, ), Haddad, Adad ( Akkadian: 𒀭𒅎 '' DIM'', pronounced as ''Adād''), or Iškur ( Sumerian) was the storm and rain god in the Canaanite and ancient Mesopotamian religions. He was attested in Ebla as "Hadda" in c. 2500 BCE. ...
. According to Daniel Schwemer, it is presently impossible to tell what this equation relied on. While in an Old Babylonian god list from Nippur ''dŠa-ra'' is placed right after the weather god, according to Fabienne Huber Vuillet the deity meant in this case is his similarly named wife
Shala Shala (Šala) was a Mesopotamian goddess of weather and grain and the wife of the weather god Adad. It is assumed that she originated in northern Mesopotamia and that her name might have Hurrian origin. She was worshiped especially in Karkar a ...
, not Shara.


Mythology

Both Shara himself and a location associated with him, the Sigkuršaga, appear in the myth ''Inanna's Descent to the Underworld''. When Inanna looks for a substitute after being released from the
underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld. ...
, Shara is one of the candidates she considers, but since much like Ninshubur and Lulal he was properly mourning her death, she tells the demons accompanying her to spare him. According to Andrew C. Cohen, in this composition he is represented as Inanna's servant like the other two aforementioned deities. In the myth of
Anzû Anzû, also known as dZû and Imdugud ( Sumerian: ''AN.IM.DUGUD MUŠEN''), is a lesser divinity or monster in several Mesopotamian religions. He was conceived by the pure waters of the Apsu and the wide Earth, or as son of Siris. Anzû was dep ...
, Shara is the final of the three gods who decline to fight the eponymous monster, the other two being
Adad Hadad ( uga, ), Haddad, Adad ( Akkadian: 𒀭𒅎 '' DIM'', pronounced as ''Adād''), or Iškur ( Sumerian) was the storm and rain god in the Canaanite and ancient Mesopotamian religions. He was attested in Ebla as "Hadda" in c. 2500 BCE. ...
and Girra. Shara is briefly referenced in ''
Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird ''Lugalbanda and the Anzu Bird'' is a Sumerian mythological account. The story is sometimes called ''The Return of Lugalbanda'' or ''Lugalbanda II'' being the second of two stories about the hero Lugalbanda. The first story is known as ''Lugalba ...
'', where during a meeting with Inanna the eponymous hero,
Lugalbanda Lugalbanda was a deified Sumerian king of Uruk who, according to various sources of Mesopotamian literature, was the father of Gilgamesh. Early sources mention his consort Ninsun and his heroic deeds in an expedition to Aratta by King Enmerkar. ...
, is compared both to him and to Dumuzi.


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

*
A balbale to Šara (Šara A)
' in the
Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL) was a project that provides an online digital library of texts and translations of Sumerian literature. This project's website contains "Sumerian text, English prose translation and bibl ...
*
Inana's Descent to the Nether World
' in the ETCSL *
Lugalbanda and the Anzud bird
' in the ETCSL
Stele of Ushumgal and Shara-igizi-Abzu
on the website of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

Votive plaque of Bara-irnun
on the website of the
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shara (God) Mesopotamian gods War gods Inanna Umma