Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Plants, Weaving, Earth
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Uttu, Uttukki, Uttukku, Uttuku, Utukku
Uttu was the goddess of weaving.
Her narratives often involved transformation and fertility.
She symbolized the earth and plants.
Some believed Uttu was a spider goddess.
Weaving and the creation of life are central themes.
The spider web motif represented interconnectedness and craft.
Parents:
Enki – god of Water, Fish, Justice, Wisdom, Magic, Shipmenders, Crafts, Healing, Fertility, Art, Exorcism
Ninkurru – goddess of Land, Artisans, Sculptors
Siblings:
None Known
Consorts:
Ninkurra – god of Artisans
Children:
None Known
Uttu’s name was linked to weaving; Part of her name refers to weaving cloth.
As a goddess of weaving, she was envisioned as a spider spinning a web.
She was associated with colored wool.
Uttu and Inanna cooperated in spinning yarn in incantations.
Weapons:
There is no specific weapon directly associated with Uttu mentioned in the texts.
Sacred Animals:
The spider is a sacred animal related to Uttu, symbolizing her connection to weaving and creating webs.
Symbolism:
Weaving tools and looms represent her role as the goddess of weaving.
Spiders and spider webs symbolize her craftsmanship and the interconnectedness of life.
Colored wool is associated with her, indicating her domain over weaving and creation.
Celestial Associations:
There are no specific planets or constellations directly linked to Uttu in the provided information.
Realms:
Uttu is associated with the earth and plants, indicating her influence over the natural world and vegetation.
Worship Places:
Uttu was worshiped in the E-ešgar, a part of the Esagil temple complex in Babylon.
Rituals & Divinations:
No specific rituals for worshiping Uttu are mentioned in the researched Sumerian texts.
In the myth of Enki and Ninhursag, Uttu is seduced by Enki. Ninhursag, Enki’s wife, saved Uttu by removing Enki’s influence and growing plants from it.
In the Enki and the World Order myth, Uttu’s role concludes the narrative shifts, highlighting the distribution of power and domains among gods.
Visit All Sumerian Gods & Goddesses
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- Matt Clayton, Sumerian Mythology: Captivating Myths Of Gods, Goddesses, And Legendary Creatures of Ancient Sumer and Their Importance To The Sumerians (Captivating History, 2019)
- Samuel Noah Kramer, Sumerian Mythology: A Study of Spiritual And Literary Achievement in the Third Millenium B.C. (General Press, 2021)