Editing Inanna (section)

==Origins and development==
[[File:Warka_vase_(background_retouched).jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Uruk Vase]] (Warka Vase), depicting votive offerings to Inanna (3200–3000 BCE).{{sfnp|Suter|2014|page=51}}]]

Inanna has posed a problem for many scholars of ancient Sumer due to the fact that her sphere of power contained more distinct and contradictory aspects than that of any other deity.{{sfnp|Vanstiphout|1984|pages=225–228}} Two major theories regarding her origins have been proposed.{{sfnp|Vanstiphout|1984|page=228}} The first explanation holds that Inanna is the result of a [[syncretism]] between several previously unrelated Sumerian deities with totally different domains.{{sfnp|Vanstiphout|1984|page=228}}{{sfnp|Brandão|2019|p=43}} The second explanation holds that Inanna was originally a [[Semitic deity]] who entered the Sumerian pantheon after it was already fully structured, and who took on all the roles that had not yet been assigned to other deities.{{sfnp|Vanstiphout|1984|pages=228–229}}

As early as the [[Uruk period]] ({{circa|4000–3100&nbsp;BCE}}), Inanna was already associated with the city of [[Uruk]].{{sfnp|Black|Green|1992|page=108}} During this period, the symbol of a ring-headed doorpost was closely associated with Inanna.{{sfnp|Black|Green|1992|page=108}} The famous [[Uruk Vase]] (found in a deposit of cult objects of the Uruk&nbsp;III period) depicts a row of naked men carrying various objects, including bowls, vessels, and baskets of farm products,{{sfnp|Suter|2014|page=551}} and bringing sheep and goats to a [[female figure]] facing the ruler.{{sfnp|Suter|2014|pages=550–552}} The female stands in front of Inanna's symbol of the two twisted reeds of the doorpost,{{sfnp|Suter|2014|pages=550–552}} while the male figure holds a box and stack of bowls, the later [[Cuneiform script|cuneiform]] sign signifying the {{transliteration|sux|[[EN (cuneiform)|En]]}}, or high priest of the temple.{{sfnp|Suter|2014|pages=552–554}}

Seal impressions from the [[Jemdet Nasr period]] ({{circa|3100–2900&nbsp;BCE}}) show a fixed sequence of symbols representing various cities, including those of [[Ur]], [[Larsa]], [[Zabalam]], [[Tell Uqair#Urum|Urum]], [[Arina]], and probably [[Kesh (Sumer)|Kesh]].{{sfnp|van der Mierop|2007|page=55}} This list probably reflects the report of contributions to Inanna at Uruk from cities supporting her cult.{{sfnp|van der Mierop|2007|page=55}} A large number of similar seals have been discovered from phase&nbsp;I of the [[Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia)|Early Dynastic period]] ({{circa|2900–2350&nbsp;BCE}}) at [[Ur]], in a slightly different order, combined with the rosette symbol of Inanna.{{sfnp|van der Mierop|2007|page=55}} These seals were used to lock storerooms to preserve materials set aside for her cult.{{sfnp|van der Mierop|2007|page=55}}

Various inscriptions in the name of Inanna are known, such as a bead in the name of King [[Aga of Kish]] {{circa|2600&nbsp;BCE}}, or a tablet by King [[Lugal-kisalsi]] {{circa|2400&nbsp;BCE}}:

{{blockquote|
[[File:BM_91013_Tablet_dedicated_by_Lugal-tarsi.jpg|left|thumb|Tablet of Lugal-kisalsi|upright=0.8]]

For [[An (god)|An]], king of all the lands, and for Inanna, his mistress, [[Lugal-kisalsi]], king of [[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]], built the wall of the courtyard.|Inscription of Lugal-kisalsi.{{sfnp|Maeda|1981|p=8}}}}

During the [[Akkadian Empire|Akkadian period]] ({{circa| 2334–2154&nbsp;BCE}}), following the conquests of [[Sargon of Akkad]], Inanna and originally independent Ishtar became so extensively syncretized that they became regarded as effectively the same.{{sfnp|Leick|1998|page=87}}{{sfnp|Collins|1994|pages=110–111}} The Akkadian poet [[Enheduanna]], the daughter of Sargon, wrote numerous hymns to Inanna, identifying her with Ishtar.{{sfnp|Leick|1998|page=87}}{{sfnp|Collins|1994|page=111}} As a result of this,{{sfnp|Leick|1998|page=87}} the popularity of Inanna/Ishtar's cult skyrocketed.{{sfnp|Leick|1998|page=87}}{{sfnp|Black|Green|1992|page=108}}{{sfnp|Wolkstein|Kramer|1983|pages=xviii, xv}} Alfonso Archi, who was involved in early excavations of Ebla, assumes Ishtar was originally a goddess venerated in the Euphrates valley, pointing out that an association between her and the [[desert poplar]] is attested in the most ancient texts from both [[Ebla]] and [[Mari, Syria|Mari]]. He considers her, a moon god (e.g., [[Nanna (Sumerian deity)|Sin]]) and a sun deity of varying gender ([[Shamash]]/[[Shapash]]) to be the only deities shared between various early Semitic peoples of Mesopotamia and ancient Syria, who otherwise had different not necessarily overlapping pantheons.<ref>A. Archi, ''The Gods of Ebla'' [in:]  J. Eidem, C.H. van Zoest (eds.), ''[https://www.nino-leiden.nl/publication/annual-report-nino-and-nit-2010 Annual Report NINO and NIT 2010]'', 2011, p. 3</ref>