Nanaya enjoys widespread renown and popularity in the ancient days of Mesopotamia. As a goddess of love, erotic love and lust, she's sometimes paired with Inanna. Usually she has her own cult of worship.
She's also a goddess of intercession and can be called upon to speak to other deities on behalf of worshipers. In such a role she's called Lady of Lamma, referring to a group of protective female deities.
In this way she equates with Goddess Ninshubur, sukkal of Inanna. Another intercession deity is Damkina, mother of nature goddess Nanshe.
Temples in ziggurats and those of some major deities are forbidden to the public. Sukkals and intercession deities are more accessible. Also if it seems a god isn't listening to prayers, these intermediaries can often help.
In god lists, Nanaya (aka Nanāy, Nanaja, Nanāja, Nanāya, Nanai, Nanâ) initially appears in the circle of Inanna. She's listed in a position of esteem, right after Inanna's consort Dumuzi (Dumuzid), and the goddess Ninshubur.
Later, Nanaya grows in prominence to the status of Inanna. The goddesses are nonetheless not conflated, at times appearing together but as separate entities.
Nanaya appears in Mesopotamian texts dating back to the Ur III Dynasty in the 22nd - 20th century BCE. As a goddess of love, eroticism, sensuality and desire she's a patron of lovers, including those rejected or lovelorn.
Major sites of worship for Nayana include Sumerian cities Uruk, Larsa and Borsippa. She's described as ḫili (Akkadian: kubzu), meaning charm, luxury, voluptuousness and sensuality.
Her epithets include belet kubzi, "lady of voluptuousness/sensuality" . She's also called nin ḫili šerkandi or "lady adorned with voluptuousness/sensuality".
In neo-Babylonian Uruk (626 - 539 BCE) Nanaya is among the most important deities. Under the succeeding Persians (559 - 331 BCE) she retains her status. Evidence for the worship of Nanaya continues in Seleucid and Parthian times as late as 45 AD.
Especially in the Isin-Larsa period (c. 2025–1763 BCE) Nanaya is associated with kings. A sensual relationship with the Love Goddess is considered an aspect of true kingship.
The ritual relationship is a type of hieros gamos, a holy wedding or tryst, performed by actors representing the goddess and monarch. The part of Nanaya might be taken by a high priestess of the temple.
As time goes by, Nanaya gains warrior aspects. Especially in Borsippa, where she's called Eurshaba Nanaya, she is worshipped apart from her prior (sometime) spouse Nabu. In Borsippa the consort of Nabu is Tashmetum, meaning 'the Lady who Listens'.
The husband of Nanaya's war aspect is Mār-bīti, also a war god. He's called a 'terrifying hero'. Nanaya, like the goddess Inanna, is associated with Irina, the personification of victory.
Nanaya takes a step outside the box of Love and Sex Goddesses, as she's not ruled by Venus. She's connected to the Moon. As such she has oracular or divination aspects.
She's associated with ziqqu, a spice. The name means "alkaline plant". It could refer to Seidlitzia rosmarinus, an ancient world healing herb, one of several which grow well in alkaline soil.
The oldest known depiction of Nanaya comes from kudurru, stele or boundary stones. In the one above she's shown seated. A king presents his daughter to the goddess.
Three cosmic symbols above are the star of Inanna, the crescent of Sin the moon god and the sun disc of Shamash (Utu). This black limestone kudurru dates back to the Kassite Empire (c. 1531 - 1155 BCE).
In administrative documents from Puzrish-Dagen, south central Iraq, Nanaya is among the twelve deities receiving the most offerings. Though she has her own temples she's also given tribute in temples of deities like Inanna and Ninurta.
She has a temple in Kazulla known as Eshahulla, or 'home of the happy heart'. A lost city, Kazulla appears in texts but its location is a mystery.
Worship of Nanaya spreads throughout the Mesopotamian lands for over two thousand years. She's a popular deity of private worship, especially among women.
Personal seals with the phrase "servant of Nanaya" identify the goddess as patron of the owner. A formula on papyrus from 6th century BCE Egypt includes the intonation, "Nanaya of Eanna will bless you".
During the Hellenic period (c. 323 - 30 BCE) her cult spreads through Armenia and other near Eastern centers. Around the first century AD it's gradually assimilated into local cultures.
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