Inanna and the Huluppu-Tree

Description

This Sumerian narrative centers on a huluppu (possibly willow) tree that Inanna rescues and plants in her garden at Uruk. Over time, three beings occupy it: a serpent at the roots that "could not be charmed," the Imdugud/Anzû-bird nesting in its crown, and a maiden-spirit dwelling in its trunk. Inanna laments their occupation until Gilgamesh arrives, drives the creatures away, and uproots the tree. From its wood Inanna fashions royal furnishings—a throne and a bed—symbolically consolidating divine and royal order in Uruk. The tale is closely associated in later tradition with Gilgamesh motifs but survives in Sumerian language copies from the Old Babylonian period, with several damaged passages and debated identifications.

Historiography

Known primarily from fragmentary Old Babylonian tablets (likely copied from earlier Sumerian exemplars), the text is part of the Inanna corpus preserved at sites such as Nippur. Modern editions often follow ETCSL’s reconstruction, noting damaged lines and lacunae. The identity of the "maiden" (ki-sikil-lil-la-ke) and the bird (Imdugud/Anzû) has been debated; popular identifications with “Lilith” derive from later associations and remain contested. The episode’s linkage with Gilgamesh traditions (e.g., royal furniture, woodcraft) is acknowledged but the precise textual relationships are uncertain.

Date Notes

Preserved in Old Babylonian copies; narrative likely earlier Sumerian tradition.

Themes

Archetypes

Symbols

Major Characters

• Inanna
• Gilgamesh
• Anzu
• Serpent of the Huluppu Tree
• Lilitu

Myths

• The Growth of the Huluppu-Tree
• Gilgamesh Fells the Tree for Inanna

Facts

• The huluppu is often taken as a willow, though the identification is not certain.
• The serpent is described as one that "could not be charmed," emphasizing its untamable nature.
• The bird is identified with Imdugud/Anzû, a powerful storm or eagle-lion figure in Mesopotamian myth.
• The maiden-spirit (ki-sikil-lil-la-ke) is a debated term; its later association with “Lilith” is not secure for this Sumerian context.
• Inanna rescues the uprooted tree from the Euphrates after the South Wind dislodges it.
• Gilgamesh aids Inanna by clearing the tree and thereby enabling the crafting of a throne and bed.
• The narrative reflects royal-cultic symbolism linking Inanna’s favor to Uruk’s sovereignty.
• The text survives in fragmentary Old Babylonian copies with lacunae and uncertain restorations.
• The episode shows thematic overlap with Gilgamesh traditions but is composed in Sumerian.
• Modern translations primarily rely on ETCSL and related philological editions.

Sources

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