Aruru - Violent Vegetation Goddess
- Sylvia Rose
- Jan 3, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 31
Aruru is a goddess of vegetation with a nasty yen for violence. Her major cult centers are Sumerian sites Adab (Bismaya), Kesh and Irisaĝrig, the latter two lost cities.
Myths and god lists mention Aruru as the older sister of Enlil, an ancient creator god. Their parents are primordial entities An (Sky) and Ki (Earth). Her worship goes back at least to the Ur III period (2193 - 2004 BCE). In earliest writings Aruru is a vegetation goddess only.
She's associated with poplar, date palm, cedar, Prosopis (related to mesquite), and the unidentified plants teme and marmaḫ. Later, she's conflated with Ninhursag, the Great Mountain Mother.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Aruru creates the companion of Gilgamesh. She makes Enkidu, a wild man of the Steppe, from a lump of clay. Enkidu is "civilized" by a sacred prostitute and takes part in many adventures.
Like many other ancient goddesses, Aruru becomes equated with deities of birth. She's numbered among nine birth goddesses in the court of Ninhursag, the great Mountain Mother.
A literary genre called the City Laments takes hold c. 2000 BCE. It's a collection of poetic compositions and incantations based on the destruction of Sumerian cities.
The city of Aruru is named as Irisaĝrig and identified in part of the Lament for Eridu. Aruru may also assume the role of titulary Goddess for Eridu(g).
From The Lament for Eridu
"Its king stayed outside his city as if it were an alien city. He wept bitter tears. Father Enki stayed outside his city as if it were an alien city. He wept bitter tears. For the sake of his harmed city, he wept bitter tears.
Its lady, like a flying bird, left her city. The mother of E-maḫ, holy Damgalnuna [wife of Enki], left her city. The divine powers of the city of holiest divine powers were overturned. The divine powers of the rites of the greatest divine powers were altered. In Eridug everything was reduced to ruin, was wrought with confusion."
Aruru is associated with Ninlil, the wife of Enlil. Ninlil marries Enlil as the Goddess Sud, as she's known in the city of Šurrupag. Aruru helps her dress and takes her to Ekur, the mountain paradise of the Gods, where Enlil awaits her.
Another myth features her in the role of soothsayer, when she's asked to name the warrior most capable of defeating a sea monster. She chooses Nergal.
The temper of Aruru is legendary. One myth tells of Ninmah (Ninhursug) unsuccessfully trying to calm Aruru's fury. Another story also depicts Aruru as a powerful, violent aspect.
She's said to kill a shepherd, and destroy a sheepfold and cattle pen. Tales of her rage come from Larsa, Kish and Nippur, comparing her wrath to that of a viper or bull.
In another myth Aruru has a garden. She's called "mother of dates" and "mother of apples". Pomegranate is also referred to as "apple" from Latin "pomum", also seen in French pomme (apple).
Despite her temperamental character, her nature as a vegetation goddess prevails. Date and pomegranate are two of the seven ancient plants of humankind.
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