Epic of the Goddess Ishtar's Descent

Ishtar is the goddess of love, war, beauty, and sacrifice in the war of the Mesopotamian civilizations. The Sumerians called her the Queen of Heaven, and her temple was in Uruk. She is the morning and evening star (Venus), represented by an eight-pointed star, standing on the back of a lion, and she carries a bouquet of flowers. In the Sumerians’ mythology, she corresponds to Inana, Astarte for the Phoenicians, Aphrodite for the Greeks, and Venus for the Romans. Her depictions and symbols have varied and appeared in most ancient myths; poets sang their love for her, and artists perfected her portrayal in painting and sculpture.