The echoes of ancient religions and cults are clearly felt in many modern philosophical movements. Human societies, separated by temporal and spatial boundaries, in different epochs of their existence have never lived apart. The interpenetration and mutual influence of various civilizations can be clearly seen if we study their mythology and cult rites.
The goddess of love
One of the most famous characters of ancient cults is the goddess Ishtar. Her name is found in ancient Persian, Greek, Semitic dialect and Hebrew. In Egypt, it is known as Astarte, in Greece it was considered as one of the incarnations of Aphrodite, among the Jews it existed as Ashtoret. In any of its forms, the goddess Ishtar personified the
female essence, sexual energy, the highest expression of eroticism inherent in the fair sex. Passion, the temptations of the flesh, all kinds of pleasures obtained by sexual intimacy, including base, perverted, the act of copulation, elevated to the rank of a sacred ritual - all these are attributes and defining categories with which the goddess Ishtar is associated. That is why in the astral plane she was associated with Venus, which in astrology symbolizes the feminine essence and is the patroness of love.
Warrior goddess
But another essence of the goddess is a bloodthirsty warrior, a demon of cruelty and strife. Obviously, the reason for such a broad interpretation of the image was the echoes of matriarchy and legends about the Amazons.
In addition, the goddess Ishtar is considered the wife of Baal himself - the supreme deity of the ancient Israelites, Sumerians, Assyrians and many other peoples. He symbolized the beginning of the masculine, the creator of all things, was considered a god-impregnator. Religious rites dedicated to Baal and Astarte often turned into real sexual orgies, accompanied by "sin sin", human, including child sacrifices.
Ancient geography
To find out Ishtar is the goddess of which country, one should recall the geographical map of the world of a thousand years ago. In the 7-5th centuries BC, a number of states existed on the territory of modern Iraq. These lands were called Mesopotamia, or Mesopotamia, and they were inhabited by the inhabitants of the Babylonian kingdom, Sumerian, Assyrian, and Akkad. It is important to remember when determining Ishtar - the goddess of which country, because the influence of the cult spread almost throughout the Middle East. We find information about it in the epic about Gilgamesh - the oldest literary source in the world, created over the course of one and a half thousand years.
A unique monument of Sumerian culture and civilization, containing elements of ancient cosmogony, consists of primitive myths and historical legends. The goddess of love Ishtar is one of the main characters, the embodiment of voluptuousness, temptations, fertility, giving birth to a new life, and at the same time ennobling feelings. The Sumerians considered love low, primitively wild and reviving, exalting. Therefore, the image of a goddess turned out to be so contradictory among them, the main center of worship of which was the kingdom of Akkad.
Babylon - the city of harlots
Among other things, Ashtoret is considered the patroness of harlots, courtesans, women of easy virtue - all representatives of the ancient profession and venal love. And since in Babylon in the 7th century BC, and in subsequent centuries, as well as throughout Asia Minor, there was a really large concentration of prostitutes, its cult was considered one of the main ones. Moreover, there was even temple prostitution. That is, daily, several residents of the city had to sit in specially designated places near the sanctuaries of Aphrodite (Venus, Astarte) and wait until a man passing by paid her a coin and copied immediately. Only after such a rite, women could live freely in the city for a year, feel like a mistress in it. Then the ritual was repeated.
Divine Gate
That is why under the emperor Nebuchadnezzar, the famous libertine, in Babylon, the grandiose gate of the goddess Ishtar was built - a monumental structure of amazing beauty. Now in the city there is a small copy of them. The original was taken out of the country more than a hundred years ago, back in the early 20th century. Through them in ancient times, the Babylonians carried statues of their gods when they celebrated the celebration of the Israeli New Year. Through the gates of the goddess Ishtar, along the "procession road", a coffin with the body of Great Alexander (Macedonian) was brought into the city. By the way, also a great smoothie and lover of women! So it’s a very symbolic procession.
Goddess Symbols
The gates described above are painted in bright blue,
azure, and this is no accident. Ishtar, the goddess of Babylon, bears a name translated from Sumerian meaning "clear clear sky." On their walls are many bas-reliefs with figures of animals (575 pieces), made unusually realistic, with great grace and artistic truth. Especially common are images of lions and bulls. By the way, the statues of Ishtar, found during excavations of ancient temples, were depicted surrounded by these predators. The symbolic sign of the Sumerian deity is a circle braided by a ribbon, with a six-pointed (eight-pointed) star inside. This circle is the sky, and the star is the sun. All together and symbolizes that very clear sky, the embodiment of which is Ishtar. “Blue Goddess”, “heavenly goddess” is all about her.
A child of night and sin
Astarte is a rather controversial mythological image. With it is connected not only the clear blue, but also the darkness of the night. The statue of the goddess Ishtar is decorated, in addition to lions, with images of owls located to the left and right of her. Having lovers of people, animals, gods, constantly changing them, distinguished by insatiable lust and amazing inconstancy, Ishtar destroys recent partners with his passion. Her love enslaves, becomes bonds, heavy, like shackles. Even the gods lose their will, become miserable likenesses of the once omnipotent and fearless inhabitants of the sky. Acquaintance with Ishtar ends badly for everyone who knows the fire of her caresses and the awe of her body. Countless beloved goddesses - it is not surprising that prostitutes and homosexuals have chosen her as their leader! However, given the sacred significance of the image and the fact that the Sumerians temple prostitution was protected and allowed by law, in this case it is not worth talking about sin. After all, the very process of intercourse was given divine meaning.
Ishtar and homosexuality
Why is the goddess Ishtar, whose photo images can be found in various manuals on ancient religions and other cultural literature, is considered the patroness of not only courtesans, but also homosexuals? The reason for such a wide "sphere of influence" lies, again, in the religious rites and cults of the Sumerian and later civilizations. In Canaan, this is written in the Bible, at the temples of Ishtar ceremonies were performed not only by women, but also by young men. They entered into relations with men, thus paying homage to the goddess and glorifying her. The ceremony personified sacred fertility and the triumph of life in all its manifestations. Which also quite correlates with the sacredness of the image.
Myths and legends
In The Tale of Gulgamesh it is written that Ishtar destroyed her lover, the god of fertility and the harvest of Tammuz. For this, other celestials rebelled against her. To atone, Inanna descends into the kingdom of the dead. There is ruled by her sister, who hates her loving relative. Ishtar will have to go through the seven gates that block the path to the "lower world". At each gate, she gives to the servants one of the many jewels, parting at the same time with part of her mystical powers and divine power. Entering the latter, she remains naked and defenseless. The anger of the sister falls on Ishtar, who has nothing to oppose. Inanna is closed in the palace, 60 diseases are sent so that she suffers and suffers. However, the imprisonment of the goddess does not pass without a trace for people. On earth, nature began to wither, plants ceased to bear fruit, animals, birds, and people to multiply. All things are threatened by death. After all, there is no more love, passion, sacred sexual fire. Realizing what misfortune has come to the world, a messenger is sent to the supreme deity Eye from other celestials with a request to sort out the problem and solve a difficult situation. The ruler of the gods demands to revive Ishtar and return to the upper world. The order is executed, Inanna is resurrected with the help of living water, magic amulets are returned, and with them the strength. But nobody can just leave the world of the dead. When leaving, he is obliged to leave a replacement after himself. It becomes Tammuz. His imprisonment in the kingdom of shadows symbolizes the change of seasons.