Definition

Proper noun 1. A major deity in ancient Mesopotamian religion: Ishtar is the Babylonian and Assyrian goddess associated with love, fertility, sexual desire, war, justice, and political power. She is a complex, multifaceted figure often considered the counterpart to the Phoenician goddess Astarte and other Near Eastern fertility/war goddesses.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The ancient Babylonians built temples to honor Ishtar.
  • Ishtar was often depicted standing on a lion, symbolizing her power.
  • The myth of Ishtar's descent into the underworld explains the changing seasons.

Advanced Usage

• "The Ishtar Gate": Refers to the eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon, dedicated to the goddess Ishtar. It was decorated with glazed blue bricks and reliefs of dragons and bulls.
  • A reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate is displayed at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.

Variants and Related Words

• Inanna (Proper noun): The earlier Sumerian goddess who was syncretized with and is essentially the precursor to the Akkadian/Babylonian Ishtar. The names are often used interchangeably in scholarly contexts, though Inanna is specifically Sumerian.
• Astarte (Proper noun): The Phoenician goddess who is considered the direct counterpart to Ishtar in the Canaanite pantheon.

Synonyms

• Goddess of Love and War: A descriptive synonym highlighting her dual domains.
• Queen of Heaven: An epithet sometimes used for Ishtar and related goddesses.

Related Phrases and Cultural References

• "Descent of Ishtar": Refers to a famous Mesopotamian myth in which Ishtar journeys to the underworld, causing all fertility on earth to cease until her return.
• "Star of Ishtar": Often associated with an eight-pointed star or a rosette, which was a symbol of the goddess.

Noun

1. Babylonian and Assyrian goddess of love and fertility and war; counterpart to the Phoenician Astarte