Ninshubur

Ninshubur is the one who does what she was told. Before Inanna goes down to the underworld she gives her sukkal precise instructions: if I have not come back in three days, set up a lament, and go to Enlil, and if he refuses go to Nanna, and if he refuses go to Enki. Ninshubur does exactly that, and Enki is the one who acts. In a story where almost everyone fails Inanna — her husband most of all — she is the exception. The Akkadians rebuilt the role as a male god, Papsukkal, 'chief vizier'; that form is carried here as an alias rather than as a separate record.

Domains

• messengers

Powers

• to go from god to god until one of them will act

Relations

• subordinate to: InannaSukkal — vizier — to Inanna, and the one figure in the Descent who is unambiguously loyal to her.Reference treatment of Ninshubur as Inanna's sukkal and second-in-command. (secondary)

Sources

• Ninshubur is Inanna's sukkal and second-in-command, her messenger, defender and travelling companion, who raises the alarm among the great gods when Inanna does not return from the underworld; the Akkadians recast the figure as the male god Papsukkal.: Reference treatment of Ninshubur, her role beside Inanna and her Akkadian male counterpart Papsukkal. (secondary)