Editing Ninurta

{{Short description|Ancient Mesopotamian god}}
{{About|the Mesopotamian god|the South African genus of lizard|Ninurta coeruleopunctatus}}
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{{Infobox deity
| type = Mesopotamian
| name = Ninurta<br>{{langx|sux|{{cuneiform|𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁}}|label=none}}
| image = Cropped Image of Carving Showing the Mesopotamian God Ninurta.png
| caption = [[Assyria]]n stone relief from the temple of Ninurta at [[Kalhu]], showing the god with his thunderbolts pursuing [[Anzû]], who has stolen the [[Tablet of Destinies (mythic item)|Tablet of Destinies]] from [[Enlil]]'s sanctuary ([[Austen Henry Layard]] ''Monuments of Nineveh'', 2nd Series, 1853)
| parents = [[Enlil]] and [[Ninhursag]] <br> As [[Urash (god)|Urash]], [[Anu|An]]
| deity_of = God of agriculture, hunting, and war
| abode = Eshumesha temple in [[Nippur]]<br/>Later [[Kalhu]], during Assyrian times
| symbol = Plow and perched bird
| consort = ''As Ninurta:'' [[Gula (goddess)|Gula]]<br>''As Ninĝirsu:'' [[Bau (goddess)|Bau]]
| children = 
| planet = [[Saturn]], [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]
| mount = Beast with the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion
| equivalent1_type = Caananite
| equivalent1 = [[ʿAṯtar|Attar]]
| equivalent2_type = Eblaite
| equivalent2 = [[Aštabi]]
| equivalent3_type = Roman
| equivalent3 = [[Saturn (god)|Saturn]]
| greek_equivalent = [[Cronus]]
}}

'''Ninurta''' ({{langx|sux|{{cuneiform|𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁}}}}: {{Transliteration|Xsux|<sup>[[dingir|D]]</sup>[[NIN (cuneiform)|NIN]].[[Ib (cuneiform)|URTA]]}}, possible meaning "Lord [of] Barley"),{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} also known as '''Ninĝirsu''' ({{langx|sux|{{cuneiform|𒀭𒎏𒄈𒋢}}}}: {{Transliteration|Xsux|<sup>[[dingir|D]]</sup>[[NIN (cuneiform)|NIN]].[[Girsu|ĜIR<sub>2</sub>.SU]]}}, meaning "Lord [of] [[Girsu]]"),{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=138}} is an [[List of Mesopotamian deities|ancient Mesopotamian god]] associated with farming, healing, hunting, law, scribes, and war who was first worshipped in early [[Sumer]]. In the earliest records, he is a god of agriculture and healing, who cures humans of sicknesses and releases them from the power of [[Demons#Mesopotamia|demon]]s. In later times, as Mesopotamia grew more militarized, he became a warrior deity, though he retained many of his earlier agricultural attributes. He was regarded as the son of the chief god [[Enlil]] and his main [[Cult (religious practice)|cult]] center in Sumer was the Eshumesha temple in [[Nippur]]. Ninĝirsu was honored by [[Gudea|King Gudea]] of [[Lagash]] (ruled 2144–2124 BC), who rebuilt Ninĝirsu's temple in Lagash. Later, Ninurta became beloved by the [[Assyria]]ns as a formidable warrior. The Assyrian king [[Ashurnasirpal II]] (ruled 883–859 BC) built a massive temple for him at [[Kalhu]], which became his most important cult center from then on.

In the epic poem ''[[Lugal-e]]'', Ninurta slays the demon [[Asag]] using his talking mace [[Sharur (mythological weapon)|Sharur]] and uses stones to build the [[Tigris]] and [[Euphrates]] rivers to make them useful for irrigation. In a poem sometimes referred to as the "Sumerian ''[[Georgics|Georgica]]''", Ninurta provides agricultural advice to farmers. In an Akkadian myth, he was the champion of the gods against the [[Anzû]] bird after it stole the [[Tablet of Destinies (mythic item)|Tablet of Destinies]] from his father Enlil and, in a myth that is alluded to in many works but never fully preserved, he killed a group of warriors known as the "Slain Heroes". His major symbols were a perched bird and a plow.

It has been suggested that Ninurta was the inspiration for the figure of [[Nimrod]], a "mighty hunter" who is mentioned in association with Kalhu in the [[Book of Genesis]], although the view has been disputed.{{sfn|Petrovich|2013|page=273}} He may also be mentioned in the [[Books of Kings|Second Book of Kings]] under the name [[Shendu]].{{efn|{{langx|arc|ܢܝܼܫܪܵܟ݂}}; {{langx|el|Νεσεραχ}}; {{langx|la|Nesroch}}; {{Hebrew Name 1|נִסְרֹךְ}}}} In the nineteenth century, Assyrian stone reliefs of winged, eagle-headed figures from the temple of Ninurta at Kalhu were commonly, but erroneously, identified as "Nisrochs" and they appear in works of [[fantasy literature]] from the time period.

== Worship ==
[[File:Gudea dedication tablet to Ningirsu.jpg|thumb|[[Gudea]] dedication tablet to God Ningirsu: "For Ningirsu, [[Enlil]]'s mighty warrior, his Master; Gudea, [[Ensi (Sumerian)|ensi]] of [[Lagash]]"]]
[[File:Cylindres de Gudea - Musée du Louvre Antiquités orientales AO MNB 1511 ; MNB 1512.jpg|thumb|The [[Gudea cylinders]], dating to {{circa}} 2125 BC, describe how [[Gudea|King Gudea]] of Lagash rebuilt the temple of Ninĝirsu in Lagash as the result of a dream in which he was instructed to do so]]

Ninurta was worshipped in Mesopotamia as early as the middle of the third millennium BC by the ancient [[Sumer]]ians,{{sfn|Robson|2015}} and is one of the earliest attested deities in the region.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} His main cult center was the Eshumesha temple in the Sumerian city-state of [[Nippur]],{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=42}} where he was worshipped as the god of agriculture and the son of the chief-god [[Enlil]].{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=42}} Though they may have originally been separate deities,{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} in historical times, the god Ninĝirsu, who was worshipped in the Sumerian city-state of [[Girsu]], was always identified as a local form of Ninurta.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} According to the Assyriologists [[Jeremy Black (assyriologist)|Jeremy Black]] and Anthony Green, the two gods' personalities are "closely intertwined".{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} As the city-state of Girsu declined in importance, Ninĝirsu became increasingly known as "Ninurta".{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=138}} He became primarily characterized by the aggressive, warlike aspect of his nature.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}}

In later times, Ninurta's reputation as a fierce warrior made him immensely popular among the Assyrians.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} In the late second millennium BC, Assyrian kings frequently held names which included the name of Ninurta,{{sfn|Robson|2015}} such as [[Tukulti-Ninurta I|Tukulti-Ninurta]] ("the trusted one of Ninurta"), [[Ninurta-apal-Ekur]] ("Ninurta is the heir of [Ellil's temple] Ekur"), and [[Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur]] ("Ninurta is the god Aššur's trusted one").{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Tukulti-Ninurta I (ruled 1243–1207 BC) declares in one inscription that he hunts "at the command of the god Ninurta, who loves me."{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Similarly, [[Adad-nirari II]] (ruled 911–891 BC) claimed Ninurta and Aššur as supporters of his reign,{{sfn|Robson|2015}} declaring his destruction of their enemies as moral justification for his right to rule.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} In the ninth century BC, when [[Ashurnasirpal II]] (ruled 883–859 BC) moved the capital of the Assyrian Empire to [[Kalhu]],{{sfn|Robson|2015}} the first temple he built there was one dedicated to Ninurta.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Lewis|2016}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=43}}

[[File:The Palaces at Nimrud Restored.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|1853 restoration of what the city of [[Kalhu]], Ninurta's main cult center in the Assyrian Empire, might have originally looked like, based on the excavations of the British archaeologist [[Austen Henry Layard]] there in the 1840s]]
The walls of the temple were decorated with stone relief carvings, including one of Ninurta slaying the Anzû bird. Ashurnasirpal II's son [[Shalmaneser III]] (ruled 859–824 BC) completed Ninurta's [[ziggurat]] at Kalhu and dedicated a stone relief of himself to the god.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} On the carving, Shalmaneser III's boasts of his military exploits{{sfn|Robson|2015}} and credits all his victories to Ninurta, declaring that, without Ninurta's aid, none of them would have been possible.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} When [[Adad-nirari III]] (ruled 811–783 BC) dedicated a new endowment to the temple of Aššur in [[Assur]], they were sealed with both the seal of Aššur and the seal of Ninurta.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}

After the capital of Assyria was moved away from Kalhu, Ninurta's importance in the pantheon began to decline.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} [[Sargon II]] favored [[Nabu]], the god of scribes, over Ninurta.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Nonetheless, Ninurta still remained an important deity.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Even after the kings of Assyria left Kalhu, the inhabitants of the former capital continued to venerate Ninurta,{{sfn|Robson|2015}} who they called "Ninurta residing in Kalhu".{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Legal documents from the city record that those who violated their oaths were required to "place two [[mina (unit)|mina]]s of silver and one mina of gold in the lap of Ninurta residing in Kalhu."{{sfn|Robson|2015}} The last attested example of this clause dates to 669 BC, the last year of the reign of [[Esarhaddon|King Esarhaddon]] (ruled 681 – 669 BC).{{sfn|Robson|2015}} The temple of Ninurta at Kalhu flourished until the end of the Assyrian Empire,{{sfn|Robson|2015}} hiring the poor and destitute as employees.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} The main cultic personnel were a ''šangû''-priest and a chief singer, who were supported by a cook, a steward, and a porter.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} In the late seventh century BC, the temple staff witnessed legal documents, along with the staff of the temple of Nabu at [[Ezida]].{{sfn|Robson|2015}} The two temples shared a ''qēpu''-official.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}

== Iconography ==
[[File:Shamash.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Male figure in an Assyrian [[winged sun]] emblem from the Northwest Palace at Kalhu; some authors have speculated that this figure may be Ninurta, but most scholars reject this assertion as unfounded]]

On ''[[kudurru]]s'' from the [[Kassites|Kassite Period]] ({{circa}} 1600 – {{circa}} 1155 BC), a plough is captioned as a symbol of Ninĝirsu.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} The plough also appears in [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Neo-Assyrian]] art, possibly as a symbol of Ninurta.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} A perched bird is also used as a symbol of Ninurta during the Neo-Assyrian Period.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|pages=142–143}} One speculative hypothesis holds that the winged disc originally symbolized Ninurta during the ninth century BC,{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} but was later transferred to Aššur and the sun-god [[Utu|Shamash]].{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} This idea is based on some early representations in which the god on the winged disc appears to have the tail of a bird.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} Most scholars have rejected this suggestion as unfounded.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} Astronomers of the eighth and seventh centuries BC identified Ninurta (or [[Pabilsaĝ]]) with the constellation [[Sagittarius (constellation)|Sagittarius]].{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}} Alternatively, others identified him with the star [[Sirius]],{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}} which was known in Akkadian as ''šukūdu'', meaning "arrow".{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}} The constellation of [[Canis Major]], of which Sirius is the most visible star, was known as ''qaštu'', meaning "bow", after the bow and arrow Ninurta was believed to carry.{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}} In the [[MUL.APIN]] Ninurta is consistently identified with [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]],{{sfn|Koch|1995|p=127}}{{sfn|Hunger|Steele|2018|p=127}}{{sfn|Horowitz|1998|p=172}} as it is read: "Mercury whose name is Ninurta travels the (same) path the Moon travels." However, in Babylonian times, Ninurta was associated with the planet [[Saturn]],{{sfn|Kasak|Veede|2001|pages=25–26}} while Mercury became associated with [[Nabu]].

== Family ==
[[File:Fragment Bau Louvre AO4572.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Limestone bust of a goddess from [[Girsu]], possibly Ninurta's consort [[Bau (goddess)|Bau]], wearing a horned cap]]

Ninurta was believed to be the son of Enlil.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} In ''[[Lugal-e]]'', his mother is identified as the goddess [[Ninmah]], whom he renames [[Ninhursag]],{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} but, in ''Angim dimma'', his mother is instead the goddess [[Ninlil]].{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=100}} Under the name ''Ninurta'', his wife is usually the goddess [[Gula (goddess)|Gula]],{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} but, as Ninĝirsu, his wife is the goddess [[Bau (goddess)|Bau]].{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} Gula was the goddess of healing and medicine{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=101}} and she was sometimes alternately said to be the wife of the god [[Pabilsaĝ]] or the minor vegetation god [[Abu (god)|Abu]].{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=101}} Bau was worshipped "almost exclusively in Lagash"{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=39}} and was sometimes alternately identified as the wife of the god [[Zababa]].{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=39}} She and Ninĝirsu were believed to have two sons: the gods Ig-alima and Šul-šagana.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=39}} Bau also had seven daughters, but Ninĝirsu was not claimed to be their father.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=39}} As the son of Enlil, Ninurta's siblings include: [[Sin (mythology)|Nanna]], [[Nergal]], [[Ninazu]],{{sfn|Jacobsen|1946|pages=128–152}}{{sfn|Kramer|1961|pages=44–45}} [[Enbilulu]],{{sfn|Black|Cunningham|Robson|2006|page=106}} and sometimes [[Inanna]].{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=108}}{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=88}}

== Mythology ==
=== ''Lugal-e'' ===
Second only to the goddess [[Inanna]], Ninurta probably appears in more myths than any other Mesopotamian deity.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|pages=42–43}} In the Sumerian poem ''[[Lugal-e]]'', also known as ''Ninurta's Exploits'', a demon known as [[Asag]] has been causing sickness and poisoning the rivers.{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} Ninurta confronts Asag, who is protected by an army of stone warriors.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=68}} Ninurta slays Asag and his armies.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=68}} Then Ninurta organizes the world,{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}} using the stones from the warriors he has defeated to build the mountains, which he designs so that the streams, lakes and rivers all flow into the [[Tigris]] and [[Euphrates]] rivers, making them useful for [[irrigation]] and agriculture.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} Ninurta's mother [[Ninmah]] descends from Heaven to congratulate her son on his victory.{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} Ninurta dedicates the mountain of stone to her and renames her [[Ninhursag]], meaning "Lady of the Mountain".{{sfn|Holland|2009|page=117}} Finally, Ninurta returns home to Nippur, where he is celebrated as a hero.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} This myth combines Ninurta's role as a warrior deity with his role as an agricultural deity.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} The title ''Lugal-e'' means "O king!" and comes from the poem opening phrase in the original Sumerian.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} ''Ninurta's Exploits'' is a modern title assigned to it by scholars.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} The poem was eventually translated into Akkadian after Sumerian became regarded as too difficult to understand.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}

A companion work to the ''Lugal-e'' is ''Angim dimma'', or ''Ninurta's Return to Nippur'',{{sfn|Robson|2015}} which describes Ninurta's return to Nippur after slaying Asag.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} It contains little narrative and is mostly a praise piece, describing Ninurta in larger-than-life terms and comparing him to the god [[Anu|An]].{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=56}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}} ''Angim dimma'' is believed to have originally been written in Sumerian during the [[Third Dynasty of Ur]] ({{circa}} 2112 – {{circa}} 2004 BC) or the early [[First Babylonian dynasty|Old Babylonian Period]] ({{circa}} 1830 – {{circa}} 1531 BC),{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=55}} but the oldest surviving texts of it date to Old Babylonian Period.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=55}} Numerous later versions of the text have also survived.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=55}} It was translated into Akkadian during the [[Kassites|Middle Babylonian Period]] ({{circa}} 1600 — {{circa}} 1155 BC).{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=55}}

=== Anzû myth ===
[[File:Chaos Monster and Sun God.png|thumb|upright=1.3|Ninurta with his thunderbolts pursues [[Anzû]], who has stolen the [[Tablet of Destinies (mythic item)|Tablet of Destinies]] from Enlil's sanctuary ([[Austen Henry Layard]] ''Monuments of Nineveh'', 2nd Series, 1853)]]

In the Old, Middle, and Late Babylonian myth of ''Anzû and the Tablet of Destinies'', the [[Anzû]] is a giant, monstrous bird.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=52}}{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=9}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} Enlil gives Anzû a position as the guardian of his sanctuary,{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=52}}{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=10}} but Anzû betrays Enlil and steals the [[Tablet of Destinies (mythic item)|Tablet of Destinies]],{{sfn|Penglase|1994|pages=52–53}}{{sfn|Leick|1998|pages=9–10}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} a sacred clay tablet belonging to Enlil that grants him his authority,{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=173}} while Enlil is preparing for his bath.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53}}{{sfn|Leick|1998|pages=9–10}} The rivers dry up and the gods are stripped of their powers.{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=10}} The gods send [[Adad]], [[Girra]], and [[Shara (god)|Shara]] to defeat the Anzû,{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=10}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53}} but all of them fail.{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=10}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53}} Finally, the god [[Enki|Ea]] proposes that the gods should send Ninurta, Enlil's son.{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=10}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53}} Ninurta confronts the Anzû and shoots it with his arrows,{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=45}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}} but the Tablet of Destinies has the power to reverse time{{sfn|Robson|2015}} and the Anzû uses this power to make Ninurta's arrows fall apart in midair and revert to their original components.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=45}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}}

Ninurta calls upon the [[south wind]] for aid, which rips the Anzû's wings off.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=45}} The god [[Dagon|Dagan]] announces Ninurta's victory in the assembly of the gods{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53}} and, as a reward, Ninurta is granted a prominent seat on the council.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53}}{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=10}}{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}} Enlil sends the messenger god [[Birtum|Birdu]] to request Ninurta to return the Tablet of Destinies.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|pages=53–54}} Ninurta's reply to Birdu is fragmentary, but it is possible he may initially refuse to return the Tablet.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=54}} In the end, however, Ninurta does return the Tablet of Destinies to his father.{{sfn|Leick|1998|page=10}}{{sfn|Penglase|1994|pages=46, 54}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}} This story was particularly popular among scholars of the Assyrian royal court.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}

The myth of ''Ninurta and the Turtle'', recorded in UET 6/1 2, is a fragment of what was originally a much longer literary composition.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=61}} In it, after defeating the Anzû, Ninurta is honored by [[Enki]] in [[Eridu]].{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=61}} Enki senses his thoughts and creates a giant turtle, which he releases behind Ninurta and which bites the hero's ankle.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=61}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=179}} As they struggle, the turtle digs a pit with its claws, which both of them fall into.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=61}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=179}} Enki gloats over Ninurta's defeat.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=61}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=179}} The end of the story is missing;{{sfn|Penglase|1994|pages=43–44, 61}} the last legible portion of the account is a lamentation from Ninurta's mother Ninmah, who seems to be considering finding a substitute for her son.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=61}} According to Charles Penglase, in this account, Enki is clearly intended as the hero and his successful foiling of Ninurta's plot to seize power for himself is intended as a demonstration of Enki's supreme wisdom and cunning.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=61}}

=== Other myths ===
[[File:UrukPlate3000BCE.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Sumerian [[cylinder seal]] impression dating to {{circa}} 3200 BC showing an ''[[Ensi (Sumerian)|ensi]]'' and his acolyte feeding a sacred herd; Ninurta was an agricultural deity and, in a poem known as the "Sumerian ''Georgica''", he offers detailed advice on farming]]

In ''Ninurta's Journey to Eridu'', Ninurta leaves the [[Ekur]] temple in Nippur and travels to the [[Abzu]] in [[Eridu]], led by an unnamed guide.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|pages=52–53, 62}} In Eridu, Ninurta sits in assembly with the gods [[Anu|An]] and [[Enki]]{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53}} and Enki gives him the ''[[Me (mythology)|me]]'' for life.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53, 63}} The poem ends with Ninurta returning to Nippur.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53, 63}} The account probably deals with a journey in which Ninurta's cult statue was transported from one city to another and the "guide" is the person carrying the cult statue.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=53}} The story closely resembles the other Sumerian myth of ''[[Inanna#Conquests and patronage|Inanna and Enki]]'', in which the goddess Inanna journeys to Eridu and receives the ''mes'' from Enki.{{sfn|Penglase|1994|page=43}} In a poem known as the "Sumerian ''Georgica''", written sometime between 1700 and 1500 BC, Ninurta delivers detailed advice on agricultural matters,{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}}{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=627}} including how to plant, tend, and harvest crops, how to prepare fields for planting, and even how to drive birds away from the crops.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} The poem covers nearly every aspect of farm life throughout the course of the year.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}}

The myth of the ''Slain Heroes'' is alluded to in many texts, but is never preserved in full.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=142}} In this myth, Ninurta must fight a variety of opponents.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|pages=138, 142}} Black and Green describe these opponents as "bizarre minor deities";{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=138}} they include the [[six-headed Wild Ram]], the [[Palm Tree King]], the [[seven-headed serpent]] and the [[Mermaid (Ninurta)|Kulianna the Mermaid (or "fish-woman")]].{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}} Some of these foes are inanimate objects, such as the [[Magilum boat|Magillum Boat]], which carries the souls of the dead to the Underworld, and the [[strong copper]], which represents a metal that was conceived as precious.{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=138}} This story of successive trials and victories may have been the source for the Greek legend of the [[Labours of Heracles|Twelve Labors of Heracles]].{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}}

== Later influence ==
===In antiquity===
[[File:Nimrod (painting).jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|''Nimrod'' (1832) by [[David Scott (painter)|David Scott]]. Nimrod, the "great hunter" mentioned in {{bibleverse||Genesis|10:8–12|9}}, is believed by many scholars to be inspired by either Ninurta himself or the Assyrian king [[Tukulti-Ninurta I]], named after him]]

In the late seventh century BC, Kalhu was captured by foreign invaders.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Despite this, Ninurta was never completely forgotten.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Many scholars agree that Ninurta was probably the inspiration for the biblical figure [[Nimrod]], mentioned in {{bibleverse||Genesis|10:8–12|9}} as a "mighty hunter".{{sfn|Metzger|Coogan|1993|page=218}}{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=627}}{{sfn|Wiseman|1979|page=337}}{{sfn|Wildberger|2002|page=405}} Though it is still not entirely clear how the name ''Ninurta'' became ''Nimrod'' in Hebrew,{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=627}} the two figures bear mostly the same functions and attributes{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|pages=627–629}} and ''Ninurta'' is currently regarded as the most plausible etymology for Nimrod's name.{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=627}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Eventually, the ruins of the city of Kalhu itself became known in Arabic as ''Namrūd'' because of its association with Ninurta.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}

Later in the [[Old Testament]], in both {{bibleverse||2 Kings|19:37|9}} and {{bibleverse||Isaiah|37:38|9}}, [[Sennacherib|King Sennacherib]] of Assyria is reported to have been murdered by his sons [[Arda-Mulissu|Adrammelech]] and [[Sharezer]] in the temple of "[[Nisroch]]",{{sfn|Wildberger|2002|page=405}}{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}}{{sfn|Wiseman|1979|page=337}} which is most likely a scribal error for "Nimrod".{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}}{{sfn|Wiseman|1979|page=337}} This hypothetical error would result from the [[Hebrew alphabet|Hebrew letter]] מ ([[mem]]) being replacing with ס ([[samekh]]) and the letter ד ([[dalet]]) being replaced with ך ([[Kaph|kaf]]).{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}} Due to the obvious visual similarities of the letters involved and the fact that no Assyrian deity by the name of "Nisroch" has ever been attested, most scholars consider this error to be the most likely explanation for the name.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=628}}{{sfn|Wiseman|1979|page=337}}{{sfn|Gallagher|1999|page=252}} If "Nisroch" is Ninurta, this would make Ninurta's temple at Kalhu the most likely location of Sennacherib's murder.{{sfn|Gallagher|1999|page=252}} Other scholars have attempted to identify Nisroch as [[Nusku]], the Assyrian god of fire.{{sfn|Wildberger|2002|page=405}} Hans Wildberger rejects all suggested identifications as linguistically implausible.{{sfn|Wildberger|2002|page=405}}

Although the Book of Genesis itself portrays Nimrod positively as the first king after the [[Genesis flood narrative|Flood of Noah]] and a builder of cities,{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=629}} the Greek [[Septuagint]] translation of the Hebrew Bible refers to him as a [[Giants (Greek mythology)|giant]]{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=629}} and mistranslates the Hebrew words meaning "before [[Yahweh]]" as "in opposition against God."{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=629}} Because of this, Nimrod became envisioned as the archetypal [[Idolatry|idolator]].{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=629}} Early works of Jewish ''[[midrash]]'', described by the first-century AD philosopher [[Philo]] in his ''Quaestiones'', portrayed Nimrod as the instigator of the building of the [[Tower of Babel]], who persecuted the Jewish [[Patriarchs (Bible)|patriarch]] [[Abraham]] for refusing to participate in the project.{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=629}} [[Augustine of Hippo|Saint Augustine of Hippo]] refers to Nimrod in his book ''[[The City of God]]'' as "a deceiver, oppressor and destroyer of earth-born creatures."{{sfn|van der Toorn|Becking|van der Horst|1999|page=629}}

===In modernity===
[[File:Esprit protecteur (British Museum) (8704834191).jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Stone relief carving of an [[Theriocephaly|eagle-headed]] genius from the temple of Ninurta at Kalhu; such depictions were widely, but erroneously, identified as Ninurta in the nineteenth century and were popularly known as "Nisrochs"]]

In the sixteenth century, Nisroch became seen as a [[demon]]. The Dutch [[demonology|demonologist]] [[Johann Weyer]] listed Nisroch in his ''[[Pseudomonarchia Daemonum]]'' (1577) as the "chief cook" of [[Hell]].{{sfn|Ripley|Dana|1883|pages=794–795}} Nisroch appears in Book VI of [[John Milton]]'s epic poem ''[[Paradise Lost]]'' (first published in 1667) as one of [[Satan]]'s demons.{{sfn|Milton|Flannagan|1998|page=521}}{{sfn|Bunson|1996|page=199}} Nisroch, who is described as frowning and wearing beaten armor,{{sfn|Milton|Flannagan|1998|page=521}} calls into question Satan's argument that the fight between the angels and demons is equal, objecting that they, as demons, can feel pain, which will break their morale.{{sfn|Milton|Flannagan|1998|page=521}} According to Milton scholar Roy Flannagan, Milton may have chosen to portray Nisroch as timid because he had consulted the Hebrew dictionary of C. Stephanus, which defined the name "Nisroch" as "Flight" or "Delicate Temptation".{{sfn|Milton|Flannagan|1998|page=521}}

In the 1840s, the British archaeologist [[Austen Henry Layard]] uncovered numerous stone carvings of winged, [[Theriocephaly|eagle-headed]] genii at Kalhu.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} Remembering the Biblical story of Sennacherib's murder, Layard mistakenly identified these figures as "Nisrochs".{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} Such carvings continued to be known as "Nisrochs" in popular literature throughout the remaining portion of the nineteenth century.{{sfn|Robson|2015}}{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} In [[E. Nesbit|Edith Nesbit]]'s classic 1906 children's novel ''[[The Story of the Amulet]]'', the child protagonists summon an eagle-headed "Nisroch" to guide them.{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Nisroch opens a portal and advises them, "Walk forward without fear" and asks, "Is there aught else that the Servant of the great Name can do for those who speak that name?"{{sfn|Robson|2015}} Some modern works on art history still repeat the old misidentification,{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}} but Near Eastern scholars now generally refer to the "Nisroch" figure as a "griffin-demon".{{sfn|Black|Green|1992|page=143}}

In 2016, during its brief conquest of the region, the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) demolished Ashurnasirpal II's ziggurat of Ninurta at Kalhu.{{sfn|Lewis|2016}} This act was in line with ISIL's longstanding policy of destroying any ancient ruins which it deemed incompatible with its militant interpretation of Islam.{{sfn|Lewis|2016}} According to a statement from the [[American Schools of Oriental Research]] (ASOR)'s Cultural Heritage Initiatives, ISIL may have destroyed the temple to use its destruction for future propaganda{{sfn|Lewis|2016}} and to demoralize the local population.{{sfn|Lewis|2016}}

In March 2020, archaeologists announced the discovery of a 5,000-year-old cultic area filled with more than 300 broken ceremonial ceramic cups, bowls, jars, animal bones and ritual processions dedicated to Ningirsu at the site of [[Girsu]]. One of the remains was a duck-shaped bronze figurine with eyes made from bark which is thought to be dedicated to [[Nanshe]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jarus |first=Owen |date=30 March 2020 |title=Ancient cultic area for warrior-god uncovered in Iraq |url=https://www.livescience.com/girsu-cult-discovered.html |access-date=2020-08-31 |website=Live Science |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gavin|date=2020-04-11|title=Ancient cultic area for warrior-god uncovered in Iraq|url=https://most-interestingthings.com/ancient-cultic-area-for-warrior-god-uncovered-in-iraq/|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Most Interesting Things|language=en-US}}</ref>

In February 2023, the [[E-ninnu|E-ninnu temple]] (Temple of the White Thunderbird), the primary sanctuary of Ningirsu was identified during the excavations led by [[British Museum]] and [[J. Paul Getty Museum|Getty Museum]] archaeologists at the site of [[Girsu]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Tobi |date=2023-02-17 |title=Discovery of 4,500-year-old palace in Iraq may hold key to ancient civilisation |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/feb/17/discovery-of-4500-year-old-palace-in-iraq-may-hold-key-to-ancient-civilisation |access-date=2023-02-23 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Kajamanu]]

== References ==

=== Notes ===
{{notelist|30em}}

=== Citations ===

{{Reflist|30em}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{citation|last1=Black|first1=Jeremy A.|last2=Cunningham|first2=Graham|last3=Robson|first3=Eleanor|title=The Literature of Ancient Sumer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a1W2mTtGVV4C&pg=PA106|date=2006|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-929633-0|pages=106}}
* {{citation|last1=Black|first1=Jeremy|first2=Anthony|last2=Green|title=Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary|location=Austin, Texas|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=1992|isbn=0714117056}}
* {{citation|last=Bunson|first=Matthew|date=1996|title=Angels A to Z: A Who's Who of the Heavenly Host|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9hzyxbMUqHoC&q=Nisroch+demon&pg=PA199|location=New York City, New York|publisher=Three Rivers Press|isbn=0-517-88537-9}}
*Fadhil, Anmar Abdulillah, and Enrique Jiménez, "Literary Texts from the Sippar Library IV: A “Macranthropic” Hymn to Ninurta", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie 113.2, pp.&nbsp;193–215, 2023
* {{citation|last=Gallagher|first=William R.|date=1999|title=Sennacherib's Campaign to Judah: New Studies|journal=Studies in the History of the Ancient Near East|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jfud5omuauIC&q=Nisroch+Ninurta&pg=PA252|location=Leiden, The Netherlands, Köln, Germany, and Boston, Massachusetts|publisher=Brill|issn=0169-9024|isbn=90-04-11537-4}}
* {{citation|last=Holland|first=Glenn Stanfield|date=2009|title=Gods in the Desert: Religions of the Ancient Near East|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FI6PzjEm_UUC&q=Utu+sun+god&pg=PA115|location=Lanham, Maryland, Boulder, Colorado, New York City, New York, Toronto, Ontario, and Plymouth, England|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.|isbn=978-0-7425-9979-6}}
*{{cite book|last=Horowitz|first=Wayne|title=Mesopotamian Cosmic Geography|year=1998|publisher=Eisenbrauns|isbn=9780931464997|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P8fl8BXpR0MC}}
*{{cite book|last1=Hunger|first1=Hermann|last2=Steele|first2=John|title=The Babylonian Astronomical Compendium MUL.APIN|year=2018|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9781351686815|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z7JjDwAAQBAJ}} 
* {{citation|last=Jacobsen|first=Thorkild|author-link=Thorkild Jacobsen|date=1946|title = Sumerian Mythology: A Review Article|journal=[[Journal of Near Eastern Studies]]|volume=5|issue=2|jstor=542374|pages=128–152|doi=10.1086/370777|s2cid=162344845}}
* {{citation|last1=Kasak|first1=Enn|last2=Veede|first2=Raul|date=2001|title=Understanding Planets in Ancient Mesopotamia|url=https://www.folklore.ee/folklore/vol16/planets.pdf|journal=Folklore: Electronic Journal of Folklore|volume=16|editor1-last=Kõiva|editor1-first=Mare|editor2-last=Kuperjanov|editor2-first=Andres|location=Tartu, Estonia|publisher=Folk Belief and Media Group of ELM|issn=1406-0957|pages=7–33|doi=10.7592/FEJF2001.16.planets}}
*{{cite book|last=Koch|first=Ulla Susanne|title=Mesopotamian astrology: an introduction to Babylonian and Assyrian celestial divination|year=1995|publisher=Museum Tusculanum Press|isbn=9788772892870|url=https://www.academia.edu/441807}}
* {{citation|last=Kramer|first=Samuel Noah|author-link=Samuel Noah Kramer|date=1961|orig-year=1944|title=Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual and Literary Achievement in the Third Millennium B.C.: Revised Edition|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|isbn=978-0-8122-1047-7|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/sum/}}
* {{citation|last=Leick|first=Gwendolyn|title=A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology|publisher=Routledge|location=New York City, New York|date=1998|orig-year=1991|isbn=0-415-19811-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c52EAgAAQBAJ&q=Anzu}}
* {{citation|last=Lewis|first=Danny|date=15 November 2016|title=ISIS Has Destroyed a Nearly 3,000-Year-Old Assyrian Ziggurat: The ziggurat of Nimrud was the ancient city's central temple|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/isis-has-destroyed-nearly-3000-year-old-assyrian-ziggurat-180961101/|website=Smithsonian.com|publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}
* {{citation|last1=Metzger|first1=Bruce M.|author1-link=Bruce M. Metzger|first2=Michael D.|last2=Coogan|author2-link=Michael D. Coogan|date=1993|title=The Oxford Guide to People and Places of the Bible|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0P-mASFPEsAC&pg=PA218|location=Oxford, England|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-534095-2|doi=10.1093/acref/9780195146417.001.0001|url-access=subscription}}
* {{citation|last1=Milton|first1=John|last2=Flannagan|first2=Roy|date=1998|title=The Riverside Milton|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LBZbAAAAMAAJ&q=Nisroch+Milton|location=Boston, Massachusetts|publisher=Houghton Mifflin|isbn=978-0-395-80999-0}}
* {{citation|last=Penglase|first=Charles|date=1994|title=Greek Myths and Mesopotamia: Parallels and Influence in the Homeric Hymns and Hesiod|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U4mFAgAAQBAJ&q=Ninurta&pg=PA42|location=New York City, New York|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0-415-15706-4}}
* {{citation|last1=Ripley|first1=George|last2=Dana|first2=Charles A.|date=1883|chapter=Demonology|title=The American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary for General Knowledge|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qXRYAAAAMAAJ&q=Nisroch+demon&pg=PA795|location=New York City, New York|publisher=D. Appleton and Company}}
* {{citation|last=Robson|first=Eleanor|date=2015|title=Ninurta, god of victory|url=http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/nimrud/ancientkalhu/thepeople/ninurta/index.html|website=Nimrud: Materialities of Assyrian Knowledge Production|publisher=Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus, UK Higher Education Academy}}
* {{citation|last1=van der Toorn|first1=Karel|last2=Becking|first2=Bob|last3=van der Horst|first3=Pieter Willem|title=Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible|publisher=William B. Eerdman's Publishing Company|edition=second|location=Grand Rapids, Michigan|date=1999|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yCkRz5pfxz0C&q=Is+Nisroch+Ninurta&pg=PA628|isbn=0-8028-2491-9}}
* {{citation|last=Wildberger|first=Hans|date=2002|title=Isaiah 28-39: A Continental Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4l_J_GQv9W4C&q=Nisroch+Ninurta&pg=PA405|location=Minneapolis, Minnesota|publisher=Fortress Press|isbn=0-8006-9510-0}}
* {{citation|last=Wiseman|first=D. J.|date=1979|orig-year=1915|title=Assyria|encyclopedia=The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wo8csizDv0gC&q=Nisroch+Ninurta&pg=PA337|volume=1: A-D|editor1-last=Bromiley|editor1-first=Geoffrey W.|editor2-last=Harrison|editor2-first=Everett F.|editor3-last=Harrison|editor3-first=Roland K.|editor4-last=LaSor|editor4-first=William Sanford|editor5-last=Smith|editor5-first=Edgar W. Jr.|location=Grand Rapids, Michigan|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company|isbn=0-8028-3781-6}}
* {{citation|last=Petrovich|first=Douglas N.|date=2013|title=Identifying Nimrod of Genesis 10 with Sargon of Akkad by Exegetical and Archaeological Means|journal=Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society|volume=56|issue=2|url=https://www.etsjets.org/JETS/56_2|location=Chicago, Illinois|access-date=2020-10-28|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031161013/https://www.etsjets.org/JETS/56_2|url-status=dead}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Ningirsu}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* '''Texts'''
** Narratives about Ninurta
*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20110308035812/http://www-etcsl.orient.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.1.6* ETCSL website: Unicode version] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20090118182055/http://www-etcsl.orient.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.1.6*&charenc=j ETCSL website: ASCII version]
*** [http://www.gatewaystobabylon.com/myths/ninurta.htm Gateways to Babylon: ASCII English translation from the ETCSL website]
** [http://www.gatewaystobabylon.com/myths/texts/ninurta/mythanzu.htm Gateways to Babylon: The Myth of Anzû]
** Hymns to Ninurta [https://web.archive.org/web/20090118200604/http://www-etcsl.orient.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.4.27* ETCSL website: Unicode version] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20090118185527/http://www-etcsl.orient.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.4.27*&charenc=j ETCSL website: ASCII version]
* '''Commentary'''
** [http://www.gatewaystobabylon.com/essays/wisdomninurta.html Gateways to Babylon: "Ninurta as the god of wisdom" by Amar Annus]
{{Sumerian mythology}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mesopotamian gods]]
[[Category:Agricultural gods]]
[[Category:War gods]]
[[Category:Tutelary gods]]
[[Category:Health gods]]
[[Category:Savior gods]]
[[Category:Destroyer gods]]
[[Category:Hunting gods]]
[[Category:Deities in the Hebrew Bible]]
[[Category:Nimrud]]
[[Category:Nimrod]]
[[Category:Saturnian deities]]
[[Category:Lion gods]]