About
Despite Inanna’s role as a myth model for contemporary women, evidence suggests that she did not serve the same function for women in ancient Mesopotamia. The Inanna that has come down to us—the goddess associated with sexual agency and martial dominion—appears to have been shaped, in part, by mythic propaganda that reinforced the social, political, and reproductive agendas of a patriarchal elite. However, when we look more closely at her early historic roots, a different Inanna begins to emerge that contrasts with the one we are familiar with today. This lecture explores the possibility that Inanna originated as a prepatriarchal Great Goddess and traces how her myths and iconography transformed over time. By examining both the patriarchal elements embedded in her later traditions, and examples of the ways she resists them, we discover a goddess that is far more nuanced than either interpretation alone suggests. Through this historically recontextualized lens, we will consider how Inanna’s complex and contradictory nature not only reflects ancient power and political dynamics, but also offers a way to recognize—and potentially liberate—internalized patriarchal narratives for women (and men) in the present. Along the way, guided reflection questions invite participants to engage personally with the material, culminating in a guided visualization designed to encounter Inanna as an inner figure and explore how her mythic presence might become a living source of insight. In doing so, we can begin to reimagine Inanna as an empowering myth model for our contemporary lives.