Queen of Heaven and Earth
Goddess of fertility, love, war, beauty, sex and justice.
Feared and revered by many over time...
However,
You probably have never heard of her.
While the name of Zeus is known by most, how is it that such a force and icon of equal importance has been forgotten?
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Inanna is one of the first Goddesses we have record of.
We can trace the myths of Inanna back to Sumerian times. This was around 4th Century BC when countries in the Near East known today as Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria (to name a few) were referred to as Mesopotamia.
Mesopotamia was also the very culture that developed the first written language, religion, and agriculture.
In the Sumer civilization though men still had more rights, women were able to engage in trade, own property, divorce, run businesses along with their husbands, become priestesses, scribes, physicians and act as judges and witnesses in courts. Women were also able to engage in what was called ‘sacred prostitution’ and still be respected by society.
It could be that the Sumerians were a more equal society because they worshipped goddesses as much as they did gods. It was a time where women were still honoured for their connection to the divine through their ability to conceive a child as well as the mysteries of woman were looked up to, and sometimes feared.
Inanna had a large following during the Sumer rule, with many cult followings and temples dedicated to her.
She was often depicted as a very large woman in statues and images.
Though we see similar figurines all over the east of a ‘fat woman’ from a previous civilization (back then to be larger in build was seen as a woman who could bare many children and exuberated abundance)
many of these figurines of Inanna and goddess temples were actually found on the little tiny island of Malta.
Where?
Yes! Malta.
A little island between the tiptoe of Italy and Tunis.
An island that has survived multiple floods, and many different conquering’s from close by invaders.
Remaining temples on Malta and Gozo are considered some of the oldest existing manmade religious structures after Goblekli Tepe in present-day Turkey. These temples have been said to hold elements of ceremonial sites for ancient fertility rites. Numerous figurines and statues have been found in these sites depicting a very large woman. According to Gozitan folklore, there was a giantess, female god, who ate only broad beans and honey, and who with a child strapped to her back with whom she had had with one of the common men, built herself these temples as place of worship for herself.
Inanna has been depicted in many different ways through the literature we find her as the,
Goddess, Queen, Mother, Maiden, Child allowing her to be a full spectrum female Idol and relatable by all.
At a time in history where the feminine is rising again we want to help these forgotten stories come to life in our production INANNA – The Dance of the Rising Goddess
Through the mediums of music, dance, circus, and story we are honoured to have the privilege to showcase one of Inanna’s greatest known tales on the stage (more on this to come!).
As there are so many amazingly wild, and interesting facts surrounding Inanna and the time of her ruling, we have decided to continue our explorations of (often) untold and very ancient history here on these pages.
Until next time may you stay well, wild, and free.
Love always,
Shireen J
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