Ningublaga

[us4-he2-gal2]

- The God Ningublaga -

This post is meant to start the discussion of Ningublaga here on enenuru, and to start that discussion with an interesting line describing this god from the Temple Hymns. I have recently discussed this line in class and this has produced a new translation of the line in question, and so I post it here. I will post this information and a bit of context and if people want to add more on the god from whatever sources, or ask further questions, that is fine.


Ningublaga is the son of the moon god, Nanna and so is at home in Ur. He is attested in relatively few literary texts, if a search on ETCSL is any indication (and it is a reasonable though not entirely complete indication).


An important reference to the gods occurs in the The Temple Hymns. lines 147-157, one can see that most of these lines clearly describe Ningublaga as a bull in relation to cows and cow pens an so forth. Then comes this interesting yet confusing line which ETCSL translation:





Sumerian:


153. maš-maš eme ha-mun dungu an-na bi2-DU
154. ud an-na gu3 mur ak ud-de3 ki šu ra-ra šum2-mu



ETCSL Translation:


"The incantation priest of opposed languages who put clouds in the sky, the storm which roars in the sky, as the sunlight giving …… to the earth"




Against this interpretation and translation, Krebernik clearly sees Ningublaga as a storm god, explaining that other storm gods such as Adad are also strongly associated with bull imagery. While the description 'incantation priest of opposed languages' is in itself enigmatic, or perhaps like Asarluhi he had some hand in such things, Krebernik sees the rest as fitting in closely with his storm god character. He is able to give an entirely different translation made possible largely by the fact that Sumerian UD can signify either a) daylight/day or b) storm. The interchangibility of these lexical values is similarly there in the Akkadian word ūmu "day / storm" and so some cosmological notion is codified in these languages. In any case, the professor tells me that it could be reinterpreted loosely like this:



Possible translation:


"The incantation priest of opposed tongues, the cloud situated in the heavens, a fire storm who sends lightning strikes (lit. gives hand strikes) to the earth."

[sheshki]

here is what RIA9 has


RIA9/155

The Nanše Hymn contains some information
about her divine staff. She relied
foremost on Hendursaga (cf. Hendursanga*,
Edzard/Wilcke 1976,142-143). He
served as her executive who took care of
her household (Nanše Hymn 85), acted as
her herald (175; cf. Cohen 1988:
360 a+23 2), and observed and enforced
positive social behaviour (184-221). Ningublaga
helped to uphold justice (90-91),
Nissaba and Haja assisted in the administration
of the household (96-112).
A Lamma and an Udug are mentioned (176-
177).


RIA9/348

Nin-e'igara (^dNin-e-i-gara) "Herrin
(des) Sahne-und-Käse-Haus(es)". N., ihrem
Namen gemäß für Milchprodukte zuständig,
ist Gemahlin des Rindergottes Ningublaga
und gehört somit in den Umkreis
des Nanna (Mondgott* A. I § 3.2).
Nin-e'igara, "lady of the cream-and-cheese house".
Nin-e'igara, according to her name responsible for dairy products,
is the spouse of the cattle god Ningublaga
and therefore belongs in the circle of Nanna.


Nin-e'igara ist in folgenden Götterlisten belegt (jeweils
neben Nin-gublaga): altbab. An = Anum-Vorläufer
TCL 15, 10: 159; Götterliste aus Mari 98 (Fs. M.
B!rot [1985] ~S3); An = Anl1m III 36 (R. Litke, GodLlsts
141). Die Textzeugen von An = Anum bieten
variierende Schreibungen: ^dNin-ì-^ga-raGA.KAS (CT
25, 19: 4); ^dNin-GA.[X] (YBC 2401 v 12); [^dNin_x?
^pa-raGA.NI (SpTU III Nr. 107 i 35).


Die Zweite Urklage (Z. 202) erwähnt Nin-e'igara neben ihrem Gemahl
und dessen Tempel ga-bur-ra in
Ki'abrig (P. Michalowski, Lamentation ...
Sumer and Ur [1989] 48 und 143 mit Kommentar
S.91; ^dNin-J:-gara, nur in einem
Textzeugen erhalten). Eine Inschrift Lipit Ištars
von Isin spricht von einem gleichnamigen
Heiligtum des Nin-gublaga und
der Nin-e'igara, das dem Kontext nach in Ur gelegen
haben dürfte (RIME 4, S. 57 f.).
The second lamentation over the destruction of Ur
mentions Nin-e'igara next to her spouse
and his temple ga-bur-ra in Ki'abrig.
An inscription by Lipit-Ištar of Isin mentions
a sanctuary of Ningublaga and Nin-e'igara
with the same name, that context wise
should have been located at Ur.

RIA9/371

Possibly ^dLugal-sur-ra, "Angry lord" addressed in the
Zami hymn following Nin-gublaga* and preceding
Nin-azu* (§ 4) is a form of Ningishzida (lAS 49 f., 122 ff., P.
Mander, Il Pantheon di Abu-$alabikh [1986]25: 79;
Frayne, BiOr. 45 [19 88] 349).


RIA9/373

...apparently Ningishzida was venerated there together
with Nin-gublaga (their emblems appear together in
V. Scheil, RA 12 [1915]115 f.; cf. D. Charpin, Clerge
[1986] 89). At least Nin-gublaga was venerated in
the area in the OAkk. period (E. Sollberger, AfO
17 [1956] 2.7 f .), but the cult of Ningishzida may have been
introduced only after the disappearance of Gišbanda;
he still has his cella in the temple of Nanna
(Charpin, ibid. 305 f.; J. Renger, HSAO 1 [1967]
159)·

RIA8/235

The god Ningublaga*, also named Lugal(ba)har*,
is a bull god (cf. Lambert,JNES 4 8
[198v9] 216,6-8). He is at least partly anthropomorphic
J. Boese, UA VA 6 [197 1 ]
Taf. XXXVI/UM 1, Late Akkaclian dedication
plaque; feet and ears of god broken),
and probably completely, since he has a
nin-dingir priestess (UET 1,106; cf. D.
Charpin, Le Clerge d'Ur au Siede d'Hammurabi
[1986] 22of.).

RIA8/365

An = Anum nennt im Abschnitt über den
Mondgott den Sohn Ningublaga* und die
beiden Töchter Amarra-azu und Amarrahe'ea.
Ningublaga steht auch in der WeidnerListe
und der Nippur-Liste im Abschnitt des
Mondgottes ; in letzterer umfaßt dieser sogar
außer dem Mondgott selbst nur Ningal und
Nin-gublaga. Zwar geht aus den erhaltenen
Textzeugen von An = Anum das Sohnesverhältnis
Ningublagas nicht eindeutig hervor,
doch bezeichnen ihn als Sohn des Mondgottes
z. B. die Hymne auf seinen Tempel
in Ki'abrig (TCS 3, S.26 Z.155) oder eine
Inschrift des Abi-sare (RIME 4, 124: vi 24-
26). An = Anllm III 31-35 gibt für Ningublaga
 (^dNin-EZENxGUD; ältere Schreibung
Nin-EZENxLA) eine Reihe synonymer
Namen, die z T. schon im Vorläufer erscheinen:
^dNin-bahar (CT 24, 18: 22:
^dNin-[DUG.SÌLA.BU]R 11 SpTU II! 107.i
31: [Nin]-DUG.SILA.BUR), ^dSÚN-si
(TCL 15, 10:157: ^dSUN-zi), ^dLugal-bahar(GUD)
(auch TCL 15,10:158), Lugal-GUD.GAZ und ^{d (ha-ar)}Har(GUD).
Ningublagas Gattin ist ^dNin-e₂-i₃-gara
(TCL 15, 10: 159; in An = Anum ist der Name
verschiedentlich entstellt). Ningublaga bildet
zusammen mit Alammuš, Nanna-Su'ens Wesir,
die "Kleinen Zwillinge". Darin könnte
sich eine Tradition manifestieren, nach der
beide Söhne des Mondgottes waren. So ergäbe
sich auch ein symmetrisches Bild hinsichtlich
der zwei in An = Anum nach Ningublaga
und Alammuš angeführten Töchter des
Mondgottes, ^dAmar-ra-(a-)zu und ^dAmar-ra-he₂ -e₃ -a
(ältere Quellen schreiben
ihre Namen mit Ama statt Amar und mit
ag₂ statt e₃). Beide werden auch in der Weidner-
Liste angeführt, während die große Götterliste
aus Fära (SF 1 x 12; ZA 76 [1986] 178)
wie auch der altbab. Vorläufer zu An =
Anum (TCL 15, 10: 166) bloß ^dAma-ra-he₂-ag₂ (-e) erwähnen.
Im altbab. Vorläufer zu An = Anum folgt
auf Ningublaga und dessen Kreis Numušda*,
der Stadtgott von Kazallu, mit Gattin Namrat*
(TCL 15, 10: 160f.); er dürfte dort
als Sohn Nanna-Su'ens gelten. Explizit ist
das Sohnesverhältnis in zeitgenössischen
literarischen Texten belegt: SAHG Nt'. 23;
NFT Nr.207

RIA7/342

Mannu-šäninšu (dMan-nu-ša-nin-šu) "Werkommt ihm gleich?".
M. und dLARSA-i-ti werden als "Töchter des Hauses des Ningublaga"
erwähnt: A. Cavigneaux, Textes Scolaires du Temple de Nabu ša Hare
(1981)79. B. 1120: 7 (S. 138 mit 173)·
^dMan-nu-ša-nin-šu and ^dLARSA-i-ti are
mentioned as "daughters of the house of Ningublaga.

>>>to be continued<<<

[sheshki]

Claudia Suter 2007 "BETWEEN HUMAN AND DIVINE: HIGH PRIESTESSES IN IMAGES FROM THE AKKAD TO THE ISIN-LARSA PERIOD"

Academia.edu link

Page 326

"Another banquet of a high priestess and her god is depicted on
the door plaque of Nigdupae, archivist of Šarrakum, a city north of
Adab that flourished in ED and Akk times (figure 4).³⁰ It is dedicated
to Ningublaga and can be dated to the time when Šarrakum gained
independence from Akkad (RIME 2, 249). The horned crown and
raised right hand holding a cup must have belonged to Ningublaga.
The woman facing him represents Geme-Mugsagana, Nigdupae’s
wife, whose name and affiliation are written between her face and
her cup. She wears a flounced robe and a large shawl over her head,
partly covering her dress. Although no title is given, the fact that she
is banqueting one-on-one with a god suggests that she was his priestess.
En-priestesses of Ningublaga existed,³¹ and her marital status
does not contradict this.³² Her attire further supports this interpretation—
the only women who wear flounced robes are high priestesses.
Large shawls are combined with tufted robes, the antecedent of the
flounced robe, on late ED sculptures that in all probability represent
priestesses.³³



figure 4

³⁰. AO 4799 (Selz 1983, no. 487; Braun-Holzinger 1991, W 23; RIME 2: 8.1.2001).
³¹. They are first attested under Šulgi, but may well have existed before, since Ningublaga was worshipped at Ur since ED times; for the evidence see Richter 2004, 441-443, and the Lament for Sumer and Ur (ETCSL 2.2.3 ll. 204-205).
³². The old thesis that high priestesses were submitted to celibacy cannot be sustained:according to Hilgert (see note 1 of this article), children are attested in all periods.
³³. Namely statues from Mari: Asher-Greve 1985, nos. 400, 401, 445. While these women wear their shawl over a polos, Abda, daughter of Urnanše of Lagaš, wears a shawl directly on her head over a tufted robe (Strommenger and Hirmer 1962, pl. 73). Because she is taller than her brothers and leading them, Asher-Greve (1985, 90-92) identified her with the priestess of the god for whom her father built the temple in which this plaque was installed.

[sheshki]

some year names relating to Ningublaga

Shulgi /UrIII

mu uš e₂-^{d}nin-gublaga ki ba-a-gar
Year in which the foundations of the temple of Nin-gublaga were laid.

Lipit-Eštar /Isin

mu en-^{d}nin-sun₂-zi en-^{d}nin-gublaga uri^{ki}-ma maš₂-e i₃-pad₃
Year (Lipit-Eštar) chose by means of the omens Enninsunzi for en-priestess of Nin-gublaga in Ur

Gungunum /Larsa

mu en-nin-sun₂-zi en-^{d}nin-gublaga ba-hun-ga₂
Year in which Enninsunzi was installed as en-priestess of Nin-gublaga

[nocodeyv]

Hopefully this doesn't break any rules on Enenuru, but, to add to this discussion I'll post Betty De Shong Meador's section on Ningublam (the name she uses for this deity in her work). The full text, reprinted below, can be found in her book Princess, Priestess, Poet.



TEMPLE HYMN 11: The Kiabrig Temple of Ningublam
Gabura


O house
     teeming with unblemished bulls
     whose king stands on precious stones
a towering trap     crown of the princely son
its finest oil is pure     preserving its sweetness
O Gabura     pure cattle pen
cows moving around the juniper plants

your prince     great wild bull
horned wild bull exulting in vigor
wild cow growing horns     basking in his radiant horns
an incantation priest     knows different tongues
makes clouds go around in the sky
a storm roar in the heavens
sunlight strikes the earth

Ningublam     son of Nanna
has, O Kiabrig
built this house on your radiant site
and placed his seat upon your dais


     10 lines for the house of Ningublam in Kiabrig


THE TEMPLE OF NINGUBLAM IN KIABRIG

Ningublam is a son of the moon god Nanna. He makes his appearance in the Temple Hymns among the gods of Ur, just after his "brother" Asarluhi. Ningublam is an even more obscure god than Asarluhi. His long and continuous association with Nanna goes back to the pre-Sargonic period and lasts throughout the Mesopotamian era.

COWS, BULLS, AND MAGIC

Nanna features prominently in the Temple Hymn to Ningublam. Surely he is the "king" who stands on the "precious stones." And he is the father of the "princely son" whose temple is the "crown." Nanna is the patron of the pure cattle pen, the owner of the many cows.

     Ningublam's temple in Kiabrig is lauded as "house / teeming with unblemished bulls," é.gu₄.du₇.šár, Egudushar. Unblemished bulls are unaltered bulls, those that have not been castrated. Ningublam is the "great wild bull" himself, "exulting in his vigor," "basking in his radiant horns." Obscure though he may be, Ningublam comes alive in the force of the poet's voice. The dominance of the bull alongside his herd of docile cows strolling among the juniper evokes a scene of placid order. Bounty and fecundity rest in the hands of the gods.

     Ningublam became a protective deity of the Ekishnugal, his father Nanna's temple. Like his father, Ningublam is associated with herding. On a single tablet from ancient Abu Salabikh, a hymn to Ningublam follows immediately after a zà-mì (praise) hymn to Nanna. The Nanna hymn includes a long list of his livestock. The sequential placement on the tablet of the hymn to Ningublam again associates him closely in the earliest written literature with the care of Nanna's cattle.⁴¹

     Ningublam, like Asarluhi, had magical power as an incantation priest. The hymn calls Ningublam a maš-maš priest. This type of priest took part in healing, in purification and exorcism, and in ritual incantations. Records of this priest occur from the Early Dynastic period, all the way to the Seleucid times in the third century BCE.⁴² In the Temple Hymn Ningublam is said to know "different tongues." Did he understand a variety of languages? Or does this unusual capacity refer to his understanding of the language of magic or the silent language of animals and nature? In a further enumeration of his uncanny powers, he is able to pull the clouds around in the sky and cause storms and even sunlight to fall to the earth. While Ningublam is not a well-known deity, he may have held more prominence as Nanna's son and as a divine incantation priest than the sparse records show.

THE WORSHIP AND CARE OF NINGUBLAM

This Temple Hymn is written to Ningublam's temple in the village of Kiabrig. In the ancient temple lists, his temple is known both as é.gu₄.du₇.šár, "House of Numerous Perfect Oxen" and as g̃á.bur.ra, "Chamber of Jars."⁴³ In the first lines, the typical place in the hymn's for the temple's name, it is called "house / teeming with unblemished bulls," egudushar. A few lines later it is refered to as "Gabura," chamber of bowls or jars, a reference to offering or dedicatory bowls. Both names must apply to the temple at Kiabrig.

     During the reign of the powerful nephew of Enheduanna, Naram-Sin, Ningublam received the king's honor in the form of two inscriptions. One praises Naram-Sin's widespread and unique territorial conquests, and the other includes his daughter, the en-priestess of Nanna at Ur, Enmenana; both inscriptions were created in devotion to Ningublam. Naram-Sin is named for the moon god, "Sin" being a form of the Akkadian name of the moon god Suen. To praise Ningublam would have been to praise the son of the moon god, which Naram-Sin, the king who declared himself a god, considered himself as well.

     All the deities received daily offerings, called sá.du₁₁. On one accouting tablet Ningublam was scheduled to receive flour and barley. On another he is to receive a "barley-fatted sheep" during the month called "ezen-an-na," month of the feast of An.⁴⁴ Indeed the care and feeding of the gods must have occupied much of the time of the workers assigned to this task. The many tablets involved in recording the daily ration distributions are evidence of how time-consuming an occupation it was. The detailed records attest to the importance attached to this work. For example, one tablet says figs, honey and ghee, "a sá.du₁₁ ... regular maintenance ration taken [as a cultic expenditure] for the purification ritual of Nanna [and] for the minor deities and for the requirements of the great festival."⁴⁵ Ningublam was probably included in this offering as one of the minor deities connected to Nanna. One has only to multiply this record by the thousands of daily offerings and monthly festivals to imagine the enormity of effort that was put into the careful tending of the gods.

     The "great festival" whose "requirements" are mentioned above would have been the akiti festival at Ur, held twice each year at the time of the equinoxes. The festival celebrated Nanna's triumphant return to his city of Ur from an outlying temple in Gaesh. Ningublam, Asarluhi, and all the gods of Ur would have made offerings to Nanna at this celebration, marking the grand reentrance of Nanna into Ur, a symbolic act of renewal. The cyclic new beginning came at the equinox, when night and day shared equal time. The next Temple Hymn is dedicated to Nanna's reentry into Ur from his akiti temple in Gaesh. 

⁴¹ Hall, "The Sumerian Moon-God, Nanna/Suen," 486.
⁴² Henshaw, Female and Male, 143-150.
⁴³ George, House Most High, 97, 86.
⁴⁴ Hall, "The Sumerian Moon-God, Nanna/Suen," 330.
⁴⁵ Ibid., 327.