In 2022, I visited the Pergamon Museum in Berlin for the first time.
I consider myself a lover of Mesopotamian culture, and this museum houses an impressive collection of ancient Near Eastern artifacts from cultures such as the Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians, among others.
I was moved to tears (yes, really) when I entered and saw all the great sculptures. Some are replicas, and others are authentic, which evokes mixed feelings in me.
Shouldn’t they be in their place of origin?
But well, let's leave that for another conversation.
The Encounter with the Goddess in the Museum
After touring the museum, I went by the shop and picked a few postcards I liked. Before heading to the counter, I suddenly dropped a WHOLE pile of postcards. What a clumsy moment…!
As I picked them up, I saw… HER.
Powerful, imposing.
She intrigued me, completely hypnotized me.
A statue of a goddess.
Somehow, She wanted me to see her.
And so, I couldn’t resist buying the postcard.
It felt like a clear message, a call for my attention.
When I returned home, I searched for more information about this goddess, but didn’t find much, as the postcard didn’t provide many details on the back.
A month ago, I reconnected with her and placed the image on my altar. I felt her; her powerful presence was there… inviting me to learn more about her.
Then, one day, I decided to try again with my research. This time, I wouldn’t give up so quickly. I asked AI for help, and boom, I got it. Why didn’t I think of this before?
The Discovery of Tell Halaf
I found information about the excavation: the replica of the statue is currently at the entrance of the Aleppo Museum in Syria, alongside two other figures.
But during the excavation, the statue was found buried on the west side of a palace.
Here’s a bit more context: In 1911 and 1912, German archaeologist Max von Oppenheim conducted an excavation at Tell Halaf, where he uncovered the main structures of a 10th-century BCE Aramean city.
This city included two palaces, whose walls were adorned with basalt statues and reliefs, along with fortifications and burial chambers containing sculptures and offerings.
The location of the statue of this goddess, on the west side of the entrance to one of the palaces, is significant, as figures in these positions often served as protectors, symbols of vigilance and defense of the space. The west, associated with the setting sun, symbolically connects with the underworld.
This made me wonder: Could this goddess be Inanna? My goddess? Inanna, known for her descent into the underworld, is deeply associated with this journey, and her link to the subterranean world aligns with the statue's placement on the west side of the entrance. Everything seemed to fit, like a clear call to me.
The Message from the Tarot
With doubts in my mind, I decided to turn to my Tarot cards for answers. The cards confirmed a clear message.
At first, The Earth Weaver and The Hanged came up, both indicating a deep journey, descending to the dark place where the sun doesn’t shine (tree roots – fungal mycelial network). On the other hand, The Hanged : to stay suspended in time, which directly connects to Inanna’s descent to the underworld in this passage:
164. And they fixed their eyes on her, the eyes of death,
165. And to her word, the word that tortures the spirit
166...
167. The “woman” became a corpse
168. And the corpse was hung on a stake.
The symbols are clear, aren’t they? But it doesn’t end there…
The Chariot + 10 of Water + Judgment
The boat journey, seen as a liminal moment, a passage from the world of the living to the dead, from individuality to the ocean of primordial unity, and the birds (or perhaps souls?) ascending.
270. Upon the corpse hung on the stake, they directed fear From the rays of fire
271. Sixty times the food of life, sixty times the water of lifeSprinkled upon it,
272. And Inanna rose.
273. Inanna rises from the Other World Inanna rises from the world of the dead.
So, is it really Inanna?
My research continued, and to my surprise, I found this pair of sculptures of the God Hadad, with Ishtar! Both were also from the Tell Halaf excavation.
It’s important to note that Inanna, the oldest Mesopotamian goddess, precedes Ishtar. Inanna was primarily worshipped in Sumer, and with the expansion of the Babylonian and Assyrian empires, Inanna’s figure merged with that of Ishtar, a goddess worshipped in Babylon and Assyria.
This was not an isolated case: in many ancient cultures, when an empire invaded or conquered another, they often adopted and adapted the deities of the conquered regions to integrate them into their own pantheon. This practice allowed the conquered peoples to maintain their religious and cultural order, facilitating the transition.
Through this syncretism process, the characteristics of Inanna were absorbed and transformed under the name of Ishtar. Both share fundamental aspects, such as the journey to the underworld, dominion over fertility and death, and a powerful duality that makes them complex figures. Ishtar, as a deity absorbed into a new cultural context, ended up being not only the goddess of love and beauty, like Inanna, but also a warrior and dominant figure, reflecting the territorial expansion and power dynamics of the empires that worshipped her.
Final Reflection
Beyond the precise identity of this statue, I feel its message is clear:
A reminder to connect with the symbols that appear in our lives, to pay attention to those little signs we often ignore.
For me, Inanna (or Ishtar) continues to call, guiding me through symbols, synchronicities, and unexpected moments that are no coincidences, but echoes of something much larger.
This encounter, as personal as it is mysterious, leaves me with a deep certainty:
The story of these goddesses doesn’t just live in museums; it lives in the hearts of those of us who respond to their call.
In some way, these figures transcend time and space, manifesting in our lives to remind us that we are part of a much larger symbolic web, woven throughout human history. By recognizing the symbols and the power of these deities, we are also recognizing a bond that connects us with the primordial forces of existence.
Thank you for reading up to here. I’d love to hear your thoughts—have you had similar experiences with symbols or encounters that left a mark on you? Leave me your comment!
We’ll meet again in another post, where I’ll continue sharing more reflections and explorations. Until next time!
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