Life Connective (Crescent Moon) Goddess Ayu

This is the popular crescent moon goddess also known as Inanna in Sumer, Ishtar in Mesopotamian, Hathor in Egypt, Artemis in Greece, and Diana in Rome.

Minoan Asherah

Minoan Ayu (1680 BCE)


On display at the Heraklion Museum in Crete. This was found in a Minoan house. It mixes the crescent moon imagery at the top of the house with the goddess holding her breasts. These are her 2 main identifying characteristics.  Holding breasts indicate she is a life power responsible for fertility fluids while the crescent moon indicates her intermediary role between the divine source realm and earth.
Photo by Olmsted (2019)

Introduction To Druid Crescent Moon Goddess Ayu

(January 1, 2025) Ayu is feminine  connective life-power who directs the life powers to earth.  Feminine powers either allocate or direct the raw power generated by their complementary masculine power which in this case is Hu who represents the power of connections within the life network itself.

Ayu edited the connections of the life network. Sometimes she did this directly or sometimes she did this via the eagle-vultures from Kate/Hekate. Her common epithet is "Reed Boat" because such boats for rivers and lakes were crescent shaped.

In Mesopotamia she is called Ishtar from Iṣu.Târa meaning “scarcity’s Changer” because she can change the state of the weather from drought to rain. She is also the Sumerian Inanna, Egyptian Hathor, Greek Artemis, Roman Diana, and Levantine Astarte.

Image of Reed Boat from a Mesopotamian Cylinder Seal showing a close resemblance to a crescent moon

Ayu's main epithet is "Reed Boat." This is an image of Reed Boat from a Mesopotamian Cylinder Seal showing a close resemblance to a crescent moon. They were widely used on rivers.

Life Manifestation Goddess 1 - Willendorf Red Venus
Acorn of the of the European Sessile Oak acorn. This is the inspiration for the hat on the Willendorf Venus.

Ayu and Oak Together - Willendorf Red Venus (26,000 BCE)

(September 15, 2023) Goddess Ayu figurines are identified by having hands on or just below the breasts. The Willendorf Venus is unique in that it has an acorn crown “hat” which seems to be taken from the acorn of the European Sessile Oak. This Venus figurine was carved from oolitic limestone but it was covered with a thick layer of red ochre which represents the life power of blood. Also its hands are holding its breasts. These two characteristics identify it as the life manifestation goddess Asher.

The figurine was unearthed during the Wachau railway construction in 1908. It dates to between 28,000 - 25,000 BCE based on radiocarbon dating of items found in the same assemblage.

Both Ayu and the oak represent the connective life network which brings life powers from the divine realm to the earth. The oak tree was sacred because its broad crown most closely resembled the life network which distributed the divine fertility fluids to earth which was needed to manifest life.  The Willendorf Venus then is the earliest evidence for the existence of this network concept. (Photo: Don Hitchcock, 2008 online: https://donsmaps.com/venusindex.html)

Asherah from Sardinia

Silver Drachma Shows Goddess Ayu from Stratonikeia Turkiye - 25 CE

(April 13, 2024, updated January 1, 2025) The goddess on this coin face is Ayu identified by the crescent moon above her head. Coin is 1.58 grams being 16 mm in diameter.

Ths coins should date to between 25 BCE and 25 CE  based on the history of Stratonicea but its letter style is the earlier Aegean Island which existed prior to that Hellenistic era. Consequently, we must assume this choice of lettering was a deliberate ruse to convince people that this coin dated to an earlier time.

Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 62)

(read left to right (Counter-clockwise). Capital letters on stone. Inner vowels inferred)
  1. Ṭu  AGu  YaYa  ABu
  2. KaYu  Qu  ARu

In English

  1. Thu is being angered by the pain of the life-priests.
  2. Prod the life-threads with the Motion-Controllers ( Su, Selene)

Reference

Numista Coin Catalog. Online at: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces152472.html

Reverse Side Of Stratonikeia Silver Drachma Shows Ayu and References Hekate - 25 CE

(April 13, 2024, updated January 1, 2025) The image shows a middle aged Ayu (identified by her wings) reaching out towards the 7-starred Pleiades constellation while holding a wheat stalk over her shoulder. The Pleiades represents the astrology-fate-powers. Stratonikeia had a temple devoted to the triple-road (Latin: Trivia) goddesses which are a reference to the life-power Druid goddesses of Kate/Hekate, Ayu, and Asher.

Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 62)

(read left to right (Counter-clockwise). Capital letters on stone. Inner vowels inferred)
  1. Bu  IRu  A  Ta'u
  2. Nu  IKu  EṢu   

In English

  1. Nourishments for the astrological-fate-powers are a result of the pasture (starry night sky) 
  2. Revelations (of souls by Kate/Hekate) can be irrigated by the shedding.

Reference

Numista Coin Catalog. Online at: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces152472.html

Cucuteni–Trypillia: (5500 to 2750 BCE)


Cucuteni–Trypillia  culture was one of the first Druid cultures to Fall to the Indo-Europeans around 2750 BCE.
They grew wheat, rye and peas. Tools included ploughs made of antler, stone, bone and sharpened sticks. The harvest was collected with scythes made of flint-inlaid blades. The grain was milled into flour by quern-stones. Women were involved in pottery, textile- and garment-making, and played a leading role in community life. Men hunted, herded the livestock, made tools from flint, bone and stone. Of their livestock, cattle were the most important, with swine, sheep and goats playing lesser roles.
During its middle phase (c. 4000 to 3500 BCE), populations belonging to the Cucuteni–Trypillia culture built the largest settlements in Neolithic Europe, some of which contained as many as three thousand structures and were possibly inhabited by 20,000 to 46,000 people

Goddess Ayu from Cucuteni–Trypillia with Network Lines and Spirals (4000 BCE)


Not all goddesses with this shape had spirals. Most just had lines representing the life network.
Photo by Marius Amarie from Archaeology Magazine. Online at:  https://www.archaeology.org/issues/107-1311/features/tattoos
Goddess Ayu from Cyprus

Goddess Ayu from Cyprus (1450-1100 BCE)


Goddess Ayu with an eagle-vulture head and crescent moon ears with hands just under her breasts. This statuette is from Cyprus and made from terracotta. Here the eagle-vulture head replaced her wings as the indicator of her function. Eagle vultures trimmed the links of the life network.
British Museum Number: 1898,1201.218https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1898-1201-218
Goddess Ayu from Pyrgi Temple Guest Room

Goddess Ayu from Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Guest Room 600 BCE

This statue has wings and what seems to be a crown of feathers identifying it as Ayu. This was found in a guest room in the Etruscan Pyrgi temple complex in Italy.  (Olmsted personal photo from at Etruscan Museum in Rome)

A Dea Nutrix (Nursing Goddess) Figurine from Baldock, with Gil Burleigh

(January 9, 2025) This is an example of a Roman mass produced house goddess patterned on Ayu. These were mass produced during the 300's, mostly in Gaul. In this video Gil Burleigh, who was part of the team who found the statuette, is interviewed about it. This was found in Baldock in Hertfordshire, England. It is now at the Canterbury Roman Museum. https://canterburymuseums.co.uk/collections/canterbury-roman-museum/dea-nutrix/

Ayu and Horned Skull From Herculaneum 79 BCE

(December 6, 2024) A dancing Ayu (Roman Diana, Greek Artemis) preserved at Herculaneum. She is wearing a crown indicating she is a deity. Below her is a cow skull. Horns were associated with Ayu because they tend to form the shape of a cresent moon. 

At this time wings were replaced with a flowing cloth.

Photo from: Minerva Magazine (April 16, 2023) Wooden wonders of Herculaneum. Issue 201. Online at: https://the-past.com/feature/wooden-wonders-of-herculaneum/ . Original picture source at: https://www.classicult.it/materia-il-legno-che-non-brucio-ad-ercolano/

Image of Ayu on Coin Minted in Stratonicea, Anatolia

(April 12, 2024) This is a silver Drachm of Stratonikeia with the head of Ayu on one side. It is dated to 188-125 BCE (American Numismatic Society, New York, 1967.144.4). Ayu is the crescent moon goddess, not Hekate yet coins like these were used to claim this temple was devoted to Hekate.


In Amanda Herring (2022) In Hekate of Lagina: a goddess performing her civic duty.  Anatolian Studies , Volume 72 , 2022 , pp. 141 - 165 . Online at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Silver-Drachm-of-Stratonikeia-with-bust-of-Hekate-on-obverse-and-Nike-on-reverse-188-125_fig5_362771103

The Stratonicea Region Temple Frieze Showing Ayu (50 CE)

(April 12, 2024, updated January 1, 2025) This is the west frieze of a set of friezes found in the ruins of the temple at Stratonicea. These friezes center around the subject of an alliance between Rome and Stratonicea. The woman in the center was incorrectly identified as Hekate. She is actually Ayu (Roman Diana) as indicated by the flowing cloth behind here which replaced wings in later iconography.

The scene likely honors the resistance of Stratonicea to Parthian supported rebels in 40 BCE.

It is now at the Istanbul Archaeological Museums (photo by W. Schiele; negative no. D-DAI-IST-78-263, DAI Istanbul).

References


In Amanda Herring (2022) In Hekate of Lagina: a goddess performing her civic duty.  Anatolian Studies , Volume 72 , 2022 , pp. 141 - 165 . Online at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Silver-Drachm-of-Stratonikeia-with-bust-of-Hekate-on-obverse-and-Nike-on-reverse-188-125_fig5_362771103
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Hekate-gigantomachy-west-frieze-Temple-of-Hekate-at-Lagina-Istanbul-Archaeological_fig2_362771103
modern classic image of Artemis showing her archer connection with the crescent moon
A modern classic image of Artemis showing her archer connection with the crescent moon. Frustratingly, I cannot find its creator.
Artemis (right) with Apollo (left) on 470 BCE pottery
Artemis (right) with Apollo (left) on 470 BCE pottery. Now at the Louvre. Image from Wikimedia Commons at:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo_Artemis_Brygos_Louvre_G151.jpg

Greek Artemis (Roman Diana)

(July 3, 2022) Artemis had the greatest number of temples of any deity in the ancient world. She was the Greek equivalent to Ayu but in Greek cultures she was given a bow to represent the crescent moon. This associated her with hunting.  

Greek culture was a merger of the old Neolithic farmer Akkadian culture with the newer Indo-European culture. This tension gave Greek culture its vitality and innovation.

Her connection with hunting via the moon bow comes mainly from  Homer:

Artemis of the wilderness (agrotera), lady of wild beasts (potnia theron). (Homer, Iliad 21. 470 ff, trans. Lattimore)
Over the shadowy hills and windy peaks she [Artemis] draws her golden bow . . . The tops of the high mountains tremble and the tangled wood echoes awesomely with the outcry of beasts." (Homeric Hymn 27 to Artemis, trans. Evelyn-White)

https://www.theoi.com/Olympios/ArtemisGoddess.html

The Greeks properly associated the sun with crescent moon since both were the main connective life deities of the sky according to the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. This connection of Apollo with Artemis is found in Hesiod line 918-922:

And Leto was joined in love with Zeus who holds the aegis, and bore Apollo and Artemis delighting in arrows, children lovely above all the sons of Heaven.

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D901

The Codex Runicus, shown above, was written in 1190 CE during the reign of Danish King Valdemar 1 according to the old Danish writing on its front page. This important book is the last testament of the Druids and the most complete statement of their philosophy which exists.
The Codex Runicus is now a part of the Arnamagnæan manuscript collection University of Copenhagen in Denmark. The collection in its entirety consists of approximately 3000 manuscript items, of which 1400 are in Copenhagen.
The collection is named after its founder, the Icelandic philologist and historian Árni Magnússon (Latinised as Arnas Magnæus, in Danish Arne Magnusson). Shortly before his death in 1730 he bequeathed his collection of manuscripts and printed books as well as his fortune to the University of Copenhagen, where he was professor of Danish antiquities.

References


Photos from: University of Copenhagen's Interactive Online Scan with Zoom: https://www.e-pages.dk/ku/579/
Dictionary used is always the latest version which is found on this site here.  
Letter Chart Used: Rune (North European) Letters

Ayu in the Codex Runicus From the Balkans 1190 CE

(December 29, 2024) The Codex Runicus describes the middle-ground Druid theology in which life powers can be properly associated with the magical motion/emotion powers. The life powers make the connection changes in the life network and the motion powers push the fertility-fluids through those connected threads/channels. This way dominate in Aegean Islands and mainland Europe. Contrast this way with the life power devotion of the Israelites and the magical motion/emotion power devotion of the Minoans and Phoenicians.

A debate between those devoted to the life powers and those devoted to the magical emotion/motion powers often breaks out during a drought when each side seeks to blame the other's powers for the drought. This has been good for history because these arguments have given us most of our archaeological stone texts because each side wants to write down their viewpoint on stone.  

  1.  Are not nourishments lacking? :  Ayu can be nourished by the zodiac-houses :  Activate the eyes-of-fate (planets and stars)  :  Form-manifestations are lacking.  :  The Revealer (Kate) is not getting involved in the sheddings of the Moon-Eye (Su) .  :   Astrology-magic can be involved with with nourishments. :  (Page 3, verse 9)
  2. Su's changes  :  can manifest astrology-magic.  :  The form-revelations are being constrained by energy.  :  Wind-powers (motion-powers) can manifest the forces.  :  Those change-powers can foreshadow nourishment's allocations  :  by Ayu.   (Page 4, verse 1)
  3. Activate astrology-magic  :  and astrology-magic's manifestations.  :   Activate Ayu's involvement with Hu.  :  The weaving can isolate astrology-magic.  :  Ayu's activity is not being nourished.  :  Open involvement  :   (Page 4, verse 2)
  4.  ...  Life-manifestations can be aroused.  :  Zodiac-houses can shepherd state-changes. :  Lack of activity for  :  Ayu is causing the drought.  :  The lack of activity  :  is being manifested.  (Page 5, verse 12)
  5. Emotion-Powers (Awen) :  can elevate life-manifestation's changes.  :  Reveal the emotion-powers (Awen).  :  Winds/breaths can manifest the changes.  :  Ayu is not being astrologically-activated :  to weave the life-manifestations.  :   (Page 6, verse 2)
  6. Activity of the emotion-owls can involve the high-powers  :  Alu can be gated by astrological-magic  :   Ayu is not wanting.  :  Open involvement  :  The activity of the fertility-fluids energy will then shed the changes  :   (Page 6, verse 3)
  7. The earthly-life-power's form-manifestations can be controlled.  :  The Revealer (Kate) can be an enemy of the emotion-powers (Awen). :  Open involvement.  :  Lack is from neglecting the changes.  :  The far-life-powers can authorize  :  Ayu.  (Page 6, verse 10)
  8. The weavers (Vates) can set  :  the emotional-arousals.  :  Gating  :  astrology-magic can cause-pain from the scarcity of life-channels energized by the White-Ones (heavenly-bodies).  :  Ayu will manifest the changes.  :  Thu can liberate the form-revelations :  (Page 7, verse 10)

Marble Ayu from Sesklo Culture, Thessalonica, 5000 BCE


Statuette at National Archaeological Museum of Athens 8772. Photo via Wikmedia Commons at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_figurine_marble_Thessaly_5300-3300_BC,_NAMA_8772_080802x.jpg

 

 
Life Manifestation Goddess Pillar Figurine from Israel (700-600 BCE)

Israelite Ayu (Astarte) (700-600 BCE)

Goddess Pillar Figurine from Israel (700-600 BCE).  These ceramic figurines have been found in many Israelite homes.  Its size is:  7 1/4 × 3 7/16 × 2 5/8 in. (18.4 × 8.8 × 6.7 cm)
Now at the Met Museum in New York Number 34.126.53. Online at:https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/323163

Ayu/Ishtar from Susa in Elam in Eastern Mesopotamia (1500-1100 BCE)

Middle Elamite I remains were excavated at Susa,where in the Ville Royale area domestic houses and a structure entitled Building T were exposed. Exceptional finds from Building T include much pottery, 50 figurines of naked coiffured females clutching their breasts
Photo from Alvarez Mon 2020, plate 97, pages 248-251
Asherah Bottle from Cyprus

Ayu Bottle from Cyprus (1250-1050 BCE)

Asherah from Cyprus

Ayu from Cyprus (600 BCE)

Source Goddess indicated by her holding her breasts. The source goddess persisted longest on Cyprus and because of that Cyprus was considered to be the birth place of  Greek Aphrodite (Roman Venus) in their mythology. (The island of Kythira between Minoan Crete and Greece also vied for that title).
British Museum Number Museum number 1876,0909.86. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1876-0909-86

Silver Hoard 4 Found at Ekron which was a Philistine city in what is now Israel (720 BCE)

This hoard was found hidden at the bottom of an olive oil press where it seems to have been hidden for safekeeping. It represents the local religious culture and contains the silver pendant shown in the figure on the right.  (Gitin and Golani, 2001)
Ayu figurines found in Israel between 800 and 640 BCE. These were found in settlements throughout Judah, mainly in private dwellings. In excavations of Jerusalem more than two thousand of such figurines were found, all of which had been smashed to bits. This may have been connected with the religious reform of King Josiah (c. 640–609 BCE) as described in II Kings 22-23. Under threat from the Assyrians he embarked on religious purification with the elimination of all traditional Israelite Pagan practices and all other temples outside of the Temple in Jerusalem. These are on display at the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem. Online at: https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/198066-0

Silver pendant from hoard 4 at Ekron Showing the Winged Goddess Ayu 720 BCE

(Feb 23, 2023) Silver pendant from hoard 4 shows goddess Ayu standing on the sun lion and below signs representing the sun guiding Pleiades (7 stars). Between her and a worhiper is a crescent moon (her symbol), and above that is a sign representing the network editing eagle-vultures which she controls.  
It is 5.2 cm high. Its top lop is broken suggesting it was in the hoard only for its silver value at this time. Now on display at the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem. Online at: https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/380228-0
Burney Relief from the British Museum showing the Mesopotamian Akkadian goddess Ishtar (Ayu in Mediterranean, Inanna in Sumeria)
Burney Relief from the British Museum showing the Mesopotamian Akkadian goddess Ishtar (Ayu in Mediterranean, Inanna in Sumeria). She is identified by her wings which indicate she is a connective power and by the life symbols of circle and rod (chalice and athame) which she is holding in her hand.  
She is standing on lions which means she controls the sun power and brings order to the land. She is assisted in this by the motion power owls flanking her. She edits (cuts or gates) the life network with her eagle vultures. Her eagle vulture aspect is shown by her bird claws. Her snake headdress indicates she is a deity having the power of life and death. This snake hat is typically worn by most early  Mesopotamian deities (and some priests).
This relief was originally painted the life color of red as indicated by red ocher pigment still existing on her left hand. Its find location is unknown and it appeared on the antiquities market in 1930.
 (from http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1355376&partId=1&searchText=burney+relief&page=1)

Ayu (Mesopotamian Ishtar, Sumerian Inanna)

(July 3, 2022) Ayu directed the transporter of fertility fluids from the divine realm to the earth. She was the river bank to the river. Her main correspondence was with bees because bees with their golden pollen carrying ability also directed fertility.

Entry from Alphabetic Akkadian Lexicon (Olmsted Jan 1 2022):

AY, ‘Y [Akkadian ayyu, ayu] goddess Ayu (noun) - feminine life-growth connective power and the complimentary power to masculine Atu. Ayu assembles the life-growth network through which flows the fertility fluids. Her orderly form complementary to the sun god Hu of Atu represents a well-structured network. That orderly form is represented by the crescent moon which is why her epithet for that is “Reed Boat.” In contrast her chaotic storm form complimentary to the storm bull form of Atu is the dark part of the moon, Thanu, not normally seen when the moon is in crescent form. Thanu means “grinder.” Ayu edits the divine network with the divine birds, which are owls and eagle-vultures, a trait she shares with magic-crafters. She is the Mesopotamian Ishtar, Sumerian Inanna, Egyptian Hathor, Greek Artemis. The word “Artemis” derives from Aru-Tu-Maṣȗ to which means "The Controller's-enabling-magic" where “controller” is an epithet for Ayu. The “setter” is another epithet because Ayu is responsible for setting or fixing the connections of the divine network at dusk.

Red Skorba Pottery from Malta with Crescent Moons Representing Ayu (4400-4100)

The crescent moons represent the connective life goddess Ayu. The life power theme corresponds to the red color. This red Skorba ware  was slipped (dunked in a thin solution of clay and water) and then burnished to a bright red sheen. This connection with red with crescent moons indicates the spiritual motivation behind the coloring.
Photo from: https://www.odysseyadventures.ca/articles/malta_temples/maltaTemples02_settlement.html
Cylinder seal showing all the Sumerian life deities gathered together to fight an irrigation canal demon

Sumerian Seal Canal Fight Shows Ayu (Inanna, Ishtar) and Hu 2100 BCE (Text SX4)

(Nov 22, 2023) The above cylinder seal dates to about 2100 BCE. It has all the Sumerian connective level life deities gathered together to fight an irrigation canal demon.  

  1. Rejoice over the canals
  2. The pests are ejected

Starting in the left-middle and standing over the canal is winged Inanna (Ayu, Ishtar) swinging a bag likely filled with pollen (alternately it could be a pine cone also filled with pollen). Bees with their pollen carrying ability also transported life powers and so corresponded to Ayu. She is carrying arrows on her back for use by Hu.

To her right and left is her masculine complements, the rain cloud god Hu spouting streams of water and sun god Hu holding a bow. Attacking the canal demon leaping from Hu is an eagle vulture. Below Hu is a young unicorn bull which is another representation of Hu. The identification of the other gods is uncertain at this time.

Image is Adda seal from British Museum (museum number 89115). As usual they provide a false translation. It is online at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1891-0509-2553

Left Side of Hathor Sphinx from Serabit el-Khadim
Left Side of Hathor Sphinx. This red sandstone hand-held sphinx was found on the floor just outside the Sopdu temple at Serabit el-Khadim by Sir Flanders Petrie in 1905. It has inscriptions inscribed on the base on each side which have never been translated. Image from Butin 1932.

Left Side of Serabit el-Khadim Hathor Sphinx Found at Serabit el-Khadim

(August 5, 2022) This graffito is  pro-magic again

Text in Akkadian (right to left)

  1. Ṭu le’ȗ dalû
  2. Pu šâku nâ[pu]

In English

  1. Magic's astrological-powers bring-water.
  2. The Opener (Ayu, Hathor) is making-narrow the fil[ter] (network)

Thu is the magical hermaphrodite connective motion power deity of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm.

Line 1 is stating that the motion powers brought to earth by Thu are important for manifesting rain.

Line 2 is stating that some of the blame for a drought lies with the life network thread opener which is restricting the number of threads which reach earth.

References

Butin, Romain F. (1928) The Seribit Inscriptions: II. The Decipherment and Significance of the Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 21 No. 1 pp. 9-67 
Butin, Romain F. (1932) The Proto-Sinaitic Inscriptions. Harvard Theological Review. Vol 25 No. 2 pp. 130-203
Faulkner, R.O. (1962) A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian. Griffith Institute, Oxford
Cylinder seal of Inanna's life network construction

Inanna's Life Network Construction (2100 BCE)

This cylinder seal shows a woman with clasped hands of anticipation behind a bird on a pole. In front of the pole is a priestess of Inanna before Anu (has beard). The theme of the text is about using the powers of Anu to overcome problems in the life network.
Unfortunately the symbol giving the order of the priestess has been rubbed out and the find location of this seal is unknown. It reads (by Olmsted)
  1. Tremble at Anu's watchfulness.
  2. By means of Anu overcome the divine-network's construction.

from sign assignments:
  1. (right column) UR AN AB
  2. (middle column) TA AN I GAD Dù

Once again the translation provided by the British Museum is wrong. British Museum number 101958 acquired in 1905) probably came from Ur but that is not known for sure. Online at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1905-1111-9

Bronze Crescent Moon of Ayu from Israel (700-600 BCE)

Found at Tel Serah, Israel. Displayed at the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem. Online at: https://www.imj.org.il/en/collections/371376-0
Cylinder seal of Inanna Holding Back a Lion

Inanna Holding Back a Lion (1800 BCE)

The goddess Inanna is ready to release a lion to attack a scorpion woman who represents a paralyzed, drought stricken land. The scorpion woman is indicated by her clawed hands. The scorpion stings small animals and paralyzes them. Its cuneiform style contains simplifications relative to the 2300 BCE style and that dates the seal to about 1800 BCE. It find location is unknown.
Only the 4th column from the right is complete and its says:
  • An's spouse Inanna greatly shakes the fertility fluids

from sign assignments:
  • AN DAM INANNA A SIG3 NUN

This seal (Oriental Museum number A27903) is from Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago at https://oi-idb.uchicago.edu/id/90eec75d-0343-4a85-8810-ad0cdcc2a081
Cylinder seal of a seated Inanna

Seated Inanna (2100 BCE)

This seal from the Sumerian city of Nippur shows the goddess Inanna  seated on a royal throne granting a favor to a petitioner being led by a priestess of the connective powers. Her order's symbol is that of a crescent moon with Atu's sun disk (water and rays) on top. The cylinder seal is made from expensive lapis lazuli. It reads (by Olmsted)
  1. Goodness is purifying the milk-powers (fertility-fluids)
  2. The strength of Anu lifts the strength of the net
  3. Anu makes good Inanna,
  4. his wife

from sign assignments:
  1. (right column) SAG9 KUG GA NI
  2. (middle right column) ŠU AN ŠU SA LAL
  3. (middle left column) AN INANNA SAG9
  4. (left column)  DAM NI

Registration Number: A30568, Accession Number: 3346, Field Number: 5 N 236. Online at: https://oi-idb.uchicago.edu/id/968fe5d1-5627-4c33-8ae7-96da263845ae
Cylinder seal of Sumerian Inanna

Sumerian Inanna (2100 BCE)

This seal shows a woman being led by the priestess of Inanna to the life source God Anu. Her order's symbol is that of the goddess Inanna indicated by the crescent moon. It was found at the ziggurat at Ur. It reads (by Olmsted):
  1. A person weepingly-approaches Anu
  2. to offer the land's-produce.
  3.  A priestess of Inanna approaches the fertility-fluids

from sign list:
  1. (right column) LU AN SES.TE
  2. (middle column) RI.ES SAR
  3. (left column) DUMU.GAD.IG.ŠE A TE

The phrase "priestess of Innana" is literally DUMU.GAD.IG.ŠE meaning child.fabric.gate.grain or "daughter of the divine-network gate for grain."  Inanna guides and controls the fertility fluids.
The British Museum translation is wrong (apparently it has never been reviewed since its first pioneering translation. It was found in 1867. British Museum Number 89069. Online at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1867-0815-4
Cylinder seal of Inanna and her followers

Inanna's Followers (2100 BCE)

Another cylinder seal presumably found at the ziggurat at Ur showing a wealthy woman being led by a priestess of Inanna to the God Anu. Her order's symbol is that of the goddess Inanna indicated by the crescent moon. It reads (by Olmsted)
  1. Tremble before Anu's strength of the earth
  2. you humble children of the thread.

from sign list:
  1. (right column) UR AN ŠU KI
  2. (middle column) DUMU UR (new sign

Once again the British Museum translation is wrong. Museum number 129488. Online at https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1945-1013-32