(JPMNT) Journal of Process Management – New Technologies, International Vol. 7, No 2, 2019. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE FUNCTION OF GODDESSES IN MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATIONS, ELAM, IRAN, INDIA, GREECE AND EGYPT Arazoo Rasool Ahmed Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Languages, Lebanese French University, Erbil, Iraq [email protected] Original Scientific Paper doi:10.5937/jouproman7-21016 Abstract: In various myths of history, such as confirm the existence of the tradition of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and ancient Iran, worship of the mother-gods and goddesses, goddesses entered the sacraments of the people, which have been named in some of the ancient texts. the oldest religious tradition, in the old So that, in Mesopotamian mythology and in one of world. the ancient Sumerian texts, the goddess "Ishtar" or " In all societies, there has been a division of Sumerian Inanna" is mentioned parallel to Anahita of Iran, as the goddess of war and love, which labor between women and men throughout represents the political and social value of women in history. Based on historical information and that Mesopotamian community of that time. In the evidence obtained in communities, hunting myths of Greece, Egypt and ancient India there was and gathering foods were the most also a belief in the rearing and fertility of the woman. important activities of this community, and On the other hand, some other goddesses who were the messenger of spring, blooming, love, purity of the division of labor was based on gender the earth and heaven, were worshiped, and some and age. Hunting, warfare, political and statues of them are also remained. It should be religious, ceremonial and artistic activities mentioned that the goddesses in various ancient were the responsibility of men, and societies had different functions, depending on the collecting and supplying herbal food and geographical location and the time and place in which they were located, their purity and worship childcare were the responsibility of women. was changed. Since there were political, economic, The responsibility of women for the cultural, and religious relations in those days, it was preparation of food, reproduction and natural for the goddesses of the associated territories maintenance of children creates this to have different forms, and it was even possible to meaning for the human community at a be worshiped and to allocate certain places for worship in those territories, which is applicable to time that the female is a guarantee of the Mesopotamia and Elam. In this research process, it survival and life of the human community. is tried to use the descriptive, analytical and Based on this conception and image of comparative studies to explore the goddesses in women, they gained more power in society Elam, Mesopotamian, Iranian, Indian, Greek and and in a society where natural hazards Egyptian civilizations. It is inferred from this text that there were similar goddesses with the same continually threatened the human society, functions that were worshiped by the people, and the persistence of life by women turned into they were called when needed. a sacred matter, and women, the conquerors Keywords: Goddesses, Myths, Elam, Mesopotamia, of this continuity of life, were sanctified to Iran, Egypt, Greece, and India. the extent that they were praised as goddesses and mother-gods. Believing in Introduction these sanctities and the fertility and Humanity has benefited a variety of dynamism of women in different lands, religious ideas in its long history. Worship they have been called goddesses, for of the mother-gods is one of these types. example the goddess of water, which is a The abundant statues found through female god and is also mentioned in myths. excavations carried out in different regions 24 www.japmnt.com (JPMNT) Journal of Process Management – New Technologies, International Vol. 7, No 2, 2019. In addition, and based on historical and between the similar goddesses in the archaeological evidence, some scholars studied civilizations? believe that speaking and inventing Research method vocabulary for the transmission of abstract concepts was founded by women, as The method used in this research was a women needed to talk with children and to qualitative comparative study that was communicate with other tribal members. based on comparing the functional That is why, in all cultures and languages, indicators of the goddesses among the the language of the conversation is called mentioned civilizations. mother tongue. In sum, and because women Goddesses of Elam, Mesopotamia and in the ancient age had the main task of life, Iran they were worshiped as a goddess for their dignity and respect. Perhaps the most Archaeological discoveries have shown important cause was the fertility and throughout Western Asia, Iran and Central reproduction that caused the woman to be Asia, Egypt and Greece in the west to the sacred in this age, and even to be worshiped Sindh valley and the Hindu Kush Mountains as a goddess. The goddesses of fertility, in the east, the mother-god was worshiped water, justice, love, beauty, etc. are only from the ancient times. The document of examples of women goddesses, each believing in mother-god can be found in the existed in Mesopotamian civilizations, existence of many abundant statues, often Elam, Iran, Greece, India and Egypt, with without head, and sometimes giving birth to different names and with almost identical a child. Sometimes it has a child in the arm. functions that guaranteed the life of human This goddess is the symbol of fertility, societies in conditions which the early blessing, and the divine symbol of childbirth humans were constantly faced with natural and motherhood (Bahar, 2007: 393). In fact, devastating threats. with the invention of agriculture by women and the domestication of wildlife, humankind The purpose of the research has taken a step toward mastering its Considering the position of these goddesses environment, and so the importance of in the above mentioned civilizations, this women has become much more significant. study attempts to "study the functions of In the Neolithic era, unlike the Paleolithic similar goddesses in Mesopotamian, Elam, era, the great goddess which dominated on all India and Egypt". In this study, we will also affairs and phenomena, changed into diverse examine the functional differences and goddesses for various affairs that had a similarities of these goddesses in these prominent personality and directly involved societies. in the daily life of the people, and she was also symbolically linked to the moon, water, Research questions rain, and the fertility of women and the Accordingly, the main questions of the growth of plants (Eliade, 1997: 162-163). research will be: The women's statues of the Paleolithic and - What are the common goddesses of Neolithic period, some of them thirty Mesopotamian civilizations, Elam, Iran, thousand years old, reflect the dominant India and Egypt? position of women before patriarchal authority in ancient societies. Archaeology - What was the function of each of these across the Western Asia, Iran and Central goddesses in each of the mentioned Asia from Egypt and Greece in the west to the civilizations? Sind Valley and the Hindu Kush mountains - Did the same goddesses have the same in the east have introduced us to the very functions in different civilizations? ancient and grand praise of the mother-god in - What are the differences and similarities prehistoric times. 25 www.japmnt.com (JPMNT) Journal of Process Management – New Technologies, International Vol. 7, No 2, 2019. The reality of the belief in mother-god can dominant figure seems to be the great be found in the numerous statues of a goddess Pinenkir. That is, the first name to goddess considered a symbol of fertility, be called in the Naramsin Treaty, while blessing and endowment. She was the Inshushinak is placed on the second rank of supporter and cultivator of the heavenly the gods. This conquest and prominence of Son, and was the divine symbol of the a high goddess is probably the reflection of childbearing of women and motherhood the way of the materialistic life that has (Bahar, 2002: 393). In Iran, for the first been more or less characteristic of Elam time, it was based on the excavations of civilization at all times, even when the Shush that the worship of the goddesses superiority of a male god in this collection was discovered. In west of Iran, in the Sarab of gods is fully recognized, probably hill, a woman's statue was discovered that influenced by Western beliefs. In a way that dated back to 6000 BC, and indicated the the ritual ceremonies of the goddesses have existence of the mother-god in Iran always maintained their popularity in all (Eskandari, 2001: 133). Of course, the parts of the empire. Some compare this tradition of worshiping mother-gods has goddess to the goddess Ishtar, the been observed in different parts of the Mesopotamian goddess (Sarraf, 2005: 34). world, such as Iran, Egypt, Greece and the In Elam, the Pantheon goddesses’/ gods' Mediterranean coast (Gaviri, 2000: 14). congregation (the place of gods) are The role of the goddesses in the collection consisted of goddesses such as Baba and of Elam gods is more significant than Mam, or the wives of gods without special elsewhere. The list of the forty gods attributes such as Serpenito and Tethimeto mentioned in the Naramsin treaty was (probably foreign and Akkadian), or in begun with Pinenkir, the goddess of love Mesopotamia it is consisted of the gods and fertility, which was worshiped related to death and the underworld, such as throughout Elam and had an Ashtam or Ereshkigal, An or Gaval. Gaval, known as fertility house; she has been featured the Great Lady physician, is originally the repeatedly in artwork. The collection of Goddess of Death, as its animalistic symbol Elam gods was originally consisted of the in the form of a dog shows (Majidzadeh, gods of the political units of Elam; it is not 2000: 182).