Kur is the vast and timeless Underworld of ancient Mesopotamia. Here is the abode of demons and vengeful spirits, creatures of the night, Old Gods and deities of fate, fertility and Death. Ruled by a beautiful Goddess, Kur is also the site of power struggles and legends.
Ereshkigal, Goddess of the Underworld, also called Queen of the Great Earth, rules the endless land of hot winds and barren wastes. She herself lives in a glamorous castle, Ganzir, with attendants, her sukkal the demon Namtar, and her scribe(s) Geshtinanna and Belet-Seri.
The deceased must pass through seven doors before reaching the inner sanctum of Ereshkigal's court. Here it's sumptuous and calm, with sparkling fountains and rare white peacocks.
The wild tiger lays his head in her lap. Musicians play stringed instruments, trees are fruitful, and the sky twinkles with stars. She's also Goddess of the Night. When Sin the Moon God travels through the Underworld his silver light creates a magical glow in her realm.
One by one the deceased stand before her. No matter what a person has done in life, all are equal in death. There is no judgment. Ereshkigal declares the person dead, and her scribe notes down the name and reason for death.
The deceased is escorted out, quickly as there's a lineup to get into Kur. Now the deceased is free to wander the hot dry wasteland for the remainder of eternity. It's not a good start.
Here is nothing to eat but dry dust, and only dirty water to drink. People wander around looking glum and not much happens. It's all one long dreary twilight.
Sometimes the Galla demons drag unwilling mortals into the Underworld, which is always a break in the tedium. The gallu or galla are a class of demon responsible for keeping the dead in Kur.
They are also the resident torturers, using tri-pronged red-hot pokers to make their point. As helpers to the Underworld Gods they can walk or fly among the living to plague mortals and carry out tasks for the gods.
Another type of demon residing in the Underworld is the evil Udug. Sickness-causing entities of various types, Udug demons are those most likely to possess people. The udug subgroup of Edimmu demons includes the vengeful undead.
The Edimmu are wind and air demons ruled by Pazuzu, Lord of the Wind Demons. Other significant demons of the Underworld include the hideous Asag and of course disease demon Namtar, sukkal to Ereshkigal.
After the 3rd century BCE, Nergal the destroyer becomes Lord of the Underworld by marrying the unwilling Ereshkigal. Neither are prone to monogamy and numerous fights erupt between them, to become the stories of legend.
A popular Underworld myth is the Descent of Inanna. Queen of the Heavens Inanna (Ishtar, Shaushka) is the younger sister of Ereshkigal. She makes a journey to the Underworld. Various reasons are given, including her desire to attend a funeral there.
Ereshkigal tricks her by making her take off a piece of clothing at each of the seven portals. By the time she reaches Ereshkigal she's naked, and has no power. Ereshkigal orders her killed, and hangs her body on the wall.
Fortunately for Inanna she's made arrangements with attendant deities to come get her if she's away for more than three days. When she doesn't return they seek her. She is resurrected and they make their harrowing escape chased by clamoring gallu demons all the way.
The Gallu don't want to go back to Ereshkigal empty handed, and demand an individual to take Inanna's place. She sees her consort Dumuzi living it up with fine wine and dancing girls while everyone else is in mourning for her death. It's not wise to offend Inanna.
Enraged, she tells the galla to take Dumuzi to the Underworld and torture him mercilessly, which they're happy to do. Unfortunately, because Dumuzi is an agriculture God, when he's in the Underworld everything starts to die.
Inanna later relents and lets Dumuzi return to her court, but he must remain in the Underworld six months and his sister Geshtinanna the other six. While he's 'dead' the Overworld land is barren. Despite bitter complaints from galla demons, no torture is involved.
This is how Geshtinanna comes to be a scribe of Ereshkigal, and why the seasons change. Agriculture or fertility gods are often found in the Underworld, also known as the Great Earth. They nourish the plants from their roots, and some deities relate to groundwater.
But, for the sad dead person left to wander the deserts of Kur, there is no water and no solace. The happiness of the deceased depends on the richness of grave goods left for comfort or trade in the Afterlife, and libations and offerings of family to honor the dead.
If the person dies without burial or has no one to provide comforts, the deceased may become Edimmu. The person/demon seeks revenge on the neglectful relatives or, if the death is murder, the murderer. The spirit can also take its wrath out on someone innocent.
Old Gods also dwell in the Underworld. As deities they have all the comforts they need. Although it's home to evil entities the Underworld is not considered a place of evil itself.
Torture in the Underworld, like that of poor Dumuzi, is not the usual fare. The story's well known, though, echoed centuries later by that of Persephone. The three-pronged pokers of the Galla demons survive to appear in Christianity as the pitchforks of Satan and his helpers.
Other demons known to inhabit Kur include the baby-eating demon Lamashtu. She's among the most powerful of malevolent entities. Demon Pazuzu is her sworn enemy and he can be invoked against her evil.
Another fearsome demon is the consort of Ninhursag, Shulpae (Šulpae). He's a strange mix of benevolent warrior deity and destructive disease demon. He causes bennu (benu or epilepsy), a condition greatly feared by ancients. Bennu or benu is not connected to Benu, the Egyptian heron god.
Shulpae is not known to live in Kur at all times. He does occasionally touch base with Sin the Moon God. It's believed Shulpae acts on the instructions of Sin, thus associating the moon with madness.
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