In ancient Mesopotamian myth the Igigi have their own duties and class. Servants of the gods, they do their jobs but are dissatisfied with the status quo. They're too independent to spend eternity under the thumbs of demanding masters. And so, they rebel.
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In the early days of creation, nothing exists but the seething primordial waters. From the great depths, from waves and foam, come forth the stars and the cosmos. After the creation of the universe the first Gods take form.
The Gods create the first humans from clay, but before that, they make the Igigi. One main purpose of the Igigi is to build a watercourse, for the Gods find the work too exhausting.
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The Igigi observe,
When the gods, man-like,
Bore the labour, carried the load,
The gods' load was great,
The toil grievous, the trouble excessive.
The great Anunnaku, the Seven,
Were making the Igigu undertake the toil.
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A similar text comes from the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Babylonian flood story:
"When the gods like men bore the work and suffered the toil, the toil of the gods was great, the work was heavy, the distress was much"
"The Seven great Anunnaki were making the Igigu suffer the work"
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The Anunnaki, known as the seven gods who decree, are the Old Gods of Mesopotamia. As generations go by, new old gods appear.
Versions can vary across cultures and times. In some tellings they're replaced with more contemporary gods or form a group of nine, eight or ten instead of seven.
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The "seven gods who decree" are:
An (Anu) - sky and creator God
Enlil - god of wind, air, earth and storms
Enki - knowledge, crafts, creation
Ninhursag - mother goddess of the mountains
Nanna (Suen/Sin) - god of the moon
Utu - god of the sun
Inanna (Ishtar) - queen of the gods
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The first written mention of the Igigi comes from ancient Babylonian texts of the 19th century BCE. They're indicated in Akkadian, Assyrian and Sumerian writings, but no description is found.
Because of the rebellion of the Igigi against the work of the Gods, the deities decide to cut them loose and create non-immortal beings to act as their servants and workers instead. Made from clay, the humans at first are ugly and clumsy, and it takes some practice to get them right.
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In Mesopotamian origin myths humans are created to serve the Gods. They're put onto Earth to build temples and keep the Gods supplied with libations, feasts, clothes and anything else they might want.
The only member of the Igigi known for sure is the god hero Marduk. The gods elevate him above his rank as Igigi and he's known for epic adventures.
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In the most famous of his feats he slays the Sea Serpent Woman of Chaos, Tiamat, to create the world. Tiamet battles Marduk for twelve days, hence the annual festival commemorating the Twelve Days of Zagmuk.
With the end of cuneiform text in 75 CE, the Igigi fade from active mythology.
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