In the Mesopotmanian Underworld of Kur, the Goddess Ereshkigal holds court. Beginning c. 2900 BCE, her popular worship lasts over two thousand years. In royal palace of the Underworld, Belet-Seri functions as the scribe of Ereshkigal. She can fulfill other functions too.
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When a person expires in ancient Babylon, the dead one goes to Kur, the Underworld. There, an audience with Queen of Death Ereshkigal is given. She declares the person officially dead. Ereshkigal's decree is the definitive border between life and death.
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Her statement is duly noted by Belet-Seri, who also takes down information about the person's type of death and circumstances surrounding it. There's a lineup so processing is brisk. After, the deceased is dismissed to roam the barren wastes.
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In the Mesopotamian Underworld, no judgment exists. Evil persons or good are exposed to the same grim fate. The difference comes in the caretaking of the dead by the living.
If a person has descendents who come by the necropolis or grave site with libations and offerings, the deceased is better off to enjoy the afterlife. Similarly, rich grave goods can help serve the deceased in Kur, either in practical use, like bronze or pottery vessels, or trade.
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If the person has no one to bring offerings, there is only dry dust and moldy mud to eat, and dirty water to drink. Death is generally unpleasant.
It won't do any good to complain. Once Belet-Seri has noted down the death details, the deceased is officially dead and can't be reversed, except in notable stories like Inanna's journey to Kur and resurrection. She's a Goddess. Regular people contend with the afterlives they have.
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Belet-Seri may be equated with Geshtinanna, an earlier Sumerian goddess associated with scribes and dream interpretation. Geshtinanna appears in the Underworld because her brother, Dumuzi, was slain. Dumuzi is also the favorite consort of Inanna (Ishtar).
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After her trip to the Underworld and subsequent resurrection, Inanna feels Dumuzi has not mourned her enough. She punishes him by summoning galla demons to drag him to Kur.
Later she relents, but Geshtinanna must agree to serve six months of her life in the Underworld every year in place of her brother. Geshtinanna can also take the role of scribe to Ereshkigal.
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Belet-Seri means "Mistress of the Steppe". Old Babylonian incantations, dating back to 1894 BCE, attest to her role as royal scribe of the underworld (ṭupšarrat arallê).
Some scholars suggest she was meant as a mirror of the royal scribe (ṭupšar ekalli). She's mentioned in a story of the 21st century BCE Epic of Gilgamesh, in which she's asked to bind demons and witches to prevent them from leaving the Underworld.
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In the second millenium BCE Belet-Seri becomes associated with the medicine goddess Gula, thereby receiving healing powers. This is consistent with an underworld deity, who holds the powers of life as well as those of death.
Unfortunately once the soul gets to Belet-Seri, there's nothing she can do but write it down. In her books are notations of disease, accidents, natural disasters, shipwreck, murder, all the ways a human can die in the ancient world. She's like a grim coroner, organizing and recording.
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Written language begins in Sumer c. 3400 BCE. It's a cuneiform script, impressed into damp clay with a stylus or triangular impression tool. The triangle is also the shape of the stem of papyrus, a valuable natural resource.
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Belet-seri is worshiped in the temples of Gula the medicine goddess at Nippur and Assur. During the 2nd millennium BCE the cult of Gula is widespread and popular.
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Belet-Seri also appears in oath formulas, for the swearing of solemn oaths. In this context she's with the deitiy Adad-milki, who seems to be her consort. Although named, he stays in the background.
In 484 BCE, the cult of Belet-Seri becomes prominent in Uruk due to a failed Babylon rebellion there. The temple of Inanna and Anu falls, and mass reordering of the pantheon in Uruk elevates Belet-Seri to a position of power.
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She enjoys her own temple, surrounded by orchards of fruit trees. In the 4th century BCE, it's known as é.gal edin or "Palace of the Steppe." According to a local god list, fowl is an unsuitable offering to Belet-Seri.
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